Homeward Bound COVID Express
After spending a little over 14 days in Las Cruces visiting family in El Paso it was time for us to head back to TN. As we watched the spread of the virus inundate Arizona, Texas, and several southern states we decided to head directly home. Noticing posts from a number of you regarding crowded campgrounds to the north our plans to head to Colorado then Wyoming east through South Dakota just seemed out of the question.
Our Route
I felt a direct route that would avoid some of the hot spots and traffic hassles would be our best bet. We went with our old standby route, north to Carlsbad then to Amarillo east on I-40 to TN. Below you will find our trip itinerary with some inside on the attractions and restaurants we have visited in the past. This trip was frankly a deadhead to TN. Overnights hooked up and self-contained, no visiting attractions, restaurants, etc. Frankly very little is open on the side of attractions at the moment. We choose not to eat out and if we did it was the curbside pick-up we used.
You might say that it does not sound delightful or enjoyable for the matter. Truthfully it was not a typical trip for us, but these are not typical times in our minds. Our single mindset was to get across the country and back safely while visiting family. This worked for us, in the future I hope we get a chance to revisit the locations I have listed and many more along our path. Until then, this is one of the safest ways we know to travel.
What We Noticed
We are both in our late 60’s and are prime for this disease. Neither of us wants to spend any time in a hospital. The country seems to be waking up and headed out the door with reckless abandon after being locked up for a few months. Very little social distancing or masks seemed to be the order of the day in several places we visited in TX and NM. Texas as you know is exploding with new positive cases, I can certainly see why. Stores like Walmart, Loews, and such in El Paso were packed and very little regard for COVID.
The RV parks as we moved along I-40 are teeming with RV’s both newbies and grizzled veterans. The RV traffic is picking up and folks are moving around. To us, this environment just does not feel safe at the moment. Once we are back we plan to spend the summer at our home base in TN and reevaluate our fall travel plans. More on this soon here is a rundown of our trip.
Mileage: 1,458
Nights: 19
Diesel Fuel & RV Park Daily Average: $65
- Hacienda RV Resort – Las Cruces, NM 88005
LTW RV Park Review: Hacienda RV Resort
Nights: 14
Must-See Local Attraction
White Sands National Monument is in the northern Chihuahuan Desert in the U.S. state of New Mexico. It’s known for its dramatic landscape of rare white gypsum dunes. Trails through the dunes include the raised Interdune Boardwalk and the Dune Life Nature Trail, dotted with interpretive exhibits on wildlife and other features. Dunes Drive is a looped road from the White Sands Visitor Center to the dune field.
We arrived early morning on a rather rainy day. This had its advantages as the park was not crowded at all. We made our way to the end of the driving loop and had the view and park to ourselves. This is a dog-friendly park with plenty of areas to walkabout.
Be forewarned, check to see if they will be closing the highway due to missile testing. White Sands Missle Range is one of the most active ranges in the USA.
- Carlsbad KOA – Carlsbad NM 88220
LTW RV Park RV – Carlsbad KOA
Nights: 1
Bucket List
Bat Flight Program (late May-October), Free evening ranger talk about bats before their flight. No reservations are required for this program that occurs every evening from Memorial Day weekend through October. The program takes place at the Bat Flight Amphitheater, located at the Natural Entrance to Carlsbad Cavern. The start time for the program changes as the summer progresses and sunset times change.
If you have not taken in this bucket list nightly event put it on your to-do calendar. This will more than likely mean you will be driving back to the Park in late spring or summer as the bats fly after dusk. We visited in early October just before the migration and the program started around 6 pm.
It did not disappoint, thousands of bats came swirling out of the cave mouth around 7:15 and continued for the next hour. We were sitting on the right-hand side of the cave entrance. The bats flew right over our heads and in front of us during their flight.
- Oasis RV Resort – Amarillo, TX
LTW RV Park Review: Oasis RV Resort
Nights: 1
Fun Stop
Cadillac Ranch – 13651 I-40 Frontage Rd, Amarillo, TX 79124 is a public art installation and sculpture in Amarillo, Texas, USA. It was created in 1974 by Chip Lord, Hudson Marquez, and Doug Michels, who were a part of the art group Ant Farm. The installation half-buried ten Cadillacs nose-first in the ground
Is it worth the stop, yes it is easily accessed off I-40 on the west side of Amarillo? I found a bit disappointing the amount of litter caused by the spray cans left behind by would-be painters.
Palo Duro Canyon State Park – 11450 Park Road 5, Canyon, Texas 79015 Welcome to the Grand Canyon of Texas, the second largest canyon in North America. Palo Duro consists of 27,000 acres in Randall and Armstrong Counties. What is unique about this canyon is you are driving down into the canyon rather than viewing from the rim.
There are several RV campsites available, be aware that the ride down into the canyon is narrow and steep. The weekends are very busy in the park. I would highly recommend if you plan to RV camp in the canyon you set up or leave during Monday – Friday MAP
Jack Sisemore Traveland RV Museum – 4341 Canyon Dr, Amarillo, TX– If you are in Amarillo and have some time on your hands don’t miss this free exhibit at the rear of Jack’s business. There are some incredible RV restorations in these collections along with many motorcycles.
As mentioned above, this museum is a part of the Traveland RV dealership to scope out a few new rigs while you’re there. The atmosphere is casual so the sales staff will not be attacking you at the door. MAP
- Little Rock-North KOA – Little Rock, AR
LTW RV Park Review – Little Rock North KOA
Nights: 2
Must-See Attractions
The Old Mill – 3800 Lakeshore Dr, North Little Rock, AR 72116 A historic re-creation of an 1880’s water-powered grist mill. It is in the opening scenes of the classic movie “Gone With The Wind.” It features sculptures by Senor Dionicio Rodriguez and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
This is just a hidden gem in North Little Rock that you should take the time to visit. Bring your camera this will be a great place to snap a few shots particularly in the spring when the flowers are in bloom. MAP
Junction Bridge & Vogel Schwartz Sculpture Garden – Arkansas River Trail, Little Rock, AR 72201 Ginny, Zoey, and I spent the morning touring this area of the River Trail in downtown Little Rock. This is a dog-friendly park tucked in between the river and downtown. There is plenty of award-winning sculptures to take in along with the Junction Bridge. Start your morning in Little Rock with a pleasant walk along the riverfront.
The Farmers Market is located at the entrance of the park and you will find something going on every weekend. Note this area is full of restaurant choices and of course the Clinton Museum. Parking can be found on the street or in a larger parking lot nearby. MAP
