ZBV

(Throughout the month of April  I participated in the 2013 A to Z Blogger Challenge. This is my final post. Where did April go?! Each day my post began with successive letters of the alphabet.  My A to Z Blog Challenge topics were inspired by our recent 90-day trip on our motorhome. Click here to see links to other responses to this challenge.)

Z is for Z Backscatter Vans

As we traveled through southern New Mexico and Texas we came across a few border patrol facilities. All traffic was routed through the patrol lanes.

Mr. Dreamy and I could never decide what lane to drive in. Our choices were 'cars'... or 'trucks'. We weren't exactly either. The patrol guys didn't seem to care. They just asked if we were US citizens, looked at our non-Hispanic, obviously of European descent faces, and waved us on. How did they know that we weren't harboring large numbers of illegals in our motorhome? Just think of how many people we could hide in the bedroom, in the closet, in the bathroom, behind the couches, in the bays under the motorhome... etc. We wondered if vehicles were secretly (or maybe not so secretly for those who know about these things) being x-rayed, or viewed with heat-sensitive equipment, or somehow being screened. But then we decided it really didn't matter, because what illegal with any sense would try to hide in a vehicle that is going by way of any of the highways that have permanent border patrol stations?!
My curiosity got the best of me and I had to check it out. Apparently there are devices being used to scan vehicles at some border patrol checkpoints! The technology is similar to that used in airport screening, and the device is housed in a van or small motorhome. The device uses a low-intensity backscatter x-ray beam (whatever that is) and can see contraband and hidden compartments in vehicles... and yes, it can detect someone being smuggled someplace in a vehicle.

Big Brother is watching you!

For more information about this technology:

• http://tucsoncitizen.com/morgue/2009/03/19/112416-new-border-patrol-device-uses-see-through-scanning/
• http://technorati.com/technology/article/border-patrol-uses-mobile-peep-show/

Yes!

(This month I have been participating in the A to Z Blogger Challenge. Each day my posts have begun with successive letters of the alphabet. This is my 2nd to last post for the month's challenge.  Where did April go?!  My A to Z Blog Challenge topics have been inspired by our recent 90-day trip on our motorhome. Click here to see links to other responses to this challenge.)

Y is for Yes

Would I do our trip over again?

Yes!

Yes!

Yes!

We left our home on December 29. 

We traveled over 7,000 miles.

We were away 90 days.

We lived in roughly 300 square feet, 

with two active dogs

who didn't fight.
We didn't fight!

We entertained friends.

We visited museums.

We went to rallies and workshops.

We experienced snow in South Carolina.

We were buffeted by winds in Texas.

We listened to the occasional rain storm
pinging on the roof.

We have made travel plans for the summer.

We'll be heading north and west,
but we won't be gone as long.

Then, next winter?

Who knows!

Maybe we'll do this 'snow bird'
flight all over again.

Xylography

X is for Xylography

xy·log·ra·phy

 

noun

the art of engraving on wood, or of printing from such engravings.

Origin: 
1810–20;  < French xylographie.  See xylo-, -graphy

source

It began with a Christmas gift. My son saw some interesting stamp sets as he was shopping. He knows of my love for card making, which often involves stamping. He also knows of my love for mountains, forests, and farms.

The stamps traveled with us. 

Along with paper and ink pads. 

The stamps were taken out....

of the motorhome when we arrived home. They had not been used. Time to get busy! I knew what I wanted to do, I just needed to do it. So, I brought out my beginner's kit for making my own stamps and made a crude stamp of our motorhome. OK, so it isn't xylography in its truest sense... but it comes close!

Now, I can put myself in all of those pictures of the mountains, and forests and farms! I want to make some cards representing our travels that I can send to friends, especially those we saw along the way.

Maybe now that I am getting near the end of the A to Z challenge 

I'll find more time for this project.

Wanna take bets on that?!!

White Sands Missile Range

(This month I will be participating in the A to Z Blogger Challenge... and we are getting close to the end! Where did April go?! Each day my post will begin with successive letters of the alphabet.  My A to Z Blog Challenge topics are inspired by our recent 90-day trip on our motorhome. Click here to see links to other responses to this challenge.)

W is for White Sands

Just before returning home we stayed in southwest New Mexico and visited the White Sands Missile Range. They have an impressive display of US armament that have been tested on the range from the 50's until more modern times.

They had missiles that track their targets.

Missiles deployed from land and air.

And even Scud missiles used in the Gulf War.

I hate that our nation has to develop and deploy devices to defend our freedom. But the White Sands area was so sparsely populated in the 50's when they established the testing range that at least its development didn't displace too many families.

I found it interesting to read how some missiles contributed to the development of others, and how that technology evolved. Part of that research and development involved two missile detecting dogs. They were used to locate parts from exploded missiles. 

source

Components of the missiles were sprayed with squalene, a shark-liver oil that dogs can detect from quite a distance. Humans can not smell it. Dingo, a Weimaraner, and Count, a German Shorthair began seeking missile parts in 1961.

source

Evidently the dogs did a fabulous job at finding even the smallest parts of missiles. 

