Sunday, October 30, 2011

Thursday, October 27, 2011
The Escapees Ranch - Lakewood, NM 37 degrees' windy cloudy overcast to 57 degrees' and cloudy. Well there was measurable rain 0.25 inch.

Four of us played Mexican Train dominos' Art and Sherry and George & Bonnie. Girls against Boys, tonight boys win.

Friday, October 28, 2011
The Escapees Ranch - Lakewood, NM 36 degrees' and cloudy to 57 degrees' and partly cloudy.

"Road Carrots" out on US 285 twenty-three of us "Ranch hands" doing litter patrol. We are responsible for mile fifty-six from just south of Lakewood Road (CR 31). We picked up eighty-seven bags and three tires.

The six of us played Mexican Train dominos' Art and Sherry, Don & Doris and George & Bonnie. Girls against Boys, tonight boys win.

Saturday, October 29, 2011

The Ranch Lakewood, NM

Tuesday, October 25, 2011
The Escapees Ranch - Lakewood, NM 57 degrees’ and sunny to 89 degrees’ and mostly sunny and the wind was blowing a good clip for a while.

 Buster had his carpeting shampooed or professionally cleaned today. Merry spent part of the day awake outside on the leash crying to go inside and sleep under the peoples bed. Randy Jones came and cleaned ten or twelve rigs each at a reasonable price. With our climate the carpeting drys quickly here in the desert. We take our shoes off at the front and walk in stocking feet through the coach so the carpet does not get real dirty but annually cleaning is good.

Four of us played Mexican Train dominos' Art and Sherry and George & Bonnie. Girls against Boys, tonight boys win.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011
The Escapees Ranch - Lakewood, NM 48 degrees’ and sunny to 78 degrees’ and sunny.

That "weather" that has been trying to come thru here has made it’s presents known today (Tonight). We finally had some rain, enough that there were puddles in the Ranch House parking lot when we returned from the lodge meeting tonight.

MEWS - (Men Eating Without Supervision) we go to a restaurant east of Artesia, NM about five miles The Paddock restaurant. This is a Thursday thing but this week there is a special scheduled for Thursday at nine o;clock. There were about five of us mews men, not a big group because we went early and needed to be back to The Ranch early, a busy day today.

There was a "Town Hall" meeting at ten this morning for members of our Ranch Co-op to go over the agenda for the semi-annual business meeting that is scheduled for next week.

I went to Carlsbad Elks Lodge with Soren who was my sponsor to the Elks last night. Bonnie went to bible study so the "train" did not run tonight (Mexican Train dominos’).

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

The Ranch Lakewood, NM

Sunday, October 23, 2011
The Escapees Ranch - Lakewood, NM 46 degrees’ and sunny to 80 degrees’ and sunny.

Football and NASCAR Sunday

Community lunch at The Ranch House part of Round-Up today and at four o’clock happy hour with a silent auction after that. Door prizes again tonight we each won $ 25.00 gift certificates to different restaurants.

The six of us played Mexican Train dominos' Art and Sherry, Don & Doris and George & Bonnie. Girls against Boys, tonight girls win.

Monday, October 24, 2011
The Escapees Ranch - Lakewood, NM 46 degrees’ and sunny to 86 degrees’ and sunny to partly cloudy.

Round-up Hitch-up breakfast at eight o’clock today.

Don and Doris are taking a car trip to Sedona, AZ and left before eight this morning. There was a governing documents meeting for me to attend discussing by-laws and standing rules of our co-op corporation. This afternoon it is clouding up "weather" moving in.

Four of us played Mexican Train dominos' Art and Sherry and George & Bonnie. Girls against Boys, tonight boys win.

Monday, October 24, 2011

The Ranch Lakewood, NM

Saturday, October 22, 2011
The Escapees Ranch - Lakewood, NM 46 degrees’ and sunny to 87 degrees’ and sunny.

Coffee and donuts and bagels (not New York style) at The Ranch House again today. After that there were crafts for sale in the main room. At four o’clock there was happy hour (social hour) (The Ranch has happy hour every day). I won a door prize tonight at happy hour. Interesting that yesterday Bonnie was the first winner and today I (George) was the last winner, hmmmm.  To enlarge pictures; Click on picture to enlarge, click return button (<) on your browser to return to post.


On the right is "Judge" Norman and on the left is "deputy" John "stating charges"
Also on the left is "commissioner" Yvonne (Red Hat) and "sheriff" Linda
"criminal" Greg in white shirt. there are some "fines" on the table

At seven o’clock tonight there was "Ranch Court" people were given "tickets" for "infractions of laws" Friday and Saturday. Fines collected in court are donations to Escapees CARE (Continuing Assistance to Retired Escapees) located in Livingston, Texas.

