Fourth of July Campground, NM, Broken Window, Back to Our Original Boondocking Spot

After spending an extra night getting the flat tire fixed, we decided to try and find a new boondocking spot.  Al was in charge of researching spots this time.  He found a couple to try and so we off we went.  We passed by a Forest Service office so decided to stop in and ask for their suggestions.  We talked to a real nice lady ranger who made some suggestions.  She told us we could leave the trailer in their parking lot and check out the spots before trying to pull the trailer along some questionable roads.  Off we went and didn’t like any of the spots nearby.  When we returned, she suggested a campground about 30 miles away that was $7 a night with no hookups.  We took her suggestion and off we went. 

The drive to the campground after the 30 miles of a two-lane road ended up being about 8 more miles down a gravel road with puddles from the rain a few nights before.  As we’re driving down the road there is nothing but trees but eventually we see a Sysco truck coming the opposite direction so there must be something down there that has food service so we keep driving.  Finally, we arrive at the Fourth of July campground and there is no one else there.  It’s completely empty!  We drive around checking out the spots and realize that there isn’t one big enough to fit our RV.  There was one spot at the entrance that would hold the camp host so we pulled in that spot and spent the night. 

We didn’t get a good feeling for this site so we kept the trailer connected to the truck and planned to leave early the next morning and that’s exactly what we did.  We drove the 8 miles back out the gravel road and back to the paved road. 

In New Mexico, there is land that was granted to individuals or groups by the Spanish or Mexicans that I don’t understand but it contains some sketchy people we’re told.  Apparently, they can do whatever they please on their land and the police don’t even go there.  This really is the wild west!

More info if interested:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land_grants_in_New_Mexico

When we arrived at the Fourth of July campground, we noticed that our truck shell window was shattered.  We didn't hear it happen.  We thought it might have been from driving on the road but the more we think about it and talk to other people, someone could have been unhappy with us driving near their property and hit our truck with a BB gun or something similar.  That thought is scary but luckily it was only the window and not us!

Don't worry Ira & Frank, we're getting it fixed!

After that bad experience, we decided to go back to our previous boondocking spot and felt much better when we arrived and found it empty.

Al relaxing back in his happy place hammock!

View of the sky from my lawn chair!

After talking with a lady in the campground just below our free camp spot, we went to Harbor Freight and purchased 100 watt solar panels to recharge our battery so we don't need to run the generator (so much).  The trees in this spot made for a challenge but they are working pretty good.

 During the days wee continued with our hiking and trash pick up.  Here was our view from the ridge nearby.

Our first hot air balloon basket sighting!  The Fiesta is getting close!

Sunset over Ponderosa, NM

We ended up staying in that spot for 7 nights without hookups with no problems!

Cedar Crest, NM, Hatch Chilies and Flat Tire

After boondocking for 5 nights, it was time to go back to civilization and camp in a campground.  We drove to the east side of Albuquerque and stayed at Turquoise Trail Campground in Cedar Crest, NM.  We arrived with no problems and dumped our tanks and got set up in spot #36.  It was the nicest spot in the campground.

Later we found out that the singer, Ozzy Osbourne, filmed a reality show in this exact spot. When I was in high school my brother was a fan of Ozzy's music but I thought he was gross for biting off the head of a bat.  Anyway, I never saw the reality show but apparently him and his son, Jack, were traveling in an RV and stayed in this spot.  We learned this from the campground owner who also told us that Ozzy really didn’t spend the night in the RV but instead went in to town and stayed at the Hilton.  The show made it look like he slept in the RV filming him waking up in the trailer.  She told us people request this spot just based on the TV show.  It just so happens that Ozzy is doing some concerts in the area now so the radio stations are playing more of his music and we hear his name mentioned more than usual.  It was fun hearing this story.

When in town to run errands and do laundry, we spotted a couple of places that roast Hatch chili peppers.  These peppers are very popular here in NM.  We got to talking to one guy outside of a Sprouts and he says people buy a bushel of peppers for ~$25 and bring it outside and he roasts them for them.  It is very popular and he told us some people buy multiple bags.  That’s a lot of roasted peppers.  We’re told people then freeze them and use them for all sorts of dishes.  They smelled delicious and the guy gave us some samples to try!

https://www.hatch-green-chile.com/how-to-roast-hatch-chile/

We drove past a burger place called Burger Boy which didn't look like much but it was always packed with cars.  Al looked them up on Yelp and they had great reviews so we decided to give it a try.  We ordered our burgers with our normal favorite toppings.  Later we found out the food to eat here in New Mexico is a Hatch green chili cheeseburger.  Next time we eat at a popular place like this we'll have to ask for their most popular items.   

