Roving Reports by Doug P: 2013-10 Santa Rosa New Mexico

Saturday, May 4, 2013

2013-10 Santa Rosa New Mexico

Blue Hole springs, Santa Rosa NM

2013-10

Santa Rosa New Mexico

campground: Santa Rosa State Park. Elect/water reg price $14. I’m paying $4 after purchase of the yearly camping pass. 4 over the air TV stations. 3g Verizon.

Santa Rosa State Park, NM

Before I headed out on Tuesday, I was able to fit in a visit with my friends Kathy and Randy. It was Kathy’s birthday and we celebrated by going to The Range, a most fab restaurant in Bernalillo. Great food, atmosphere and prices. Randy wasn’t eager to go on the tram ride to the top of the Mt overlooking Albuquerque so Kathy and I ventured onward and upward. It was a perfect day as the there were no winds, something one wants when ascending almost 4,000 feet in a tram dangling from two cables. The views as always were awesome and a drink in the lounge at the top was pretty cool too. Actually it was friggin warm in the restaurant/bar area but the cool drinks helped.

Kathy on her Birthday, wish I could have taken a better pic.

Distance traveled 145 miles

Santa Rosa

I kind of hated to leave Cochiti Lake campground. It’s a great location for touring and I didn’t do half of what I had originally planned, but I did get a chance to meet up with many friends in the area, though not all of them, darn.

On my last day in the Abq/Santa Fe area I had a Dr’s appt to finally have a sebaceous cyst removed from my back, which I should have had done while in Tucson, but oh well, at least the little irritant has finally been removed. Making for much more pleasant driving down the road without having that irritating pain in my back. Of course in two weeks I’ll have to drop into a Urgent Care type place to have the stitches removed, but that won’t stop me from heading on down the road.

I headed out around 8:30 this morning and traveled along hwy 285 (between Santa Fe and I-40) which is just one of those perfect secondary roads that we RV-ers love to drive on. Very little traffic, nice wide paved shoulders on either side of the smooth two lane road. The views of the prairie with it’s golden yellow close-cropped grasslands, dotted with low growing juniper trees stretching from horizon to horizon. Finally reaching Interstate 40 where I headed east towards Santa Rosa for another 60 miles. I was able to get to Santa Rosa State park just as the winds started to pick up. The final drive being a winding road and finally a breathtaking crossing over the top of the earthen and rock covered dam. A wedge shaped dam a thousand feet high with a strip of asphalt pavement across the top.

late afternoon shot through the Ramada at my campsite

Santa Rosa Army Corp Earthen dam

I’ve really gotten spoiled with the low camping rates here in New Mexico and will hate to leave the state eventually. The most I’ve paid this past month has been $4 -$10 a night. Much less than my budgeted amount of around $18 a night. The Santa Rosa State Park is actually owned by the Army Corp, who built it along with the earthen dam here along the Pecos River. The Army Corp has leased the campground out to the New Mexico state parks for operating it.

The Santa Rosa St pk is only 7 miles from town, but is truly high desert prairie and you’d never know you were that close to town. Although there may not be that much to explore in this area, I’m enjoying the prairie type scenery and the feel of a small town of only 2,800. The only national commercial businesses are a McDonnells, Family Dollar and a new Dollar General. With a number of good motels and all the local historical Route 66 restaurants. Even a couple Rv campgrounds right on route 66 in town.

Santa Rosa is one of those way stops that so many highway drivers end up at either for the night or a meal along the way. Being half way between Albuquerque and Amarillo tx. Rv-ers will love the wide road through town and the numerous places to pull off the road near restaurants etc.

historic route 66 signs

The one attraction here in Santa Rosa besides Blue Hole springs is the Route 66 Auto Museum.($5). I’ll dedicate this section to my friend David “Butch” Bird as he’s a real car nut. I can just see him drooling over all the cars. I just wish they had some placards with details on each of the cars on display, as I don’t know that much about these classic cars and I’m sure some have a great history as to the original owners etc. Still I enjoyed seeing some really great antique cars.

Did Elvis sign this car?

I’m not sure I’ll have anything to write about next week as I’ll be in this area for another week and touring looks pretty limited. But at least I’ll enjoy the beautiful sunny days and perfect temperatures this time of year.

more photos on Picasa

The adventure continues.....

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Favorite Camping Resource Books

Camping on a Shoestring, 3rd Eastern Edition by Don Wright (Great list of free and cheap campgrounds eastcoast, lists many city and county park/campgrounds)
Camping with the Corps of Engineers by S.L. Hinkle (a complete guide to campgrounds owned and operated by the US Army Corps)
Coleman, National Forest Campground & Recreation Directory (A detailed list of all the campgrounds in National Forests)
Don Wright's Guide to Free Campgrounds, Western Edition (Great list of free and cheap campgrounds, lists many city and county park/campgrounds)
GOOGLE SEARCH (Don't forget to use the Internet to search: use (city name, campgound, camping for your search)
Military Travel Guide USA (Lists all the Military campgrounds for DoD and retired military)
Passport America book (lists all the half price campgrounds)
RV Camping in State Parks, D.J Davins (A listing of all state parks)

Camping Club Info:

CAMPING CLUBS:

Joining the various camping clubs can be a great help. Each makes their own mark on camping and building communities within the camping world.

