3/17, 2009 Tuesday Clovis,NM to Carrizoz,NM $14.00 Gas Propane $10.00 $3.00 misc $18.00 RV space

Left Walmart in Clovis at 11AM

Bought diesel gas $1.99 a gal 7.2 gal $14.33 110 miles 14mpg

Went to Bison RV center again to get propane $10.00 plus part for sewer drain $3.00

Dumped at Bison RV center's dump

Left Clovis at noon

Found water spigot at lot where a former credit union building was for sale and put water in our tank

I drove 59 miles to Ft Sumner where official grave of Billy the Kid. He lived from 1898 to 1921

I drove 57 more miles to Vaughn,NM. It was a steady gradual climb. Drove 52mph through desert. Saw nothing but prairie, a few ranches and black angus and whiteface black angus. For 57 miles, we saw a total of 30 cars and only 3 going west, the same direction as me

(You know, we are known as "shunpikers" (people who shun turnpikes or stay off the main road)

Ate lunch in Vaughn, NM

Al drove 75 miles to Valley of Fires, a BLM recreation area 4 miles from Carrizozo,NM

With Golden Age Pass, it is 1/2 price at $9.00 per night with elec

Water and dump are available, we just happened to park in a space right by a water spigot.

Don't know why it is called Valley of the Fires yet but will know tomorrow. There is a visitor center here. 2 employees came by on their Kawaski vehicles to check if we needed anything. They are not fooling me, they are just checking us out or they want a good report on a survey that they ask us to fill out later.

There is allot of lava rock formations that go through an arroyo (I learned what that word means today) Iowans would call it a gully. Also, there is 360 degree view of the sky. Just beautiful. But no trees or water, like creek, river or lake so no fishing. There is however, about a mile long man made walk throught these lava formations that I plan to go on everyday. We may stay here throught the week-end if food and weather holds out.

It is about 6300 ft altitude and very warm in day but cool at night. Such clean mountain air.