It is Wednesday January 9th and we are about 3 miles outside of Parker Az. Somehow when I was typing today's notes the previous entries I made deleted. I hit the wrong key I guess, but I will continue from this day. The last two days have been great sunny and hardly any wind. We are in the parking lot of the Blue Water Resort and Casino. We are going to stay here tonight and continue tomorrow. Bill rode a good 40 miles today. He is doing so great, I am so proud of him. He is getting relaxed and that is just what he needs. We are starting to get into a routine now. Cuddles is starting to settle in herself. Yesterday we were in Lake Havasu City, Az. We spent the night there. We walked along the area where the London Bridge is, only a couple of shops open. It is slow this time a year for that area. In the summertime you can hardly see the water under and around the bridge because of the boats. When we had our boat we came here several times. It is a lot of fun in this area. Driving here the scenery has been beautiful. Especially the mountains between Lake Havasu and Parker; some of them are so red. I am getting comfortable with driving the motor home I can actually look around a little more. The first three days my eyes were straight ahead and watching traffic. I went to the store yesterday and had to find a spot to park the motor home with the jeep so I can pull out and turn, because you cannot back up unless you disconnect the jeep first. Well I want to avoid that. (I forgot Bill's tequila when I was packing to leave) OOPS!.

Left Parker, I am about 22 miles outside, working my way to Yuma Arizona. Stopped at this little place called Stone Cabin, that is the only thing I see around here except desert and mountains. It is a really neat little shop with all kinds of things to buy, some are unique. Next door to it you can get a hamburger and drink of you want. In front of store there is newspaper article behind glass about Stone Cabin. Desert area landmark store opens after several years, most anyone who has traveled on Hwy 95 to Yuma or Mexico is familiar with the historical landmark which dates back to the 1700's has been restored and is now open. This store has long offered a refreshing stopping place for travelers on this long road which there is nothing else until you reach Yuma. The owner of the store has a donkey out back in a fenced area. I asked the owner if he has a name for the donkey and he said Hee Haa. He has adoption papers on the donkey and if he forgets to feed him at 7:30 in the morning the donkey will open the gate and go to his masters door and butt it until he gets up.  Hee Haw also likes cocoa puffs.

Heading to Yuma took a road from Hwy 95 that is called Dome Valley. It is about 10 miles of farm land. You actually zigzag to get to the old Hwy 80. Got to Wellton where we are camping for the night and recharge everything. Everyone I have come across is so nice and friendly.  Heading to Sentinel where we will most likely spend the night in a rest area and Monday get into Gila Bend.

Sunday, Jan 13th, spent the night at the Sentinel Rest Area, nice place, kept very clean. A lot of trucks came in and out which made it difficult to get to sleep but once asleep I didn't hear a thing. Bill beat me at scrabble but I asked him for rematch.

Monday, Jan 14th. Left this morning around 10am drove to Gila Bend, needed gas and groceries. The cheapest gas I found was at Circle K at 3.05 a gallon. I have been through Gila Bend several times going to Mexico, but never paid much attention to the area. Where I got gas I asked where there might be a Safeway or Bashas and the guy looked and me and laughed, sorry what you see on this street is what you get. There was a market about two blocks. When I pulled in to get gas I went in to pay and handed the girl 100.00 on pump 3. The look on her face was ausome. She look outside to see what I had. Told her hope to get change back. We are at an RV park here in Gila Bend. It only costs us 10.67 for full hookup. We joined Passport America before we left and they have been great.  We will leave tomorrow morning for Ajo where we are to meet up with Bill's brothers and his father. They are planning to ride from Ajo to Douglas Az with Bill. That should be a lot of fun for them. It is around 325 miles, they are renting a motor home also. Have more to say later.

It is Wednesday Jan. 16th. Spent last night at an RV place in Ajo called Belly Acres. Just a few spots but it was nice and clean. I think everyone there had a dog, they just roam about not bothering anybody. Broke camp and took off around 10am. We have gone 53 miles and breaking for camp on the Tohono O'Odham Indian Reservation. We are parked off to the side of a mini store and they said it would be fine to park here for the night. Going to cook fish called trigger fish. They get their name from the trigger that pops up on their back when they feel danger. It is very tasty. By the way I caught it in Rocky Pointe, Mexico during Thanksgiving when we were camping on the beach. I must apologize about not having any pictures on the website yet, I have some on my camera but I need to get with the help desk where out website is hosted, just haven't had enough time to do it yet. I will get them on there soon.

