Wet, windy, and COLD

 Bet you can't guess where our next destination will be?

We left Carlsbad today, Weds.  After last week I double checked our departure date for this week!  The GPS on the RV said not to go the way Waze told us to, so Pat checked the trucker road atlas for more info.  Pat chose going an extra 50 miles today over the 6% grade for 16 miles.  Don't know if it was up or down, but we didn't want either for 16 miles. 

The mountains that made us go an extra 50 miles north to find a lower pass.

Pat had some projects he completed in Carlsbad.  As it turns out with the rain today it was a good thing Pat paid to expedite the windshield wiper.  It broke just as we got to Carlsbad and the spares didn't fit.  Hopefully the rain today washes some of the desert dirt and sand off.

Our daughter-in-law was the one who noticed Krikkit was getting minimal water when she drank.  We tried elevated bowls but she still was lapping to the side,  the back, or above the water.  Whether it is due to decreased vision  from the cataracts or dementia I don't know.  We tried putting a temporary block in front of the bowl stand to keep her head from going past it and that helped, when she would leave it there.  Pat cut, finished, and then attached a piece of wood yesterday.  Seems to be working.

Job well done Pat!

Our front side window shades velcro to the window about 1/3 of the way down for driving.  Due to the window design the shade velcro just didn't hit the window velcro in quite the right spot, so Pat attached some narrow wood strips to the window sides and we put the velcro on that.  Works great!

The tire sensor monitor went nuts this morning.  First one car tire, then two, then three.  The manual indicates it's a low battery but weird that 3 at one time were low.  The monitor showed the pressure OK and Pat checked the tires and they seemed fine.  Add to the grocery list:  batteries!

Pat was delighted to go out in the rain to check the car tires.

We went through Ruidoso, NM, Billy the Kid Country.  We didn't stop but there appears to be a lot of old west history in this little town, as well as at least 4 RV park and motels.

I forgot to mention that Carlsbad Caverns actually has a kennel.  Due to the desert heat no pet can be left in a vehicle.  It's pretty basic, and you are responsible for getting your pet to the bathroom, etc., but it does allow people to tour the caverns without overheating their pet.  Krikkit got to stay in the air-conditioned comfort of our RV at our RV park.

Behind the Carlsbad Caverns Visitor's Center were these adobe houses.  We think thiscmight be housing for national park employees.

With our $80 senior lifetime pass, $160 counting both of us, we saved a total of $30 for our Cavern self-tours.