If you can dream it, and believe it, you will see it

[highdesertranger]

nice. that is one beautiful place, how are the skeeters? highdesertranger

 

[ByeBye]

Skeeters are pretty busy from about 3pm-6pm. Got some citrus eucalyptus non DEET repellent that keeps them at bay pretty well.

 

[ByeBye]

Taters, Serrano peppers, onions, garlic and smoked sausage over the ecozoom stove 
Gawd, that's good

 

[ByeBye]

At Cosmic Campground, Gila National Forest NM on my way to a do some work on rig and visit some of my first set of in laws in SW Oklahoma

 

[Qxxx]

Taters, Serrano peppers, onions, garlic and smoked sausage over the ecozoom stove 
Gawd, that's good

One pan meals, great for the road. I missed that post the first time around. Yummy.

 

[highdesertranger]

ah cool, I have never seen one of those "Dark Sky Sanctuary" signs. highdesertranger

 

[rvwandering]

I have removed all of the posts with back and forth, off-topic bickering.
This is MaTaLa's Captain's log which is different from an ordinary forum thread. It is his travel info and his adventures.
Please be as respectful here as you would if you were visiting someone's home. Thanks!

 

[ByeBye]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Sunset this evening and a cut and paste from Nation Forest site[/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Cosmic Campground International Dark Sky Sanctuary[/font][font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] (CCIDSS) is the first International Dark Sky Sanctuary located on National Forest System lands and also in North America. It is also one of only 10 certified IDA Sanctuaries in the world. International Dark Sky Sanctuaries are lands possessing an exceptional or distinguished quality of starry nights.  For more information on dark skies or the International Dark Sky Association -[/font][font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] http://www.darksky.org/[/font][font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif].[/font]

 

[RoamerRV428]

fab pics! your rig looks great! home sweet home

 

[Qxxx]

So Matala, I guess you are very much liking that fancy rig you built with the truck camper on top the flatbed truck. Have you done any serious off roading in it? I could definitely live in northern New Mexico.

 

[ByeBye]

@Q
First, I am hopelessly smitten with North NM right now, the land and the culture!

I don't know that I've ever done any serious off roading. Not only is this my first camper I've never owned a real 4x4 truck before but rough roads/terrain aren't new to me. I'm on a comfortable learning curve however in Heron Lake primitive camping area, Rincon Campground, I was definitely on jeep trails, at times slopes steep enough all you can see is sky at times. Needed 4x4 low range to do those. Use 4wd to through mudholes several times but I don't go looking for excitement like that, I was either looking for spot or going back and forth to one.

I had questions, initially, about how the camper would hold up during serious thrashing and shaking and I've had a good bit of that and haven't found a loosened wood joint anywhere yet. Tight as drum and I'm pleased as punch.

Yeah, I loving my behemoth that I just christened Rocinante pictured at Manzano Mountains State Park, NM where I'm staying tonight.

Now, what makes you say it's "fancy"?

 

[Qxxx]

Sorry, saying serious off roading was a misnomer on my part. You wouldn't want to do that with an entire RV rig on the back. I was really thinking about getting through mudholes and loose sand, and you seem to have conquered that. With my regular RWD van, I have to be very careful about loose sand.

I think it "is" pretty fancy. You don't see many truck campers on 4WD flatbeds, and you solved 2 problems with one shot. No 6 month build out. That's worth a lot right there.

The original Rocinante is actually a lot smaller, although in the book, he makes it sound similar to your size. It's in the Steinbeck museum in Salinas CA, and I went through there 3 or 4 years ago. It's just a regular pickup truck.
https://www.google.com/search?q=rocinante+steinbeck&tbm=isch&sa=X

 

[ByeBye]

Hemingway was just once facet, the original Rocinante, Don Quixote's is a larger piece of the rig and me.

"Rocinante (Spanish pronunciation: [roθiˈnante]) is Don Quixote's horse in the novel Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes. In many ways, Rocinante is not only Don Quixote's horse, but also his double: like Don Quixote, he is awkward, past his prime, and engaged in a task beyond his capacities."

I was aware of the actual differences in vehicles. Don't be so literal...haha.

 

[Qxxx]

Ha. I just looked up Manzano SP. Years ago, I drove my jeep up the road to one of the peaks there and went hiking along the ridge. I remember eating in Mountainair at the Shaffer Hotel. The original owner was into swastikas for some weird reason. I asked the waitress if he had been nazi, and she said he just liked swastikas. Downright weird.

https://www.google.com/search?q=shaffer+hotel+mountainai&tbm=isch&sa=X

 

[Qxxx]

I was aware of the actual differences in vehicles. Don't be so literal...haha.

I was just pointing out the original Steinbeck Rocinante still exists in California. Don't be so serious, LOL. And I know about DQ's horse.

 

[ByeBye]

Dang...one would think context doesn't always convey online or something, lol. I'm about as non-serious as I've ever been in my life at this moment.

Interesting about the hotel. A quick search turned up a piece which you might be aware of http://www.news-bulletin.com/news/f...cle_a6f5da92-2d2a-11e8-9f68-e34a78b100d9.html
Might to consider giving it a look.

Swastikas have an interesting history, at least to me, from origins to the Third Reich.

 

[ByeBye]

Made it to the Shaffer Hotel for lunch the next day and it was a beautiful, quaint New Mexican gem.
Had a hand made  Green Chili Cheeseburger that was delicious prepared by a cook wearing a bowtie

 

[MG1912]

MaTaLa, your posts are inspiring! Today is my first day on the road with my truck and slide-in camper, and I'm loving it. I can't wait to get out west and see some of those sights. Keep on truckin'!

 

[Qxxx]

Wow, green chili cheeseburger. Top of the list. My kind of cafe (except for the swastikas, lol). You can see why I still remembered it after roughly 20 years.

 

[Qxxx]

Matala, I just ran across this website on another thread, may help deciding where to go next in NM, I like your travels . I stayed at Percha Dam CG a couple of years ago. Nice reservoirs around Truth or Consequences.

https://www.campsitephotos.com/campground-directory/state/new-mexico?sortby=name

https://www.campsitephotos.com/campground/nm/percha-dam-state-park/photos/percha-dam-playground