theboondork's RV blog

I sure hope this balloon rally is worth it

11/16/2022

Wow! Two pics to click today, I hope your fingers can stand the strain.

My campsite at Datil. I should've parked next to my picnic table but it wasn't level enough there and my refrigerator needs level ground.

I don't think I've ever used a campground picnic table, since I prefer eating indoors so I don't have to deal with the wind, the bugs, the neighbors, carrying food back and forth, and whatever happened on that picnic table before I arrived.

I was reading some information about Pie Town, and folks were complaining about the poor cell phone and Internet service while in Pie Town. I'm not sure how accurate that information is, but it doesn't look worthwhile to leave here and go to Pie Town hoping for better Internet service. Although I still want to go to Pie Town, it sure takes the fun out of putting pictures on the Internet if it takes half a day to load them.

Learning that, and looking at other options, I've decided to stay here at Datil for a few more days. I now feel that the Internet may be just as bad in Pie Town as it is here. And being a few hundred feet higher in altitude, Pie Town will be colder than here, and it was 20° this morning. And in Pie Town, I will have to boondock so I will lose the use of my electric heater. And I don't think I can find anyplace with great camping, and an electric hookup for $2.50 a night. I'm also unsure if there is any propane fill stations in Pie town, if I happen to run out. And feeling wimpier than I normally do, I decided that "sitting tight" makes the most sense right now.

Because I'm not good at making decisions, I've had to find ways of simplifying my decision-making process so that even I can do it without getting in trouble. So the first thing I turn to when faced with a "should I go or should I stay" dilemma is to think about how bad things are where I'm at. And If things are really bad where I'm at, the decision to leave will be easy. But if things aren't all that bad where I'm at, I might as well keep hanging around until there's a good reason to leave.... And if that doesn't work.... I've been known to flip a coin.

Since I'm often heading South for my winter travels about this time of year, I don't remember cold being much of a problem before. I've stayed at Storrie Lake State Park before in the Fall without it snowing on me. And I've been running around other parts of northern New Mexico this time of year, with cold weather only a minor annoyance, which leads me to believe that this Fall is colder than normal.

Maybe it has been this cold before, but I didn't pay any attention to it because, as I've said before, normally, I would just whiz right through these cold areas and get to Phoenix, Quartzsite or Tucson as quickly as possible, where it's almost always warm. But this balloon rally reservation will pretty much keep me in cold weather for the month of November. But in this case, it's not the reservations at the RV Park in Gallup that I care about; I just want to see the balloon rally, enough so that it appears I'm willing to be cold for the entire month to see it.

Theboondork

The campsites at Datil are very large compared to normal campsites, and the handicap campsite in this picture is downright palatial. Everything is wheelchair accessible including a paved sidewalk going to the nearby restroom.

It took all morning, but I managed to get two pictures posted. Since It was pretty chilly this morning I had nothing better to do.

4 Comments

JUDITH

11/16/2022 07:59:20 pm

It's not you. It's the weather. We've been 10-15 degrees colder than usual these last few weeks, according to the NWS. And the forecast here has just mentioned "snow flurries" even though a small chance. We'll see. I have NEVER in 77 years experienced even the possibility (well, I was gone 10 years in my salad days, but as far as I know, no snow flurries every happened then). Staying warm for $2.50 a night in a nice place in the boonies seems like a no brainer for decision making.

Tom

11/16/2022 09:03:20 pm

I thought it seemed pretty cold around here, at least more than it normally is. But for $2.50 a night I'm staying warm and comfortable.

I always try to find something good in no matter what situation I find myself and in this case I'm finding out that despite my somewhat cramped quarters I'm still managing to stay comfortable despite some days being too cold to go running around outside.

Being cooped up in a small camper was one of my concerns since I didn't know how I was going to deal with a lot of rain, or cold weather, when I couldn't spend much time outside, but so far it's been fine.

I've already had far too many "snow flurries" on this trip so here's hoping you're spared any snow flurries no matter how small the chance.

Tom

Linda

11/17/2022 11:13:06 am

Here in Minnesota, last week it rained all week. Monday and Tuesday it snowed and it's been too cold for it to melt. It's way too early int he season for that to happen. But, the earth is finally getting a drink so there is an upside to that.

11/17/2022 03:43:05 pm

In the West, as you probably know a lot of our moisture comes from the snow in the mountains, and I've been to some of the 5 foot wide creeks that pour into Grand Lake near Rocky Mountain National Park which is considered the headwaters of the mighty Colorado. And I've been to the headwaters of the Rio Grande also known as El Rio Bravo del Norte to the Spanish explorers, in the San Juan Mountains near Creede Colorado, and I've lived in Colorado long enough to be able see some differences in the amount of snow we get, and my observation is... It ain't what it used to be.

When I moved to Colorado in the early 1980s parts of the high country would have snow all year long, and it was not uncommon to see snow on pikes peak for most of the year. But now as you've seen from pictures I take during the summer most of the snow is gone in the high country by the time I get there in the Spring. So it would appear that either Colorado is not getting the amount of snow it used to, or the temperatures are not getting and staying as cold as they used to. Or a combination of both.

But whatever it is, the only thing for sure is, it's cyclical, always has been, and probably always will be, so if the lakes are drying up, its probably a good time to buy a boat, because its probably going to start flooding pretty soon.

Tom

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I sure hope this balloon rally is worth it

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