Change Of Weather, Change Of Plans, Beautiful Scenery and Darned Daylight Savings Time.

Our Location today is Shiprock, New Mexico, U.S.A.

Click on the pictures to Enlarge.

With last night being our first night spent in a Walmart Parking Lot this year it was a real change from what we have become accustomed to. The sounds of distant Traffic or Coyotes maybe even the odd Truck that would go idling by to get to their own Campsite in the Desert. We didn’t realize just how big Kingman, Arizona actually was. The Walmart is open 24/7 so there was a continual flow of traffic driving by our trailer along with the Sirens of all the Emergency Response Units driving by on the road. 

Starting the dsy off with Rain.

We were tired of listening to all the noise around us and finally just got out of bed at 7:30. Even though it is not proper Parking Lot Boondocking Etiquette but by having put the Rear Jacks and Front Landing Gear down on Blocks last night helped to stop the Wind from moving our Trailer. By the time we closed up and were ready to bring up the Jacks at 8:00 it was starting to Rain. 

Can't see the Mountains through the Rain.

Looking around we were one of Ten RVs that stopped for the night. There were signs saying “No Semi Overnight Parking” but because of the severe Winds in the area yesterday there were about Twelve Trucks that just got off the road for safety and Walmart didn’t complain. 

With the change of Weather came the change of our idea to walk over to Cracker Barrel for breakfast. As typical when we pulled into their lot there were a couple of Compact Cars parked where RVs and Buses are meant to park yet there were all kinds of spaces they could have parked in. We parked along the curb right by the street with no one else around. 

Feeling refreshed we had to drive back the way we came through the parking lot of the local Smith store to get to the Gas Bar. That is the problem with fueling the Truck with the Trailer attached in a City Setting. 

Snow by the side of the Highway near Flagstaff.

We were finally pulling on to I-40 by 9:00 with the plan to only drive a set distance each day but by the time we arrived in Flagstaff it was starting to Snow. It was just noon when we saw the sign for Denny’s so we exited I-40 and followed the signs right to the local Mall. Coffee and Soup helped to ease the stress as well as to take the chill out of our bodies but looking out the front window as we were getting ready to leave the Snow was really coming down. 

Snow in Flagstaff.

The outside temperature on the dash read 1 C (34 F). Figuring that it was still early and we didn’t feel like staying where it was snowing we thought we’d get to where it was warmer. We jostled our way around the parking lot to top off the Truck with Diesel before hitting the road. 

Even beautiful when it's raining.

I was going to head back to the highway in the direction we came but Kathy had the GPS on and it was showing to turn right. We followed its directions then we spot a sign that showed The Four Corners was just ahead. We traveled through some unbelievably beautiful Scenery and finally arrived at The Four Corners Monument at 4:20 AST only to find the Gates Closed. There were a number of other people there as well and they were all as frustrated but the Sign said they didn’t close until 5:00. Right next to that sign on the fence was another sign that read welcome to New Mexico. Last Sunday New Mexico along with most of North America switched to Daylight Savings Time which meant we arrived at 5:20 New Mexico Time. 

The temperature was to cold to stick around so we headed down the road. When we arrived in Shiprock, New Mexico, Kathy said she couldn’t go any further. We ate at Taco Bell and had to use their side door because the Wind kept blowing open their main entrance. We ask about staying overnight and they had no problem with that.

We might hear some road noise but not like last night and after driving 416.5 miles without reaching our second destination we should sleep soundly. With the Wind coming from the back of the Trailer tonight we are barely moving and with Below Freezing Temperatures Tonight we’ll stay toasty warm. Thanks for following along, feel free to leave a comment. Be Safe and Enjoy!

It’s about time.

Krackers

You Might Be a Redneck If

Your Dallas Cowboys shirt was visible under your wedding tuxedo.