Diane reported hearing cranes flying over her yard in Loveland about a week ago and other campers in Rio Bravo said they heard them while we were there so we thought we would find them in the Bosque del Apache WLR, their wintering grounds. We drove both north and south loops but not a crane in sight – any day, we were told. We did see a kestrel, N. harrier, flickers, meadow larks, white crowned sparrows, Gambel’s quail, avocets and a red necked (or possibly the more common Wilson’s) phalarope.
Tired of driving, we tried camping on a BLM dirt road in San Antonio right next to the Rio Grande (again!) but it just didn’t feel right so we took a night at the Days Inn in Socorro to nurse Ron’s cold. After a quick stop at the local Walmart for meds we had a nice dinner at the Bodega Burger company, listening to a local duo cover James Taylor, et al.
The next day, with Ron feeling a whole lot better, we visited Socorro’s Plaza and hit the post office and a coffee shop. Also a gallery where a picked up a nice giclee print of Sevilletta. Driving west out of town on Rte. 60 we saw a sign for Water Canyon CG in the Cibola NF and decided to spend the night. Put on the crockpot and hoped the sun would stay out so our solar panels could do their thing. Worked out fine – the stew cooked, we played cards on the picnic bench in the sun and got into the van just as the clouds gathered and before the rains came. Planning to return to Socorro in the morning for gas and a possible rodeo.
The Ultimate Road Trip 