Continuing to wind our way home

 

We’re just outside of Bandera.

 

2014 summer/fall trip map

 

Skyline Ranch RV Park.  It’s old.  It has character.

 

 

 

 

 

 

With access to the cypress lined Medina River.

 

 

Along the way

 

Campfires

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At South Llano River State Park

 

2014 summer/fall trip map

 

It’s a glorious place to be, but it’s also Wifi never never land.  Driving to town to send and receive, and even then we have to get permission from the local hotel to use their signal.  We should be back in better contact tomorrow.

 

 

The way to an Acorn Woodpecker's heart

 

 

Is paved with chunky peanut butter.

 

We're back in Texas.

 

That puts us about halfway home!

 

We crossed into Central Time at Van Horn.  That’s two time zones in two days.  Only one more time change to go; the switch back to Standard time this weekend.

 

Davis Mountains State Park.

 

2014 summer/fall trip map

 

 

No internet in the camping area, but if we drive to the top of the hill we can get it just fine.

 

When I grow up

 

I think I want a houseboat.  A water RV.  A small one.  Something a couple could sleep aboard.

 

Maybe something like this.

 

Imagine the freedom.  Putter around the lake.  Pull up to a dock.  Drop anchor in a secluded cove.  Go anywhere you want…

 

…as long as you want to be on that particular body of water.

 

Back to civilization

 

We drove down the highway today.  We’ve left Arizona behind and are in Las Cruces, NM at a full-hookup RV park for a couple days.

 

2014 summer/fall trip map

 

We stayed in the same time zone, mountain time, but in leaving Arizona we switched from standard time to daylight savings time.

 

The television weather forecast:  Severe clear.

 

Can you spot the

 

…lizard in this tree?

 

 

 

 

 

No?  We couldn’t either until a movement caught our eye and we looked at him through binoculars.  He’s pretty well camouflaged.  How about now?

 

 

 

 

 

I didn’t hide him off to the side; he’s right in the middle of the frame.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hiding in plain sight.

 

Oh No!

 

A blowout!

 

Hope this is not a harbinger of things to come for the team.

 

 

Wait.  Field fix.  Nevermind.

 

No problem.

 

 

We’ve moved out of the internet dead-zone back to civilization.  We’re at Kartchner Caverns State Park just south of Benson, AZ.

 

2014 summer/fall trip map

 

Winding our way VERY slowly east.

 

Patagonia Lake State Park

 

Winding our way east.

 

2014 summer/fall trip map

 

Intermittent cell and WiFi for a couple days.

 

Nice place to be though.

 

 

 

 

The Stakeout

 

White-eared Hummingbird.

 

Santa Rita Lodge, Madera Canyon.

 

We saw Anna’s Hummingbirds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We saw Broad-billed Hummingbirds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We saw Acorn Woodpeckers.

 

Mexican Jays.

 

 

White-breasted Nuthatches.

 

Red-naped Sapsucker.

Bridled Titmice.

Dark-eyed Junco.

Yellow-eyed Junco.

 

But no White-eared Hummingbird.  We gave it a good shot.  We stayed there for hours.  No-one saw a White-eared Hummingbird all day.

 

Ah well.  On to our next victim.  Maybe we’ll get an Elegant Trogon.

 

Madera Canyon

A little brown bird.

 

Madera Picnic Area

 

The Arizona Woodpecker

 

Our Number 1 Most Wanted Bird!

 

We got him.

 

Lifer!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

De Anza RV Resort.  Amado, TX.

 

2014 summer/fall trip map

 

We hear there is a White-eared Hummingbird at Santa Rita Lodge, also in Madera Canyon…