Sunday Jan. 20th, spending the night in Sonoita parked in the fairgrounds. It is beautiful here. There is a bed&breakfast inn called Sonoita Inn. A southern arizona landmark, it is renowned for its gracious hospitality and intimate western-country settings. Nestled amongst the stunning grasslands and majestic backdrop of the Santa Rita Mountains, charming guest rooms that welcome savvy travelers to a western country lodge that only nature and time could create. The building, originally designed by Secretariat's owner Margaret Carmichael, was inspired  by the world's most celebrated thoroughbred racehorse. Sonoita Valley is home to Arizona's burgeoning wine country with nine vineyards located in the area. Some say climate and soil conditions in the Southern Arizona community of Elgin are perfect for growing grapes. You can do a day trip from Tucson to the wine country.

Wednesday, Jan. 23rd. Left Douglas Arizona this morning and made it to New Mexico. We traveled 58 miles today and are camping at Rusty's RV Ranch. The wind was heavy but behind our backs, which made a great difference. We will be traveling toward El Paso tomorrow.  It will probably be about 3-4 days. We are out of phone range for now. Passed through a town called Rodeo where everything was called Rodeo. Rodeo Bar, Rodeo Realty, etc. We are camped just north of Hwy 9 which we will  be traveling tomorrow towards El Paso Texas. We are now entering strange country. Should have a lot to share with all of you from this point on. Having a great trip so far. Cuddles is getting settled in as well as me. We had a great weekend with Bill's  brothers and father and uncle. It was heart warming to see them all together. I hope they continue to do things together. I am enjoying the trip and learning new things every day. I am getting comfortable with the motor home so I can look around  more.

It is Sunday and we are camping in El Paso for a couple of nights. I can replenish the motor home and Bill is doing maintenance on his bike. Saw a salon across the street I think I will get my hair cut. The weather has been very cold but we are starting to get in warmer areas. Driving the motor home has been quite an experience for me. Living in small quarters take some getting use to but seems to be working out. Finding places to put everything is challenging. There is a lot of border patrol on Hwy 9 because it being close to the border. I even saw them camping along the way, I guess they have someone there at all times. I would love to try their night goggles, I think that would be pretty cool. I had one patrol stop where I was parking waiting for Bill and asked if everything was ok. I told him why I was there and he said have a good day. I felt pretty safe on the hwy because of so many patrols. I got instructions on how to put the pictures on the website so I will be working on that also.

It is Tuesday, Jan 29th. We are leaving El Paso on Hwy 62 East to connect with Hwy 54 South. We went about 55 miles so we parked in a rest area for the night. I was fixing dinner when a few cattle came up to the fence, expecting to get an invitation to dinner I guess. Glad there was a fence between us.

Wednesday we headed for Hwy 54 South and went another 57 miles and parked for the night at the intersection of 62 east and 54 south. The winds were fierce. They howled all night and rocked the motor home. They did die down by morning so we got up early to take off before they start again. It was a bitter cold, felt like an arctic cold.

Thursday Jan 31st. Made it to 54 south and now in Van Horn, Tx. at an RV park. I have come across a couple of parks that just pick a space and we will collect later when they come in. The one we are at tonight, there recording says we do not take reservations just come on down. We got here around 1p and the office sign said will be back at 5:30p. Trusting.

It is Friday Feb 1st, it was so cold in Van Horn that the water froze. Had to wait until the sun came out to be able to remove the water hose. Got away from there around 10:30am heading for Marfa Tx. which is 75 miles from Van Horn. We are about half way there and the wind has picked up terribly. It is 2:00pm and going to call it a day. The wind rocked the motor home all night plus all the big rigs travel Hwy 90 and the speed limit is 75mph, sounded like a race track all night.

Sunday Feb. 3rd we arrived in Marathon at the rv park to do some resting and watch superbowl. There is a bar restaurant down from the rv park where we went to watch the game. Met some really nice people. This bar is called white buffalo bar and they have the head of the buffalo mounted on the wall and a picture of it (when it was all together) at the bar. They say it was the only one in existance.

