Alpine TX

I took a stroll. Nice little town with many art galleries.

Beautifully restored older building. 

Custom furniture, but not to my taste. Too heavy

This motel has a real route 66 vibe

Great Day of the Dead masks

I wonder if this great old sign still lights up. Kind of looks like a theater marquee. If it was, it is no longer.

Crossing the Pecos River

Nice spot in the Texas country side last night.

29.548247  -101.018680

Thousands of clams were left high and dry as the lake dried up. Serenity would have been under water back then.

Higher up on the hill I found fossil clams. 

Sights Along the Way

I am making steady progress toward Mission TX.

Burma Safe  signs

The Lone Star State

I am passing through one of the many border inspection stations down here. Very painless, the border agent asked if anyone else was in my rig and if I was a US citizen. No and yes and I was on my way.

I wonder what frequency these camera record.

And eyes in the sky

This is artists Michael Elmgreen and Ingar Daragset 2005 art installation.  "Elmgreen and Dragset have been artist-collaborators since the mid 1990s, with a body of work that explores the link between art, architecture and design. Mirroring the design of a Prada shop, the work is filled with the fall/winter collection of 2005. " The installation was intended to never be repaired, so it might slowly degrade back into the natural landscape.  Location  30.603462, -104.518535 

And then there are some just can't resist.....

More border security. These tethered balloons used to fight drug smuggling float high above the desert scanning below to detect low flying aircraft and movement. 

An unnamed artists nod to the move Giant. I was filmed near here in West Texas.

Location  30.337946, -104.132013 

There is even County Wester music playing.

I found a nice quiet spot with a decent view last night.

Location  30.323377  -103.742522

Willcox, AZ

This Elks Lodge has one of nicest campground I have been to. Long hot shower tonight, :-)

All by my lonesome

11/20/16

Continuing East

I was planning on a leisurely 100 mile day to one of my favorite stops west of Phoenix, Buckeye Hills Regional Park. It is free, quiet and scenic. I am greeted by a sign, "Permit required" and a phone number. The nice lady on the phone tells me that they only allow group camping now. Another great camping spot closed.
Checking my Street Atlas I see another boondocking spot down near Casa Grande. Off I go, another 50 miles. It turns out to be a lovely spot, so I am going to stay an extra day.

32.844352  -112.322052

It's a Saguaro forest out there.

Star Gazing

Last night the WINs visited Sky' the Limit Observatory in Twentynine Palms, CA.

Their orrery (scale model) not only represents the distance between the planets, but also their orbital planes around the sun. The planets' orbits are not all on the same level surface, but vary a few degrees from each other. These variations are represented by the contours in the surface and the grey disks detail the orbit. The distance between disks represents four days travel for the planets. The planets beyond the astroid belt are out in the surrounding desert.

The scale is 20 billion to one

The yellow glass sphere is the correct size for this orrery.

The WINs are standing along Earth's orbit

The inner plants are frequently repositioned to show their correct orbital position relative to each other and the sun.

Earth, Venus, Mercury

 Though the sun is the correct diameter, the spheres for the planets are way too large. That tinny silver ball at the top is the correct representation for the size of the Earth.

Our guide said they wanted to include our closest neighbor, the Andromeda Galaxy. But alas, the marker would be about a 100 miles north of Mexico City.

Checking out mountains on the moon. 14 inch Orion.

Photo courtesy Sky's the Limit

Viewing Saturn's rings through a 14 inch Schmidt-Cassergrain

 with CGE Pro Computerized Mount.   

Today I resumed my trek east to Texas.

Heading east to Parker, AZ on hwy 62

I reached the border with my gas gauge right where I wanted it. 

Fuel was 50 cents a gallon  cheaper in Parker.

I am overnighting north of Quartzsite, AZ

33.7504217   -114.2104529