"Criminal" Shirley is defended by "Lawyer" Wayne
There was also a presentation at happy hour for volunteers will that provide a month of their time to CARE as helpers. Court provides a fun evening and raised three hundred and twenty dollars for CARE.
Former President Spike stating his defense alongside "Bell star"

on the left is "Bell Star's" illegitimate child
notice the "judge" and "child's" hair color

Saturday, October 22, 2011

The Ranch Lakewood, NM

Friday, October 21, 2011
The Escapees Ranch - Lakewood, NM 48 degrees’ and sunny to 84 degrees’ and sunny.

Round-up Fiesta starts today with coffee and donuts and bagels (not New York style). Then there were yard sales and at four this afternoon an expanded happy hour. We won a door prize.

The "Horse track"
Tonight there is Horse Races at seven. We arrange the floor with six lanes and twelve two-foot boxes. Two pair of dice are rolled together and each number is a "Horse" and can move one box per die. If two threes are rolled the three horse can move two boxes.

"Horses" are called to the post
Horses were picked last Wednesday at happy hour. For a winner the horse in the final box needs a double (two of the four die with their number other horses continue to move) to win.

Ron is placing a wager with the Two Horse
Quarters are bet on the win only and part is raised for the Ranch and part is paid out.

Phil is calling the race
Five post calls are made and the fifth post is one hundred percent (bet) is paid out.

"Horses" are moving down the track
Lots of wine  (loosen up the horses and the spectators pockets) with lots of fun.

Roxy is delivering wine
A great fun evening

Friday, October 21, 2011

The Ranch Lakewood, NM

Saturday to Thursday. Not much to write about.

Saturday, October 15, 2011
The Escapees Ranch - Lakewood, NM 52 degrees’ and sunny to 80 degrees’ and sunny.

Bonnie went to Artesia craft fair with Doris, and that evening the four of us eat out Pecos Diamond. Then we (George & Bonnie) played Mexican Train dominos' with Don & Doris tonight, Boys win.

Sunday, October 16, 2011
The Escapees Ranch - Lakewood, NM 46 degrees’ and sunny to 92 degrees’ and sunny.

Are you ready for some Football. Ten A.M. the pre-game show comes on in mountain time zone.

Monday, October 17, 2011
The Escapees Ranch - Lakewood, NM 46 degrees’ and sunny to 91 degrees’ and sunny and the wind coming up this evening. A dry front is moving thru the area. Silver Sally took us to Roswell today we needed some things from the larger shopping selections available there.

Community church for a post office closure community meeting. A little over and hour and a half meeting with a great showing from The Ranch and a light showing from the remaining community.

We (George & Bonnie) played Mexican Train dominos' with Don & Doris tonight, girls win.

Tuesday, October 18, 2011
The Escapees Ranch - Lakewood, NM 46 degrees’ and sunny to 69 degrees’ and sunny, a cooler day with some wind. We (George & Bonnie) played Mexican Train dominos' with Don & Doris tonight, girls win.



Wednesday, October 19, 2011
The Escapees Ranch - Lakewood, NM 42 degrees’ and sunny to 75 degrees’ and sunny.

Tonight Bonnie went to bible study so I played Hand and foot with five others, boys and girls, girls win.

Thursday, October 20, 2011
The Escapees Ranch - Lakewood, NM 41 degrees’ and sunny to 86 degrees’ and sunny.

MEWS - (Men Eating Without Supervision) we to a restaurant east of Artesia, NM about five miles The Paddock restaurant. There were about eighteen of us mews men.

Art and Sherry arrived today so tonight the six of us played Mexican Train dominos' with, Art and Sherry. Don & Doris and George & Bonnie. Girls against Boys, tonight girls win.

Monday, October 17, 2011

Friday, October 14, 2011
The Escapees Ranch - Lakewood, NM 48 degrees’ and sunny to 85 degrees’ and sunny.
Ranch House Birthday Party
Cass and Thayer 175 years of Life
MEWS - (Men Eating Without Supervision) we (eight men) went to a restaurant east of Artesia, NM about five miles The Paddock restaurant. this was postponed because of the post office town hall meeting yesterday.

Cass, Cards and Flowers
 Today there was a special birthday celebration for a former "Ranch Hand" Cass turns eighty on Sunday. She comes to the Ranch every Friday and visits with friends and goes to the post office for mail. This week she was escorted by Lucy and the rest of the "ranch hands" gathered in the main room of the ranch house. Then Lucy brought Cass in they were talking and Cass did not realize there was a full room of friends present as she entered to celebrate her birthday. This went off an hour before our normal daily happy hour at The Ranch. Netty was able to bring the special surprise Birthday Party together.

