Tired!

Monday

Wow, am I tired!  I set up the RPOD in the park two days ago to shake out how everything works.  Today I hitched up and hit the road to Silver City, only 50 miles away, where I knew there was a nice park with easy access.  So far, so good.  I will stay another night here and then head back to HVR to fix/add whatever I find I need.  So far, only the TV/DVD/Radio doesn't work and I think I am missing a cable for it.  Gotta ask one of the guys at HVR to take a look and tell me what I need.  

I called DirecTV the other day to see if I could suspend my service for a few months since I don't want to take on getting the satellite dome working.  (Mike used to manage all the electronics because he loved it.  I, on the other hand...)  I can suspend service for 6 months so I should be able to wander around the country and return to New Mexico in the fall without having to pay for a service I can't use.  

Got the taxes filed on time (thanks, John).  The Feds owe me money which came as a nice surprise.  I can use it to pay for my new deck.  It should be finished this week.  More photos to follow.

Tuesday

The dogs and I set out for Lake Roberts today.  We took the National Scenic By-way Trail of the Mountain Spirits (Trail of the Mountain Spirits).  It goes north out of Silver City through Pinos Altos and winds through lots of pine trees and pretty scenery until you get to the lake.  

 If you have any doubts left about the severity of the drought in the West, take a look at these photos.

This is or was the boat ramp.

Across the lake you can see what was once a floating walkway.  High and dry now.

Must have been a new dock which was not completed.

On our way back to Silver City, we passed the Santa Rita Copper Mine (Open Pit Copper Mine).  It is enormous.  Photos don't do it justice.

Just south of Silver City is what's left of Fort Bayard, another of the forts on the western frontier to attempt to contain the Native Americans, Navajos and Apaches, from interfering with mining claims.

Fort Bayard History