We’re off to Quartzsite!

After delaying our departure due to extreme cold and snow, we’re finally headed south to Albuquerque on January 17^th.  Our first night is at American RV Resort, just west of downtown Albuquerque.  The park is about as expected, and suffers from highway noise from nearby I-40.  From Albuquerque we’re headed to the KOA Journey in Holbrook.  Some sites here have been upgraded to KOA Patio sites with privacy fences and pergolas. But, located just off of I-40, again this park suffers from constant road noise. Our final night on the road to Quartzsite is at Verde Ranch RV Resort in Camp Verde, AZ.  This is a favorite park of ours with all the amenities of a nice RV resort.  From Camp Verde we transit around Phoenix and make the relatively short trip over to Quartzsite.

Holbrook, AZ KOA Journey

As we did last year, we’re in Quartzsite to meet other members of the Montana Owners Group. With our arrival there are 25 rigs in the “Circling of the Montana’s”.  The big RV show opens the day after our arrival and on Sunday we spend a few hours perusing the booths of RV suppliers from all of the US and touring some of the most recent floorplans in Montana and Brinkley 5^th wheels.  Flooding rains moved into the Quartzsite area, so outside activities were cancelled on Sunday evening and again on Monday.  On Tuesday we pack up our muddy equipment and head towards Palm Springs where we’ll spend the next 8 nights.

February/March, Arizona and California

This will mark our first Spring Trip that includes stops in California.  In addition to Palm Springs we’ll visit Temecula and San Diego.  More from California!

Across New Mexico

Welcome to the 2020 Spring Road Trip!

Following the warmest temperatures of 2020 (62 on Feb 2nd) in Southern Colorado, we’re on the road just before a cold front reverses the trend and drops temperatures 70 degrees (-8 on Feb 5th) and delivers about 2 inches of snow.  Our first stop is at the Stagecoach Stop RV park in Rio Rancho, NM.  Even the Albuquerque area experiences a few cold days and snow flurries from the front that passes mostly to the north.  After 5 nights, and temperatures pushing back in the 60’s, we pack-up and head west to Gallup, NM.

Flurries in Rio Rancho

Stagecoach Stop RV Park, Rio Rancho, NM

After a quick overnight at USA RV Park in Gallup, where we last visited in 2016, we continue west to Meteor Crater RV Park a few miles outside of Winslow, AZ  The park is just off of I-40 and about 5 miles north of Meteor Crater Natural Landmark.  More from there…

Las Cruces & Albuquerque

We’ve left Texas and the central time zone behind as we transit north of El Paso and into Las Cruces, NM. Here we’re parked in site #13, the same beautiful back-in premium view site we occupied 2 years ago.  This is one of our favorite KOA’s and we’ve been here 3 years in a row now.  And, just as last year we enjoy wandering around the old Square in Mesilla and a cocktail or two at the Imperial Bar at the Double Eagle.  Can anyone name this beautiful desert plant that was in full bloom in Las Cruces?

Beautiful Las Cruces Flower

From Las Cruces we’re headed north toward Albuquerque.  We’ll spend two nights at the Isleta Lakes & RV Park just south of town.  Isleta Pueblo, home of the native Tiwa people, occupies about 210,000 acres along the Rio Grande, 15 miles south of Albuquerque.  The RV park is next to two stocked fishing lakes and just across the street from the Isleta Casino.  Amenities at the park include a clean laundry room and a small bait/snack shop.  A new “yet-to-be-opened” club house promises free coffee and donuts on weekend, a small workout area and a couple large screen TVs.   Sites are gravel with full hookups and covered picnic tables for around $35/night.  The only downside of this park is the nearby rail line.  During the week, the commuter Rail Runner train calls on Isleta Pueblo 14 times, each time whistling it’s arrival and departure.  After dark, unknown number of long, fast freight trains use these rails as they rubble north or south along the Rio Grande.

Isleta Pueblo Casino & Hotel Resort

Isleta Pueblo RV Park

Isleta Pueblo Lakes

Isleta Pueblo Lakes

Rail Runner at Isleta Pueblo

Isleta Pueblo Sites

From Albuquerque we’re headed home.  We’ve stayed at 12 different parks and resorts and covered about 2600 miles in 38 days.  As always, a great time with friends and family in some our favorite campgrounds and RV parks across New Mexico and Texas!

Spanish Peaks – Back Home!

Route 66 RV Resort

Good Morning from Albuquerque.

After a brief stop at Trinidad Lake State Park on Sunday night, we’ve make the as-normal very windy transit of Trinidad to Albuquerque and are parked at the new Route 66 RV Resort about 15 miles west of downtown along I-40.  It seems that nearly all RV Parks in Albuquerque are along either I-25 or I-40 and most of the reviews mention road noise.  This is a huge RV park, with 100 sites spread out across 50 acres.  Since it sets behind the Casino, Hotel and several restaurants we were hopeful that the nearly constant I-40 truck traffic noise would be reduced.  Selecting site #1145 on the far end of the park, we’re behind a small hill and experienced a very quiet night.

Having arrived yesterday in winds gusting to about 15 miles per hour, we’ve decided to stay put here in Albuquerque and await the passing of a cold front.  Right now (about 10AM) the winds are gusting to about 50 miles per hour – our side-to-the west is providing a very bumpy “ride” as we work inside.  Now we know what it must feel like to go down the road in the trailer!

Opened just last August, this RV Resort really does live up to its name.  The full hookup sites offer plenty of space, some even with 16 foot wide pads.  A mixture of pull-through and back-in sites, each has water, sewer, 30/50 power a grassy area with a picnic table and fire ring.  There are also some “Luxury” sites with 100A electric service.  While rates are advertised as $50 and $60 on their website (before Good Sam discount), the special rate through the end of February is $30 per site.  Other amenities include a large open-air rally shelter with gas grills and picnic tables, pickleball courts, sand volleyball,  and horseshow pits.  Inside their camper amenities building are pool tables, conference rooms, showers and laundry facilities.   This is a 1^st class park – and will be even nicer as the many shrubs and trees get a chance to mature.

Having missed a travel day and with this cold front moving through, it appears that the next best stop will be a little over 300 miles to the west.  Stops closer are forecast to be in the teens and single digits overnight, too risky for a de-winterized water system.  Our plan is Payson, AZ about 5 hours away…more from Arizona!

Route 66 Hotel & Casino

Route 66 RV Resort

Route 66 RV Resort, new pool

Route 66 RV Resort, new pool

Route 66 RV Resort, clubhouse

Route 66 RV Resort, courts

Route 66 RV Resort, rally barn