We planned to stay 2 nights in Cedar Crest and then move on but when we woke up on travel day, Al noticed we had a flat tire on the trailer.  Al got the tire changed using the spare that came with the trailer and then we went to get the tire fixed.  There was a tire place nearby and they fixed the tire quickly but dealing with the warranty took them a long time.  They ended up fixing it for free because it was too much trouble dealing with the warranty for the $16 repair cost.  So we ended up staying an additional night to take care of the tire repair.  Luckily we're not on any schedule so we had the flexibility to take care of the tire.    

We're still hanging around Albuquerque waiting for the Balloon Fiesta to start. 

First Dry Camping on National Forest Service Land in New Mexico

While waiting around for the Balloon Fiesta we decided we wanted to try out boondocking/dry/dispersed/free camping so we went to the Forestry Service office near Sante Fe and talked to a ranger.  He gave us two huge maps and pointed out spots that allow free camping.  We told him it was our first time so he suggested one area to try.  To get there we drove on New Mexico state roads and then we turned on to Forest Service roads which are not paved.  It was a slow ride on a dirt/rock road until we got to a point where the truck couldn’t pull the trailer (with a full fresh water tank) up a steeper section of gravel road.  The tires kept spinning no matter what Al tried.  It was a single lane road and there was no place to turn around so our only option was to back up.  Luckily, we noticed two free camping spots about 1/8^th mile back so Al backed the trailer all the way and then pulled into a spot.  It ended up being a gorgeous spot and we were very happy with it.  

Our goal was to see if we could make it 5 nights with just the water we had in our fresh water tank and the generator and one lead acid battery to provide our electricity needs.  There was a state campground called Paliza Campground a short walk from our free spot so we were not completely alone and they had bathrooms if our tanks got full.
 

It was a little creepy the first night staying out in the woods alone.  I was lying in bed thinking if I needed to call 911 I wouldn't know what to tell them to find us.  But, it was so quiet and we slept like babies. One night we had some of the local cows walk through our site but that was pretty much it for wildlife.  We could hear some elk but didn't see them.  

When needed, we ran the generator to charge up the battery and our devices.  Since we were alone, we could run the generator any time we wanted.  Campgrounds have quiet hour rules with restrictions when you can run generators so we didn't have to worry about that.  At night we watched stuff we previously downloaded on to our iPads.  

The first time we left the trailer alone to run errands we were nervous that someone would drive away with it.  It is our home after all!  We took some precautions but still nothing is theft proof.  The more times we left the trailer alone and returned with no issues, the more we are relaxing about leaving it alone.  This Forest Service road didn’t get very many vehicles.  Most of the “traffic” was pickup trucks going in to the forest to get firewood. 

We did many hikes from our spot following Forest Service roads in many directions.  Being out here mostly alone I was nervous if we went off the roads.  When we did I would leave little trail markers with stones or sticks to mark our route so we could find our way back. 

Along the roads on our return hike we started picking up trash and managed to pick up quite a bit.  We ran in to a few guys on a quad who where bow and arrow hunting and asked if they had any plastic bags so we could carry all the trash we were finding.  They took our current load and freed us up to pick up more.  Next time we need to remember to bring trash bags with us on these hikes.  

It was just beautiful views from our hikes.

Back at our camp, Al found a good spot to set up his new hammock.  He set it up low to start and test it out.    

He was one happy camper!  

One day we returned to our site and there was another Imagine trailer parked across the street from us.  We intended to go over and talk to them but didn’t get there in time before they left.  They were only there for a weekend.  How funny to find a fellow Imagine trailer owner out enjoying this great location.  

We loved this spot, the weather was perfect, it was completely free, and, we made it the 5 days with no problems!

New Mexico State Fair, Old Towne Albuquerque, Balloon Museum

We left Vegas and drove south to Kingman, AZ to spend the night and stayed at the Zuni RV Park.

The camp host suggested we take a section of Route 66 instead of Route 40 due to the condition of Route 40 in this section.  I don’t think either of us are interested in Route 66 but we took his suggestion and drove the next day for this short portion.