Many of the camping clubs I've listed are 1/2 off clubs. By joining, you get 1/2 off the camping rate for one night, a week and some are unlimited stays at their campgrounds.

Also, most everyone who plans on camping for part of the year or is thinking about full-timing get either the Motor Home or Trailer Life magazine. Both offer tons of helpful hints and trips to take throughout the year. Good Sam’s has Highways magazine which you get free with your membership.

I joined a number of clubs and magazines the first couple of years before I became a full timer, just to get an idea of what the community was like out there. After a couple of years, I’ve kept my favorites and dropped the rest. Listed in no particular order.

TIP: Always call ahead and inform them you are a member of a particular CLUB. Sometimes campgrounds drop out or change their policy. It's always good to call ahead and confirm they are still members in the club you've joined.

Escapees: It’s one of the best communities of Rv’ers you’ll ever find. With great support groups and individual clubs with just about every interest and hobby a person could think of. They own a number of campgrounds that you can get really great rates for camping and they provide a 10-15% discount at other campgrounds throughout the country.

http://escapees.com/index2.asp Membership: $60.00 + $10 enrollment fee.

Good Sam’s Is good, but personally I haven’t had much need for them, and their 10% off campground fees has not been much of an incentive. They do have lots of Rally’s and caravans if you have the inclination and are willing to pay for the trips. The trips can be very pricey.

https://www.goodsamclub.com/Membership: $29.95

Passport America: My favorite club!!!!!!!!

It’s a 50% off camping club that gets you 50% off the campgrounds that have signed up with Passport America, (1,800+ campgrounds) good online web site and book for browsing campsites.

If you join, please let them know your were recommended by:

D Palosaari C-271417

http://www.passport-America.com/main/default.asp

Membership: $44.00

Happy Campers: Another 50% off camping club and mirrors Passport America with perhaps a few different campgrounds than what Passport has. Their camp book is small and doesn't have good maps for directions.

http://www.camphalfprice.com/Membership: $49.95

Camping Club USA: recently merged with Passport America

Recreation USA:

I found this club on the Internet and it advertises that all of it’s campgrounds go for $10.00 a night. They also have a half/off section as well. I have been a member for two years, and though I've stayed at a couple of campgrounds on their list, many are no longer available or haven't heard of Rec. USA and I end up not being able to use the camping club discount. Always call ahead on this one to confirm that they are still participating. I've met the owners of the club and they are nice, it's just that they don't seem to keep up with the campgrounds who are supposed to be participating.

http://www.campingandcampgrounds.com/member_updates.html Membership: $44.00 per year.

Brief History

I grew up in the Copper Country's Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I started working from age 13 at the Copperama during the summer as a dishwasher. I remember being so small that I had to stand on two wooden pepsi crates to put the dishes in the dishwasher. After highschool, I attended Suomi College (a Finish oriented college) renamed to Finlandia University a couple years ago.

I had a chance when I was around 20 to travel to Florida with a co-worker from the Copperama (after our usual layoff in the fall) and upon arriving in Fla, I sent a letter home the second day and said, "I'm Staying". My Mom wrote back and said, "Stay, it's the best decision you made in your life.... and when you get settled, we'll come visit".

It worked out well, having moved from one peninsula in the U.P. to Florida, another peninsula surrounded by the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico. I love water.

Mom gave very little advice, but reminded me that no one would ever be able to take care of me after I left home, that I could not come back home after I left (except for a weeks vacation), and that I should never ask for a loan, because they didn't have the money.

What she did give me though, was some advice. And that was to look at the years my Dad struggled with making a living. Getting layed off from his construction work every winter until he finally got a job with the State of Mich. at MTU as a maintenance worker. Life was good after that.

So when I got to Florida, I got the hint and after a short period of working at 7-11 and a couple other small jobs, I started to apply for any Gov. job. City, County, State and Federal.

I finally got a job with the Navy starting out as a GS-2 temporary part time not to exceed 90 days putting cans of beans on the shelves at the commissary. My foot was in the door and a career that eventually spanned 31 years ending up as a Logistics Manager.

my desire to travel was realized after years of camping and enjoying the great outdoors. I got started camping just to save money and it became a lifelong source of joy.

Hint to those just starting out in the working world: Every job has it's fringe benefits, some are written down, some aren't. Learn what they are and take advantage of them.

Example: If I got on committees that required travel, I could travel at the Goverments expense. Plus, I could extend my stay after the work as vacation. The Gov. paid my way out and back for my job and for my vacation!

Dreams do come true. Stay focused and keep working on them and one day, yours will come true too.

Roving Reports by Doug P

Saturday, May 4, 2013

2013-10 Santa Rosa New Mexico

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