November 28 & 29

November 28, 2017

We left Mark and Bettye’s home in Azel, TX around 7:30 headed for El Paso. It was a very windy day and the desert produces dust storms that are like fog. I rode most of the way with a towel over my nose and mouth to keep the dust out of my lungs! We were able to keep a speed of 50mph up Ranger Hill and that made Duffey happy with the motorhome’s performance.

El Paso is on the Mexico border so we were able to see past the fence to the mountains with very colorful homes stacked upon themselves three or more high.  

November 29, 2017

We left El Paso for Tucson today, where we plan to spend the night, then head into Phoenix tomorrow and find our spot for our new winter adventure. The weather was hazy, which is good for driving, and it was not windy which is also desired when driving a 45 foot motorhome. Most of the trip was through the desert.

In El Paso we were watching a Andy and Barney episode with Aunt Bea and the ladies protesting to save a chicken farmers house and coup so they could continue to purchase his eggs. The state was going to pay him double what his land and home were worth, he could purchase another place for much less than his was worth, but he did not want to move because his chickens might not like it. In the end Andy finds he has two illegal stills below the chicken coup and that is the reason he did not want to move and the church ladies were very upset to realize they had been lied to. We were so close to the border that we could see the fence and the Border Patrol informed us the fence was needed to stop some of the drugs coming into the USA. He assured us that without a fence the unlawlessness south of the border would make El Paso and other cities the bad old west! So, maybe living in IL and judging if a border is needed isn’t proper.

During this drive we had to pass through a Border Patrol stop. We were fortunate and they did not stop us for a search. We did see others at the check point and along the way being searched.

Next, we saw signs about wind storms that quickly crop up and how we should deal with the storm. We were lucky not to have any wind.

One area was called the Texas Desert and it contained huge rocks that were naturally stacked on top and near each other.

Finally, we saw huge orchards that went on for miles. We were shocked to see these orchards in the desert! When the trees were close to the road we could to see that they had planted the trees in ditches so that watering is flooding the area. We are not sure what the trees produce but we were told they were cherry and nut trees.