At the intersection of Route 66 and Route 40 in Seligman, AZ, we came to Snow Cap Drive-in.  It was a good time to take a break so we stopped.  Here’s a little info on the place:

Delgadillo's Snow Cap Drive-In is a historic eatery and roadside attraction located along former Route 66 in Seligman, Arizona USA.^[1] The drive-in was built in 1953 by local resident Juan Delgadillo (May 17, 1916 - June 2, 2004). Delgadillo was working on an extremely limited budget, so he built the restaurant mostly from scrap lumber obtained from the nearby Santa Fe Railroad yard.^[2]

To bring attention to the restaurant, Delgadillo sliced the roof off of a 1936 Chevrolet hardtop, adorned the automobile with paint, horns and various automotive emblems and even an artificial Christmas tree in the rear of the car.^[3]

Delgadillo's flair for showmanship extended to his menu, which still features such choices as a "cheeseburger with cheese" and "dead chicken." His sense of humor is evident in "Juan's Garden" at the rear of the property with its collection of old automobiles and kitsch in general; the humorous approach extends to the building itself.^[4] Hand-painted signs in the parking area warn drivers that they are parking at their own risk. A neon sign in the window informs patrons, "Sorry, we're open." The door which leads to the counter has two knobs, one on the right and one on the left. The knob on the right is a dummy; the one on the left actually opens the door.^[5] Delgadillo would continue his humorous approach by bantering with his patrons over their choices of food, asking, for example, if they wanted cheese on their cheeseburgers.^[6]

While researching the history of Route 66 for the 2006 Pixar motion picture Cars, John Lasseter met Delgadillo's brother, Seligman barber and Route 66 historian, Angel Delgadillo, who told him how traffic through the town virtually disappeared on the day that nearby Interstate 40opened.^[7] Both brothers are acknowledged in the film's credits.

The restaurant is located within the Seligman Commercial Historic District, and is cited as one of the town's flamboyant examples of roadside architecture.^[8]

Since Juan Delgadillo's death in 2004, the Snow Cap has been run by his daughter Cecilia and son John, all whom work the counter in the same playful manner. The walls around the counter area itself are covered with business cards from all over the world.

It was a funny place and I got fooled by the two door knobs.  Inside, we placed our order with John, the son of the original owner.  He had some funny pranks for us which made us laugh.

It was a fun place for a stop and we enjoyed the silliness of the place.  

Check out the restrooms!

I loved the smiley face French fry!

Juan Delgadillo (May 17, 1916 - June 2, 2004)

Our next stop was Holbrook, AZ for one night.  There was not much happening in Holbrook so we moved on east the next day.

Then it was on to Albuquerque, New Mexico on Route 40.  This was my first time in NM besides putting my foot or hand in NM at four corners.  We got set up at Coronado State Park in Bernalillo, just north of Albuquerque. 

Sandia Mountain (Looks like a watermelon when the sun hits it just right).
This is the location of the Sandia Indian Reservation.  

Working on the blog

Al heard a commercial on the radio that the New Mexico State Fair which was going on.  We enjoy state and county fairs and especially if they are part of our travels.  The NM state fair had some very different things to enjoy.   

Car show

Our junk food indulgence!

We watched a lumberjack demonstration and then went in to the horse barn and watched some young people being judged on their riding abilities.  I don't know much about horse riding but it was interesting to watch and the barn was out of the sun and cool!

We saw on the program that there was an all day pow wow going on so we went to check it out.  The fair had a separate area for the Native American Indians and we got to watch their dance competitions.  There were so many different categories and we ended up staying there over 5 hours.  The traditional costumes were very intricate and contained feathers and lots of bead work.

There were about 7 or 8 different men's drum groups also competing.  Each group took a turn playing a song for the different dance categories.

The dancers danced in a circle moving clockwise around the big pole.

Ladies with scarves

This guy had an interesting headpiece

Waiting to hear the judges results

An elder lady in her traditional ceremonial clothes

Elder men

The back of their outfits

Ladies waiting to hear the judges results for the bell dance

I wouldn't want to mess with this Indian!

The back pieces were beautiful

This little guy was a great dancer!

The little guy had a dance off with an elder.  The crowd judged and chose the elder over the young man.
The kid seemed to know his place and respected his elder.  

If you're interested in seeing some video of the event, check out these links:

https://youtu.be/WsO1DqxyFcc    (38 seconds)

https://youtu.be/WsO1DqxyFcc  (39 seconds)

In this video, you can see the drummers and the boy dancer.  You'll also see people bringing money for his dancing.    https://youtu.be/NrqpJxt1e78    (1 minute 30 seconds)

This video is slow motion of the girls doing the scarf dance:  https://youtu.be/mZBTbdqAb9Q  (9 minutes 45 seconds)

There was also a huge Mexican area with music and food but after spending so much time watching the American Indians, we didn't spend much time there.  Plus, we just spent 2 weeks in Mexico City in July.

Another day we went to the International Albuquerque Balloon Museum.  It's free on Sundays so guess which day we went?

This was a fun interactive video game to simulate flying a balloon.  Do you think I crashed?

Samples of balloons and information about their journeys and crews.

Old Town Albuquerque - not much happening the day we were there.

Since we're in Albuquerque and we've been talking with people who tell us we must stick around for the Balloon Fiesta, we'll find some things nearby to do while we wait.