Tuesday Feb. 5th on our way to Del Rio we stopped in Lantry to see the Judge Roy Bean Museum. He was known as the hanging judge. He was a saloon owner and appointed himself judge for Lantry. There was not a place to confine prisoners so he handcuffed them to a tree. The trial and punishment were done all on the same day. I don't know if anyone was really hanged because mesquite trees are not big enough. On my way to Del Rio again I stopped at a roadside rest which had two historical markers. The first one was Silver Spike, marked the completion of the southern pacific railway the eastern part originated in Texas in the 1850's and then was rechartered in 1870 to the Texas legislature as Galveston, Harrsiburg, San Antonio designed to connect Houston and San Antonio to the Rio Grande. T. W. Pierce from Boston gained control in 1874, while P. C. Huntington from California was building the southern railway eastward and wanted to join the two together. Reached an agreement with Pierce on January 12, 1883. The two railroads were joined by a silver spike. The other historical marker titled, Railroad Bridge over the Pecos. Construction of the railroad bridge took place in 1882 as part of the transcontinental route for the southern pacific railroad across the lower portion of the United States. Access to the bridge which was deep in the canyon had two tunnels. In 1890 city officials was planning for a new bridge, one that would cut directly across the Rio Grande by a viaduct that would straighten the route. This bridge was the highest in North America and the third highest in the World.

Thursday, Feb. 7th we are on hwy 277 south heading for Laredo Tx. Bill did about 82 miles today. We are stopping for the night at a roadside rest. We were sitting at the picnic table talking when a border patrol car pulled up and the guy asked us if we saw anyone crossing the fence. We said no we hadn't, so he walked up and down along the fence with gun drawn, gave up and got back in his car and drove off.

Friday, Feb. 8th heading for Carrizo Springs, where 277 turns into 83 south. This road is in bad shape. They have chipped seal the road but didn't put many rocks on the shoulder and it has been rough for Bill to ride. He says it feels like he is riding a jack hammer, so we are taking it slow. At the rest stop there is a plaque that is dedicated to the Texas Vietnam Veterans for all their sacrifices. This road is dedicated from the farthest north to the farthest south. Proceeding on 83 south their is a town called Roma and it is right on the edge of the border. I couldn't help but notice about the hispanic cemetaries, they are loaded with colorful flowers, you can't miss them. I didn't have a place where I could pull over to take a picture. On our way to Rio Grande City Tx. which is about 14 miles from Roma. One thing I wanted to mention about Roma is some of the homes. They each have their own unique style and mostly made of brick.

Feb.14th.We made it to South Padre Island. Bill rode the bike to Brownsville Tx. and I drove the jeep to pick him up and we drove to the island. We had lunch and a couple of drinks at the beach. It was pretty windy and the water was choppy but I didn't care. Were we had lunch it was called boomerang billys beach bar. On the way back we stopped at the Point Isabel Lighthouse, built in 1852 and was retired in 1905. Built of brick brought from New Orleans by a scooner. The beacon 60 mile range brought ships into the harbor and the Rio Grande bringing commerce to southwest Texas. Darkened during the Civil War it was used as a lookout by both Union and Confederate forces and again during WWI. Placed in honor of the American Merchant Marine, the U.S. daughters of 1812 Texas society. There is a 2.5 mile bridge between South Padre Island and Port Isabel. It is called the Queens Causeway, the longest bridge in Texas. The Gallery of the Port Isabella Lighthouse offers a grand view of the city Port Isabel, Laguna Madre, Padre Island and the Gulf of Mexico and beyond.

Friday Feb. 15th, we are heading out of Hollengen Tx. going north on hwy 77 on our way towards Galveston, so far we have gone about 30 miles and it is really flat and it looks on the map like it is a swamp area and it appears that if it rains the road will be covered with water. It is cloudy today, there is some wind but behind us, and they are expecting rain this weekend.

Feb. 20th we are in Galveston Tx. We came in on farm road 3005 which is the penisula of Galveston. We traveled about 20 miles on that hwy until we came to the ferry to take us to the main land. It started raining as we got to the ferry and continued to rain when we got off the ferry. It was 10 miles on hwy 78 to the rv park which we are staying for a couple of nights. We are going to take the jeep tomorrow across the ferry and have lunch and check out the area. I was in Galveston about 40 years ago and don't remember anything. I was able to camp on the beach at that time, not now. It took about 10 minutes across the ferry. It was cool. I will let you know when we have lunch how the fish is.