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Covering the Old West of the USA - our winter tour ‘97-’98 by Jim Chambers

We left home early Sept./97 to tour for a month through the old U.S. West. We had on board a cousin from England, who being the same age as myself, had enjoyed spending a penny on a Saturday afternoon to watch Buffalo Bill, Tom Mix, Hopalong Cassidy and others battle the bad guys. I spent a lot of time pre-planning our route and historical places to visit. I searched through old copies of outdoor magazines and copied many articles relating to the places we planned to visit. Enclosing these in a binder, along with our route made a very interesting momento for our cousin. However, between an unexpected reaction to some new medication, and an early cold weather spell we had to forgo many of the places of interest until we got over the Big Horn Mountains.

We did visit Yellowstone Park but left just before the first snowfall. A major snowfall was predicted that night for the Big Horn Mountains, and at 9,000 feet or so I did not want to be caught without snowchains. Passing through Cody, Wyoming we found time to visit the pioneer village and the Buffalo Bill Museum. The snow prediction was right, and we felt pleased with ourselves when looking back from the eastern side of the mountain the following morning. After that we had good weather through to Ontario, Canada. Two places of interest en-route were Hannibal, Missourie, the birthplace of Mark Twain and Nauvoo, Illinois, the town built by the Mormans before their move further west. Entering Ontario, three weeks after leaving home, we had to oblige our cousin with a visit to Niagara Falls, and a wetting on the “Maid of the Mist”. Two days later our cousin flew off back home to England.

After three weeks in Ontario visiting relations, old friends and a doctor, who changed my medication again, it was off south just before a weather changed to wet and cold. Stopping in Pennsylvania to visit friends, my wife June extended the visit to recover from a bout of flu. Then it was my turn to secome to an upset stomach, but we drove on. It was our intention to spend some time in Arkansas to allow me to amuse myself playing my bass guitar with some, ‘old country mountain boys’. I only started playing four years ago just before my 70th birthday, but southern country mountain boys who I have had the good fortune to play with, tell me I am accomplished enough to play with them – they don’t read music either. However, between my upset stomach and declining weather we decided to keep going south to the Alabama coast. After three weeks at an Escapees RV Park, and another doctor’s visit, it was off to Galveston Island, Texas for a few days. It seems that none of these doctors can give me a balanced diet of pills, libations and food that will suit my delicate stomach.

At Galveston Island we boondocked with many others on the west end of the seawall, with a picture perfect view of the bay, and sunsets. This island is a MUST place to visit when in the area. The city still retains many of the old world architectural buildings and streets. Then you can inspect a World War II submarine and destroyer escort, and go onboard the restored iron hulled, three masted Barque “Elissa”, built in Scotland in 1877.

On to the beautiful seaside resort of Corpus Christi for a few days, and a visit to another famous World War II ship, the aircraft carrier, “Lexington”.

December and Christmas were spent relaxing at the Seawind R.V. Resort on the bay south of Corpus Christi. Unfortunately, the variable weather did not allow much time for sitting under the awning. I tried fishing a couple of times, unsuccessfully, then a red tide ban stopped that.

However, it was while we were there that a new daughter joined our family, in the form of a beautiful toy white poodle. Tammy was born on October 2, 1997 at the “Best Little Doghouse in Texas”. She has filled a gap in our family which had existed since we lost our last poodle over a year ago.

From here our plans changed from a month in Mexico to a month in the Rio Grande Valley. We enjoyed our visit to the Valley, and the weather was acceptable except for the humidity. In addition to some touring in the car, I was able to play my guitar in Jam Sessions at a number of Parks. I was privileged to play with retired professional musicians, others with long experience and also many who were in my learning category. Then at an R.V. park at Zapata, I met two of the “old country mountain boys,” and the three of us were invited to play their toe tapping style of music for a barbecue. The guitar player had played at the Grand Ole Oprey, the other was an experienced accordion player. Needless to say that was the highlight of MY time in the Valley.

From here the route took us through West Texas with a few days visiting the Big Bend State Park where we boondocked on the north bank of the Rio Grande river with our picture window overlooking horses grazing peacefully in Mexico. For two dollars one can be rowed across the river and back, after a visit to the local Mexican village. At Lajiatas, is the original trading post, which sold supplies to the Mexican bandit Zapata, and his band, and still open for business. At the store one can buy a bottle of beer and feed it to “Clay Henry”, the large beer drinking goat. His limit we were told is eight bottles a day. Nearby is the boarded up “Den of Pleasure”, also patronized by Zapata. Two other stops of interest were the remains of two adobi villages built and used for the movie, “The Lonesome Dove”.

After a stop in New Mexico to visit the McDonald Observatory a few days was spent at Apache Junction, one of our favorite stopping places in the southwest. This was a pre-planned stop in order to spend a day at the annual “Renaissance Festival”. Here is an Old English style festival with paid entertainers dressed in period costumes, and locals dressed in rented period costumes. Sideshows, food and drink were styled for the times, with the entertainment including a jousting contest of Knights in shining armor charging across the arena and demounting their opponents. My wife June enjoyed having her photo taken between two large Cavaliers, complete with plumbed hats and dangling swords.

We were also fortunate this was the “Lost Dutchman’s” weekend, and we were able to watch the very impressive and entertaining parade on the Saturday.

Our final major stop in the south was two weeks in Yuma, our southern “Home Town”. There I took my annual ten chelation therapy treatments at the clinic of my favorite Arizona lady M.D. (Now you know the secret of my life).

Over the winter we covered 10,358 miles in the motorhome, and 9,278 miles in the car taking side trips, shopping etc. Not bad for a couple of old sickies eh!