Traveling Square Dancers: From Las Cruces to Belton, TX

Who We Are

We sold our home in June, 2007, and spent the next 7 1/2 years traveling full time in a Cross Roads Fifth Wheel. (We had been traveling during our summers for several years before going full time.) We loved the full-time lifestyle! Each summer we spent a month or two volunteering in State Parks, first in Indiana at McCormick's Creek State Park, near our family, then in later years as the grandchildren got older, at the Bluewater Lake State Park in New Mexico. We spent 6 months each winter at Cactus Gardens RV Resort in Yuma, AZ, where I worked mornings in the park office. The remaining months were spent on the road, seeing this great country of ours. Our favorite places are our National Parks. Anita loved photography and the freedom of digital photography, taking sometimes hundreds of photos in a day. We hiked as much as our legs will allow. We also really enjoyed square and round dancing as we travel across country, and meeting all the wonderful people who dance and/or travel.

But as in all things, there comes a time for change, and we decided it was time to create roots once more. In the fall of 2014, we purchased a home in Cactus Gardens, and in the spring of 2015, sold the 5th wheel. Anita also retired in the spring. We will continue to travel each summer, but for a shorter period of time. We hope to continue blogging about those trips, but it will obviously be on a more limited basis than in the past.

Please explore our past posts if you are interested in traveling this great country. You'll find an index in the left column. We hope you enjoy our blog, and appreciate all comments

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

From Las Cruces to Belton, TX

Whenever possible, we like to find new routes to travel, and this time, we decided to take U.S. 380 to Texas. It was a scenic route, traveling through the Sacramento Mountains.

The various signs of Roswell, NM brought a smile to our faces.

Mid-afternoon, we stopped for a break at Tiny’s Burger Barn in Tatum, near the state line. In contrast to the name, the burgers were anything but tiny. Both the barbecue and the burgers were from local beef, and simply delicious.

We stopped for the night at a free campground in Brownfield, TX. Northern Texas has many of these small free campgrounds (some with a donation box). Several of the communities have decided it benefits their local economy to offer camping sites. We stay in them whenever we run across one. This one, as most, was in a city park, but we were pleased to find free internet provided by the local high school.