Cass, Cake and Netty (The Ring leader)
  Mr Cannon and Mrs Kodak were safe at home with Buster so we have no pictures, there were pictures taken and I will get them and add them the post later.

Saturday, October 15, 2011

The Ranch Lakewood, NM

Thursday, October 13, 2011
The Escapees Ranch - Lakewood, NM 46 degrees’ and cloudy to 85 degrees’ and sunny.

Ten o'clock this morning we had a town hall meeting about the possibility of our post office closing. That went until lunch time when we closed the meeting. Two people will represent (speak) for the park and we will be present in force at a community meeting Monday at a local church (a school building until 1978).

The Escapees Ranch - Lakewood, NM

Saturday, October 8, 2011
The Escapees Ranch - Lakewood, NM 50 degrees’ and sunny to 88 degrees’ and sunny. Getting Buster in shape, cleaning the outside and repairing one day night shade, guide strings get frayed and need replacing. Checked the water in the house batteries also. We played Mexican Train dominos’ with Don & Doris tonight, Boys win. Thursday night Marcia and Doris played Hand & Foot against Don and George, boy won.

On the right side of the blog I had to correct the Buster’s map removing Nevada it was accidently added on the last revision. This year we added five new states to the map and I had only planned to add two, Wyoming and Colorado planning Gillette, Wyoming for the Escapee Escapade and returning to The Ranch going south thru Colorado to New Mexico. We ended up traveling west into Montana, Idaho, and south thru Utah going to Yellowstone National Park and Arches National Park. Then dipping into Colorado on the way to Albuquerque, New Mexico Balloon Fiesta

Friday, October 14, 2011

Rattlesnake Springs

Wednesday, October 12, 2011
The Escapees Ranch - Lakewood, NM 59 degrees’ and cloudy to 81 degrees’ and sunny.

Looking west from US 180
Rattlesnake Springs picnic lunch with the Chili Chapter # 23 (New Mexico) of the Escapees RV Club. About a fifty-mile trip from The Ranch near Carlsbad Caverns. We caravanned down in twelve cars or pickup trucks for a nice picnic lunch with a special desert.

Chili Chapter # 23
Rattlesnake Springs is south of Carlsbad about thirty miles and the turn off to the park is only ten miles from the Texas state line (US 180). US 285 goes into Carlsbad from the northwest and US 180 goes into Carlsbad from the northeast. On the south side they split with US 285 going southeast  to Pecos, Texas and US 180 going south west to El Paso, Texas


We made basket ball ice cream, interesting.


Bonnie is on the left (red jacket)

Making ice cream

Mixing ice cream (throwing a ball)




Thursday, October 13, 2011

The Ranch Lakewood, NM

Tuesday, October 11, 2011
The Escapees Ranch - Lakewood, NM 55 degrees’ and light fog to 85 degrees’ and sunny.

Mens coffee today followed by a water committee meeting for me, I am the co-op board of directors member liaison to the committee and my first meeting this fall. After happy hour at the Ranch house we drove Don and Doris to the Elks Lodge in Carlsbad for dinner and we had dinner with Earl and Shirley also from The Ranch.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

The Ranch - Lakewood, NM

Monday, October 10, 2011
The Escapees Ranch - Lakewood, NM 55 degrees’ and cloudy to 76 degrees’ and sunny.
Lazy holiday Monday.
Silver Sally took us into Carlsbad the road reconstruction (much needed) is still under way and has progressed. Going in we are able to bypass most of that by using the "relief route" truck route but there is still some construction area to navigate.

US 285 southbound looking southwest
We (George & Bonnie) played Mexican Train dominos’ with Don & Doris tonight, Boys win.

Monday, October 10, 2011

The Ranch - Lakewood, NM

Sunday, October 9, 2011
The Escapees Ranch - Lakewood, NM 46 degrees’ and sunny to 73 degrees’ and sunny.
Tuesday in the RV park (Looking North)
Football, NASCAR and napping today also the last day of Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta. We (George & Bonnie) only spent one week there sept 27 thru Oct. 4 with the Escapees Boomers Birds of a Feather chapter. The weather forecast for Wednesday thru Friday was not good and there were not balloons aloft those days. We made the right choice in pulling out on Tuesday for The Ranch.

Monday
What a great experience the balloon fiesta was with the help of other Boomers for guidance as to where to go and what to do and when things will happen. The Boomer host’s Luke and Judy were informed and great leaders providing timely information as to what were happening next ahead of time. We would like to thank Luke and Judy for a great time in Albuquerque.

Sunday
We (George & Bonnie) played Mexican Train dominos’ with Don & Doris tonight, Boys win.

