After we left Galveston Island we headed to South Llano State Park and arrived mid afternoon. The weather had been getting colder and did not realize the freezing rain till we were at the campsite. There was ice on the mirrors and the front of the RV. We were glad we were off the road and safe at a campground where we stayed the second night because of more freezing rain. This campground had abundant deer and wild turkeys with a designated turkey roosting area.
In most places we have travelled it is not far between homes or farms, but that is not the case in West Texas. We needed to check our gas supply and confirm if the next community would be in our range.
The next day we drove out of this cold system and had warm temps of 20 - 22 degrees C. Our next stop at Balmorhea State Park had a natural spring fed pool with water temperatures of 20 degrees C. year round. It was a beautiful place.
The gift of a beautiful sunrise to start our day.
With yet another cold system pushing into the area we wanted to get as far west to avoid getting caught on icy roads. We made it to Deming, NM where it was cool and breezy but not freezing.
Where else but in Texas would you see a hood ornament like this.
It has been an interesting transition from near sea level on Galveston Island and travelling through the mountains of Arizona. Changes in vegetation from grasses in the wet low lands, to the rock and treed areas of the Texas hill country and then viewing the vast plateaus of west Texas and New Mexico and finally the cactus covered mountain sides around Tucson.
As we neared Tucson on Tuesday we stopped at a rest stop for a stretch and enjoyed the views of boulders which were so different from the open terrain a short time ago.
We have had our introduction to CHRPA (Community Home Repair Program of Arizona) that we will be working at. Jim replaced a window in a mobile home on Wednesday and repaired a floor and rim joist on Thursday to make it safer to step into the door of this home.
Annette worked at putting on flash and seal to repair a roof and insulation on a roof top water pipe, while another worker repaired the rooftop furnace.
Thursday evening the SOOPers met for a Bible study. Here we met other Mennonite volunteers that are working in the area. There are people here from Ontario, Yukon, New Hampshire, Indiana and of course Manitoba.
The city of Tucson is in a valley surrounded by mountains. It warms up during the day and drops considerably by night. They have palm trees, cactus and oranges trees. Very unique. Our new home base is a gravel church parking lot, not the most pleasant place we have ever been at. It is in a residential neighborhood of modest homes.
Our view to the North from our new home.
On Saturday we visited the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. It was a great introduction to the desert landscape that is all around us here in Tucson. The Saguaro cactus that grow in abundance on the mountain sides amazed us.
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