Travels with haRVy

Our breakfast view of Caballo Lake.

Mid-morning we drove up the road to Truth or Consequences, New Mexico. Other than mineral hot springs, we didn’t know what to expect. We were hoping to find a funky cafe or coffee shop  and it didn’t take long to find exactly what we had hoped for…

Can’t pass up a place with a name like that!

Some customers enjoying the funky ambiance and delicious pastries.

haRVy parked across the street.

Next up was a soak in the hot mineral springs that made this town semi-famous (besides its name of course). I did some research online and chose the Riverbend Hot Springs because it is the only one with outdoor springs overlooking the Rio Grande River. Yes, the same Rio Grande I’ve been writing about for over a week now. It seems to be everywhere we go!

This small family owned spa is a serene retreat that we would highly recommend.

Truth or Consequences wasn’t on our original itinerary, but we’re glad we took the detour to check it out. I would love to do a photo essay book on the characters who live in T or C (as the locals call it). I am absolutely sure that each member of this very eclectic populace has interesting stories to tell!

After our relaxing soak we reluctantly hit the road again. We drove to Deming, New Mexico where we boondocked at the St. Clair Winery, after tasting and purchasing some fine wine. The winery is a member of Harvest Hosts, which we highly recommend to any RV travelers. For a small annual fee, you get to park overnight at all sorts of farms, wineries, museums, and other attractions across the country.

After a very quiet night and good sleep, high winds woke us early once again. We had checked the forecast the night before and thought we’d be OK if we got an early start, but the gusts started as soon as the sun rose over the horizon. The winds howled for the entire 4+ hour drive to Tucson, AZ, but Al did a terrific job behind the wheel! As each big truck came along side us to pass, he would feather the steering wheel towards them and then back away from them after they pulled ahead. He says that putting the necessary pressure on the wheel to keep going straight in the wind gusts feels much like sailing a boat with weather helm. Who would have thought that our sailing experience would come in handy on the highway! We had previously been apprehensive about driving haRVy in windy conditions because he is so tall, but this day gave us more confidence in his stability.

The road to Arizona, our 17th state.

We arrived at our friend Max’ house by mid-afternoon and Al immediately laid down for a nap. Later Max cooked us a delicious pasta dinner, which (along with a bit of wine) helped us put the worries of the day behind us. We are happy to be staying in one place for a few days after covering so many miles recently and are grateful for friends like Max who welcome us warmly. The only thing that is not warm is the weather. We keep hoping the next destination will be better, but we’re still looking (and hoping). Southern California here we come!