Thursday, March 20, 2008

Our 2008 Out West Trip NEW Site

This is the link to our 2008 Out West Trip.

http://edandcarolwest2008.blogspot.com/

Junction, TX to Brantley Lake SP, NM

When we got up today, it was 35*. Frost on the windows. What a surprise.

We left Junction at about 9am heading towards Fort Stockton, TX , Pecos, TX then New Mexico. Stopped in Ft. Stockton at Wal-Mart then continued on. The drive from Ft. Stockton to New Mexico was through the most desolate area yet. You can see all the way to the horizon; not even a low hill. All brown, a few low bushes here & there. This is oil & gas country. Oil rigs everywhere. Occasionally we would see a small heard of goats or an irrigated field of hay. There was a huge windmill farm. Must have been 200 huge windmills.

We stayed the night at the Brantley Lake State Park north of Carlsbad, NM. Got the very last regular campsite except for the overflow area. The lake is pretty but there is a sign warning you not to eat the fish: DDT. Plus a warning about the danger of blue-green algae. Reminded us of a sign we saw on the Old Erie Canal near Syracuse, NY. It said “This water is not safe for human contact” Saw kids fishing in the Canal. Brantley Lake SP is an attractive place but nothing special. Tomorrow we’re heading for Bottomless Lakes SP. I’ve been there before; a very nice place.