Saturday MorningBalloon Glow

Sunday, October 9, 2011

The Escapees Ranch - Lakewood, NM

Friday, October 7, 2011
The Escapees Ranch - Lakewood, NM - 57 degrees’ and sunny to 88 degrees’ and sunny.

The Ranch House
Off to the "Vampire" today, we both had blood drawn at the doctors office. Then off to breakfast as the blood sample is a fasting type. Latter I was the "Ding-a-Ling" or the host for Happy Hour here at The Ranch House. The afternoon get together all Escapees clubs parks practice. We welcome all arrivals of the day to "The Ranch" have announcements honor birthdays and anniversaries wish safe travels to all those departing the park the next day.

Friday, October 7, 2011

The Escapees "Ranch" - Lakewood, New Mexico

Thursday, October 6, 2011
The Escapees "Original Ranch" - Lakewood, New Mexico 54 degrees’ and sunny to 89 degrees’ and sunny.
Crude oil processing plant Artesia, NM
MEWS - (Men Eating Without Supervision) we to a restaurant east of Artesia, NM about five miles The Paddock. After breakfast I got propane container filled and took Silver Sally to a car wash as the rain the other day made her very dirty. There was a good wind this afternoon about twenty-five MPH.


Sundown to Busters left side

Thursday, October 6, 2011

The Escapees "Original Ranch" - Lakewood, New Mexico

Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Trailer Village RV Park - Roswell, NM 59 degrees rain and lightening (even measurable rain) before sunrise. Clearing after nine this morning. Diesel fuel price in Murphy is $ 3.359 so I added diesel to Busters fuel tank today. To enlarge pictures; Click on picture to enlarge, click return button (<) on your browser to return to post.

US 285 southbound from Roswell, NM

The Ranch as seen from US 285

The Ranch from CR 31

The Escapees "Original Ranch" - Lakewood, New Mexico 82 degrees’ and sunny.
We arrived about noon after a sixty-five-mile trip from Roswell, NM. It is nice to be home here at The Ranch even tho we are working at cleaning and moving our things in and out of the shed and setteling in. There was only a hint of rain here at The Ranch.

Our view of the desert (north northwest)

We are working at getting setteled in




Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Trailer Village RV Park - Roswell, NM

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta - Albuquerque, NM 56 degrees partly cloudy. Over night there was a rain and wind blowing and more "weather" this afternoon and thru Friday. Forty years Albuquerque has been doing a balloon fiesta.

40 years of ballooning for Albuquerque
We were wake early today and the school bus (paid for as part of our camping fee) took us over to the launch (80 acres) field by six-thirty today. The  first balloon is selected and carries the flag with the Star Spangled Banner playing over the public address system. You can notice the cloudy sky in these pictures.

First balloon of the daylight carries the flag
The first inflation is with a high volume fan  
Trailer Village RV Park - Roswell, NM 78 degrees partly cloudy to rain (maybe even measurable) after dark. Buster took the trip to the "bathroom" Conoco gasoline station and dumped the waist holding tanks "that’s better" lightening the load for the trip. Going east on I 40 Buster then stopped at T/A in Moriarty, NM for a drink of diesel fuel $3.679. Price per gallon is coming down. Roswell has diesel in the  $ 3.379 range, great for Buster.



The total trip today was two hundred and sixteen miles to Roswell. There was some rain on the windshield while traveling south on US 285. The rain was enough to use the wipers for a while. Once the inflation on the ground is complete the propane burner is used to finish filling  and stand the balloon up.

This was a long day of tourist and traveling (no pictures) as a normal day for us is about two hundred miles. The pictures Friday thru Monday were taken with two cameras.


Saturday thru Monday there were at least one hundred pictures on each camera. Monday my camera maxed out at one hundred thirty four pictures, no memory remaining.




Special shape







You can the RV's are parked close together and balloons are trying to come in

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta - Albuquerque, NM

Monday, October 3, 2011
Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta - Albuquerque, NM 56 degrees mostly sunny to 75 degrees and mostly sunny. Attending the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta with the Escapees Boomer group has been great as their experiences are a big help to those of us who are first time people.

Early liftoff
Also the advice of arriving early in the week prior was a great advantage learning the lay of the land. Then visiting the balloon museum before the fiesta crowd rush is also an advantage.
RV field landing

The rig parking location is also very good, there are a lot of rigs here and this area keeps the other traffic past our rigs to a minimum, and the dust low.

Special shape

Just after seven this morning until almost eleven, balloons are going up on the launch field and some balloons are coming back down on the RV field.


All types of balloons regular and special shapes.

They just keep coming up
Darth Vader

This evenings happy hour concluded with entertainment by one of our members