Van Horn, Texas

(This month I will be participating in the A to Z Blogger Challenge. Each day my post will begin with successive letters of the alphabet.  My A to Z Blog Challenge topics are inspired by our recent 90-day trip on our motorhome. Click here to see links to other responses to this challenge.)

V is for Van Horn, Texas

We have stopped in Van Horn, Texas two times now. On our way east I wrote:

At the end of day 2 of travel, Dreamy, Mr. Dreamy (hereinafter referred to as "The Dreamers") and the two dogs found themselves in Van Horn, TX, looking for a grocery store. Since the RV was still winterized, and since temperatures below freezing were expected that evening... even in southern Texas,  we needed additional fresh water.  We remain puzzled as to how the 2050 residents (US Census Bureau, 2011) of Van Horn acquire food. We discovered no less than 18 hotels, 3 campgrounds, 6 gas stations, and finally, we found what seemed to be the only grocery store in town. They have a captive audience, for sure!

We stopped in Van Horn again on our way home, and stayed at the same RV park. It is convenient to the highway. The sites are flat and the interior roads are wide. Everything is clean and neat. We really do like the campground. It is under new management and they are really working hard to update the facility.  The campground has a story that I found a bit amusing... and sad at the same time.

It seems that the campground was put up for sale sometime in the recent past. One of the full-time residents in the campground told his brother that he should consider purchasing it. He explained that the campground, with 100 sites, was full just about every night. (Doing the math, at $25 per site... that's a chunk of change rolling in!) Mr. Brother went ahead and purchased the campground, figuring his full-time resident brother would manage the property. Mr. Resident did not want that much responsibility, so Mr. Brother hired some folks to manage the campground. He did an excellent job of that, as the management bends over backwards to help visitors and they are obviously working very hard at making improvements to the campground. But sadly, when ownership was transferred, the stream of overnight visitors slowed to a trickle. It seems that the previous owner/manager was not really managing the campground at all. He merely put a sign on the office door with instructions for folks to pick a campsite and drop their money in a box. With no oversight, people could simply pull in and camp, and skip the step about the money, and not even bother to honor the honor system.  Word got out, and the campground became a very popular overnight stop for the budget conscious  cheap dishonest camper! Sad, but apparently true! Those opportunistic campers no longer stop at the campground, and the paying crowd is a lot smaller than Mr. Brother was led to believe by his well meaning sibling.

So, if you find yourself in Van Horn, TX...

the western-most town in the US that is in the central time zone,

(this may be their only claim to fame) 

if you are not planning to stay at any one of the 18 hotels, 

and need a campground...

swing by the Mountain View RV Park and give them a chance!

Uh-Oh

(This month I will be participating in the A to Z Blogger Challenge. Each day my post will begin with successive letters of the alphabet.  My A to Z Blog Challenge topics are inspired by our recent 90-day trip on our motorhome. Click here to see links to other responses to this challenge.)

U is for Uh-Oh

I can't think of anything on the topic of our trip that would be especially worthy to write about that begins with the letter "U".

I thought about Ululate:

source

I heard coyotes howling when we stayed at Ft. Yargo State Park in Georgia. It seemed strange to hear the pack yipping in the night, as I associate coyotes with the west. 

I considered Uber:

The motor home is uber-cool. After years of tent camping, then hauling a pop-up, and then finally a small pull-behind camper, I can't believe that we have a motorhome and have this much space!

Mr. Dreamy suggested U-boat:

Since I did see a submarine go by Fort Clinch State Park in Florida, on its way to St. Mary's Naval Base. 

I could have used Ultralight:

As I saw this experimental, ultralight helicopter at the 55th Annual Cactus Fly-In in Casa Grande, AZ. 

But, I just couldn't seem to write a post about any of those.

I couldn't use Utah, since we didn't go there on this trip.

I couldn't use Uncle, since we didn't see my Uncle Don on this trip.

I couldn't use Ugly, since everything we saw was quite beautiful. 

Uh-oh.... the A to Z committee might find out about my struggles and I won't earn the honor of displaying the "I survived the A to Z Challenge" badge on my site!

Tuckered Out

(This month I will be participating in the A to Z Blogger Challenge. Each day my post will begin with successive letters of the alphabet.  My A to Z Blog Challenge topics are inspired by our recent 90-day trip on our motorhome. Click here to see links to other responses to this challenge.)

T is for Tucker

... Trails

... Touring

And, Gypsy is a "T", too, because Gypsy means Traveler!

Our two 'active' dogs seem to enjoy a lot of snooze time!

When we are on the road, the dogs are allowed on the couch.

Gypsy stays on her bed from the moment she is invited up,

until we are parked and the slides are put out.

Tucker gets bored.

He likes to come up and visit, 

and check out the scenery through the windshield. 

Some of the campgrounds we visit have access to wonderful trials.

We all like that!