Saddle CG Lincoln Nat'l Forest New Mexico

[Adrian W]

Near Cloudcroft, New Mexico

After Selling our Scamp Thursday, we headed for the high country by Cloudcroft to escape the heat of 100+ temperatures. Expecting a lot of people camping over Father's Day, we were hopping to find a campsite up by Cloudcroft (elevation nearing 9,000'). There were many to choose from (many of them too small or unleveled), but we found one in the Saddle Campground that was really nice & level side to side. Not all would be like this, most are not.

Intending to set up camp & attach two Fan-tastic Ulta-Breeze Fan Covers, but we hadn't brought the Lap Seal we would need to do the job correctly. Instead on Friday, we drove down to Alamogordo to a small RV supply place to get some, then to Walmart to get a few things we would need camping. It really had a lot of RV supplies.

Once back at the campsite & on the roof & looking the Fan-tastic Fan vent & the bathroom vent over, we discovered there were no screw heads showing to which we are to remove 4 screws on each vent to attach the covers to those screw holes. Did some reading of the directions & discovered we have fan/vents install by clamp method. We would need to call tech support with Atwood, who makes the vent covers. By then, when we called Atwood's tech support, it was past closing (EST) & not be open until Monday.

At 7 am Monday, I called Atwood (very nice, friendly lady) knew what I needed & asked if I had email. She emailed the diagram & measurements for drilling holes.

Went to Library in Cloudcroft to use WIFI @ about 10 am & email was there. Got working on getting things out & ready to install them 11:30 am or so. All in all it went very well. Use a plastic bucket & a tire down strap to pull things up to the roof. Nice & cool with wind. Took my time. Once into what needed to be done, all went more quickly. Very pleased with the out come.

Tuesday, we drove over to Ruidoso Downs & the Hubbard Museum of the American West (An Affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution). Never been to it, often wanted to see what it offered. We were very pleased with the place, a very ice museum with many exhibits & a wide assortment of them. The museum is right off of Hwy 70, close to the race track. www.hubbardmusem.org

Especially enjoyed the visiting exhibit ("Beyond Tradition, an exhibition of contemporary fiber art" presented by the Studio Art Quilt Associates of New Mexico) which will be there until Sept. 1. Fantastic work they are. Never seen anything quite like them. Extremely creative art work.

Walmart is just down the road from the Museum, so we stopped for a few supplies.

A very nice drive over there (43 miles one way or close to it from the campground). We had a very enjoyable outing. More shops & eating places in Ruidoso, but we were not into that this time.

Wednesday, we drove to Las Cruces (LadyHawk had an exam to get & I wanted to see my chiropractor. Got up just before 6 am, had a quick breakfast & took some cheese & grapes to eat on the way over, got home about 8 am. Had time to pick out what we didn't take before, stow all that in the pickup, shower & go to our appointments. I took the pickup, she took the car.

After my adjustment, I went to library then stopped & picked up some Mexican food (green chile stew & whole beans) for an early lunch. Rested a bit after lunch, then on the way back to Cloudcroft, we stopped at Walmart & Sam's club as well as the post office & UPS. I'd stopped on the way to the chiropractor to pay the electric bill.

It was raining a little as we left the mountains & as I was waiting for LadyHawk to at the new Walmart, it rain pretty good for a short time in Las Cruces. It started with some small hail mixed with the rain. Back at camp later, it would shower a little now & again. But later it stopped with just a cool wind blowing. Thursday, morning it is calm & chilly out with scattered clouds. May go to the library today & post what I have so far.

We have been the only people in this loop few days except for the camp host, we have one group of 4 camping across from us now. A quite group. A few are in the second loop below us; most go down to Apache campground below us or to Silver campground above us. Suit us well, stays nice & quiet here, without smoke drifting into our area from campfires as well.

We walked by some of the shops, not going into many. We did stop at a art gallery which had some very nice work by the owner & her husband. The art show at the library had some very nice work of local people as well. Plan on going into some of the shops after finishing here in the library.

Temperatures have remained in the 70s for highs & some times down into the 40s & 50s for lows. Chilly at times especially when breezy.

Not many birds or animals around, a few hummingbirds, but didn't bring a feeder & didn't remember to get one yesterday.

Mainly have done walks around the campground & to the other campgrounds thus far. I'm doing so much better walking than last September, when I had such a hard time making it back to Silver CG after walking down to Saddle, where we are now. I wound up getting Quadruple Bypass Surgery seven days later. Seems longer, but hasn't been a year yet, 9 months & 8 days now.

The Lance has been preforming above our expectations. Very comfortable. Keep finding place to stow things & getting to know more about the unit.

[Mike Magee]

I'd looked up the Ruidoso weather pattern a couple of years back, and based on the numbers I saw it seemed to have pretty moderate temps all year around. Would you say that's a fair assessment? Are there any particular insects or vermin that pose a problem around there? It sounded like a nice area to live in.

[Adrian W]

Ruidoso is lower than Cloudcroft & will be warmer, it is a larger town & a ski center in the winter. It can be cold there in the winter & can get a lot of snow in town, but less snow in last few years. Mosquitos & flies at times I'm sure. No chiggers (none in New Mexico), very seldom ticks in NM as well, on deer at times. Black Bears, coyotes, raccoons could be around at times. Forest (Wild) Fires can be a problem. I'm not too familiar with it, but have been there a few times over the years.

First place I ever stayed in New Mexico was Ruidoso in 1968, when I took a college friend to his home over Thanksgiving. Snow about two feet the first night. Just saw snow for the first time in Lubbock, then a day or two later I got to see a lot more.

For southern NM, it is moderate weather wise in the summer for sure, somewhat cold in the winter for this area.

[Al and Cindy K]

Thanks for the detailed report Adrian. We found several nice boondocking spots in Lincoln NF a few years back. Can't remember the FS road number but it cut off to the left between Queen and the Dog Canyon campground in Guadalupe Mtn National Park. We hope to get back out that way this fall and spend more time in the area. Retirement in four days!

Al

[Mike Magee]

If it can get that much snow, it isn't as nice as 'weather underground' data made it sound. Thanks.

You mentioned very few ticks in NM... would that apply to the mountain areas in the north part of NM as well? It sure is pretty up that way in summer, and cool too.

[Adrian W]

Originally Posted by Mike Magee

If it can get that much snow, it isn't as nice as 'weather underground' data made it sound. Thanks.

You mentioned very few ticks in NM... would that apply to the mountain areas in the north part of NM as well? It sure is pretty up that way in summer, and cool too.

Yes, I believe it does.

However, In some areas of the state mice may carry the hantavirus: Hantavirus - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Also some areas varmints can carry fleas infected with the plague: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plague_(disease)

Never have had any one of these or know anyone who has. Don't let these scare you away. Mainly, use common sense, such as do not skin a dead coyote, do not camp over a varmint hole(s) (don't sleep on a pack rat or mouse den, etc.