From Apache Point to the saw mill was about an hour. Dropping out of the pine forest the Tortuga was headed east through Datil and a planned stop at Magdalena, New Mexico. Within an hour the terrain had totally changed. What was once pine forest was now a high plain. It was still beautiful in a totally different dimension. Leaving the high ground headed due east you could see the highway for 20 or more miles ahead in almost a straight line. Passing through Datil and over a little ridge line of a tall mesa, white dots started to cover the desert floor. For 10 miles you could see them and as the Tortuga got closer the bigger they became. It was a field of radio telescopes. An impressive site doing research of the cosmos. The Tortuga had to stop for pictures. During the stop, two families stopped to take pictures of the radar array and while they were at it took picture of the Tortuga with their kids. “I don’t think I can explain this to my husband so can I take a picture, it is so cool” The Tortuga always like to have a picture taken by friends.
As the Tortuga was getting ready to leave, a water leak was noticed under the gray water outlet. Going inside an investigation found that there was a small leak. The leaks location was not immediately identified but a sense of urgency developed to dump gray water. (Moms protect your children) Yes, Tortuga’s need to dump every now and then. It was a race to Magdalena. Magdalena is almost a blink of an eye town, it reminded the Tortuga of Santa Fe, with an art and Indian jeweler scene. Since the Tortuga was looking for a cool camp site in the Cibola National Forest the first stop was the Forest Ranger office for a camp site recommendation and and inquiry of where the nearest dump station or RV park could be found. It is always a treat to find an informed, passionate ranger willing to engage visitors of the National Forest they work in and passionate about and can give recommendations on personal experience, during this trip we have found many, rangers that with those attributes, but not today. The best this young ranger could do was direct the Tortuga to a lot behind the hotel that might have RV parking.
Behind the hotel that appeared to be a small seldom used RV park. There were maybe 8 empty spots and a row of 3 RVs on a back line. Tortuga pulled in to the first empty slot then off to the front desk only to find a locked door and a sign that said back at 3. The urge to dump was intensifying with time. What was the problem that manifested itself with a wet sub floor around the grey water tank? The Tortuga was ready to leave but noticed two people talking on the back line of RVs.
It was there the Tortuga met Big Foot and his sister. Big Foot was from Indiana, and moved to Magdalena to join the Art and Indian Jewelry seen. Well, after 30-plus years he was trying to get back to Indiana and his sister was there to help him. Big Foot is just one of those colorful characters of the southwest. (why didn’t the Tortuga take his picture) Funny cowboy hat that sat high on his head, he had enjoyed many good meals, he had size 17 feet (thus his name) and was strongly opinionated about Magdalena. Big Foot called Magdalena “a vortex, that won’t let residents go.” He added that “No one in town is from here and the only work done here is by government.” After the initial flurry of discussion, the Tortuga asked Big foot about the proprietor and her return. Big Foot said just do it, and pass her a bill, Big Foot explained 3 oh! clock Magdelana time could mean anything, so the Tortuga hooked up.
Tortuga dump was done, and water added too, a fix on a drain line and the Tortuga was off to a spot found on the map called Water Canyon.
