Heron Lake State Park, New Mexico – Day 25

The motorhome is still parked here at Heron Lake State Park about 20 miles south of Chama, New Mexico while I am recovering from my May 27th accident.

My right ribcage area remains slightly swollen and tender to the touch. I’m pleased to report some progress…with the exceptions of a cough or a sneeze, the poppings, with the associated pains, in my chest have finally stopped! I remain taking Ibuprofen, icing my ribcage area 2-3 times a day and wearing an elastic bandage abound my chest. The doctors told me to expect 6-12 weeks for recovery. The accident occurred six weeks and six days ago. Can you tell I’m ready for the recovery to be finished?

Because it has been so warm here, I’ve been sleeping with the windows wide open. It’s also so dark, no window coverings are needed. Last night however, at 2:35 AM, my sleep was disturbed by this light shining on my face. I awoke to find this waning quarter-moon rising slightly above the low nearby trees. I grabbed my camera and took a few photos by sliding back the screen and resting the camera on the window sill to help hold it steady since I was shooting at such a long focal length. Here are three of the photos that I took…

As always you may left click upon an image to see an enlarged view and then click once again to see an even larger view…

This is the very first photo in a clear sky…

A few seconds later, the first hint of wispy clouds started to appear…

And just a few seconds later, the wispy clouds had thickened up…

Pretty neat, huh? Not bad photos from a hand-held point and shoot camera of a subject approximately 237,750 miles away!

Enjoying beautiful moons is another joy in the life of a full-time RVer!

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2012
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/panamaorbust

Heron Lake State Park, New Mexico – Day 13

As a holder of the New Mexico Annual Camping Permit (non-resident $225), I can stay up to three weeks in a park. If desired, electricity can be had for $4 a day. It’s a perfect place for me to be while I rest and recuperate from the May 27th accident. There are 38 parks in the system.

The locals tell me this is an unseasonably hot summer. So much so, if I have outside things to do I need to get them done by 10:00 AM, after which time I retreat to the comfort of the air conditioning of the motorhome.

Yesterday I needed a few grocery items, so that meant a one-way trip of 20 miles to Chama to the nearest store. While there, I decided to take a ride a few miles north of town to view the scenery. It was pretty, but on a major roadway with no pull-off areas. I did manage to find a small spot to pull-off and take some photos of the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railway heading out of town.

Here are some of the photos that I took…

As always you may left click upon an image to see an enlarged view and then click once again to see an even larger view…

I’ve been thinking about taking this train which goes to Antonio, Colorado…64 miles distant and return. Mary and I recently took the ride on The Durango & Silverton Scenic Railway. If you missed that Blog entry, you can view it by clicking this link…
http://wp.me/pDCku-4OW

At this point I’ve pretty much decided against taking this train ride. The reason is, riding in the regular cars is hot and stuffy, the windows only open half-way, you cannot (for the most part) see what is coming up ahead and taking photos is a very difficult and awkward process. To really enjoy the sights and to be able to take lots of good photos, you need to ride in the open gondola car like the one we rode in on the Durango & Silverton train. Here’s a photo of that car…

As you can see it has seats and a roof to provide shade.

On the Cumbres & Toltec train, the gondola car is nothing but an open box with sides about three feet high. No seats or shade covering…

With all the fees included, the ride in this train is $101 and change. If this train had a gondola car like the Durango & Silverton, I’d probably take this train ride. But for $101 and change, to have to stand up and bounce around for several hours just is not appealing to me that much…so mostly likely I will pass on riding the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railway.

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2012
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/panamaorbust

Heron Lake State Park, New Mexico – Day 9

The motorhome is still at the state park while I rest and recuperate from the May 27th accident.

Yesterday I took the Bronco and drove the about 20 miles to Chama…the largest community in northern central New Mexico. It’s at 7,850 feet of elevation and during the 2000 census had a population of 1,199 people.

You can read about it by clicking this Wikipedia link…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chama,_New_Mexico

It is also the home of the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad. It is America’s highest and longest steam railroad and was built in 1880. Here’s the official website link…
http://www.cumbrestoltec.com/

I’ve not yet decided if I will take the ride on this train as Mary and I recently rode on the Durango & Silverton Scenic Railway. If you missed that Blog entry, you can see it by licking this link…
http://wp.me/pDCku-4OW

Here are some of the photos that I took at Chama…

As always you may left click upon an image to see an enlarged view and then click once again to see an even larger view…

To see the other 48 photos that I took, click this link…
https://picasaweb.google.com/110455945462646142273/ChamaNewMexico

Most of us never get to see a real-life steam train, except in the movies, You can see my short YouTube movie by clicking this link…
http://youtu.be/Oj4_SP2X33M

Photographing unusual places and things is another joy in the life of a full-time RVer!

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2012
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/panamaorbust

Heron Lake State Park, New Mexico – Day 4

If you read my last couple of Blog entries, you know about my problems with the alternator in my Ford Bronco II and the no-see-ums bites on my legs.

The day before yesterday I hired two young park rangers to assist me with the alternator replacement. That is because of my injuries received from the May 27th accident. After we took out the alternator is when we discovered the spare alternator I had for my 1984 Bronco would not work in the 1986 Bronco. i called the nearest Napa auto store in Chama, 25 miles away, and they told me they had one in stock.

Yesterday I hitched a ride into Chama with a neighbor. I brought the malfunctioning alternator with me because it is an exchange sale and also to make sure I got the right replacement. When I got to the Napa store, they actually had two different alternators for my 1986 Bronco…BUT…you probably already guessed it…neither of them was the right one! That would have been too easy! The counterman placed the order which has to come from Albuquerque…175 miles away. He said it would be here by 8:00 AM Saturday…that’s today.

Now I needed to figure how to get to Chama once again. Taking my motorhome would have been a real pain. The camp host here…a real nice guy by the name of Rusty offered me the use of his truck. What a nice guy. So at 7:30 AM this morning I will be on my way to Chama to get the replacement alternator. Hopefully tomorrow’s Blog entry will be documenting the successful installation of that unit.

I’ll return the spare alternator to Auto Zone for a refund…when ever I see the next Auto Zone.

Now…the locals are saying that the current weather is unseasonably warm. Today is supposed to be 87 degrees. The sun here is a scorcher and after about 9:00 AM no one is seen walking around…it’s just too damn hot! Everyone is hunkered down inside of the rigs in the air-conditioning. So I have no new photos to show you today.

Except for photos of my no-see-ums bites. I’ll show just the area about three inches above were my sock was located. I have other bites that go above my knees!

I think my Blog entries have reached a new low today! 

For better or worse…here they are…

First the left leg…

As always you may left click upon an image to see an enlarged view and then click once again to see an even larger view…

And then the right leg…

Remember, I also have bites on the back of my legs not seen by these photos! Isn’t that exciting???

In yesterday’s Blog entry I discussed how the use of Witch Hazel has greatly reduced the itch and pain.

Okay, enough of this for today. Let’s hope that future Blog entries will be more interesting!

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2012
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/panamaorbust