Bill was drafted

Lakewood, New Mexico
The Ranch #34

As we were eating breakfast this morning, I mentioned to Bill that tomorrow was the Escapee breakfast at the clubhouse.

The winds finally died down and it was a pleasant day.  Bill was outside cleaning his truck when Neil Brunton came by and asked if Bill could help with a project.  The next thing I know Bill is standing on the back of the golf cart and off they went.

My curiosity got the best of me so I grabbed the camera and walked up the road.  It didn't take long before I spotted the golf cart and found out what they were up to.  It was an Escapee barn raising! This was a casita that was completely lost during the flood and they were building a new one.

Neil walked Bill and I around and showed us where the water broke through during the flood.

   These shooting stands that Neil built were completely underwater.  The telephone poles were moved from the shooting range.  

The pond was completely covered and they thought they had lost it but just the fence around it was damaged.  

For those blog readers who aren't members of the Escapee RV club you might not know what happened here a month ago.  The Seven Rivers had a flash flood and the entire Escapee RV park was surrounded by water and they had to evacuate the entire park by helicopter.  They have done a spectacular job of rebuilding.  The park reopened a week ago and is just as neat and tidy as can be.  

I mentioned to Neil that a bracket in our closet was broken.  He said let me have a look at it and I'll see what I can do.  

We had heard the bell ring while we looking over the damage and found John backing into the site two down from us.  

John and Karen Knoll came over to visit as soon as they were set up.  While we were catching up with them, Neil came to the door.

In that short time, he had taken the bracket to his place, copied the angle of the broken one, cut out a new one, welded it up and painted it.  This is why we say SKP's are the best.  

We decided that since today was Karen's birthday it called for a reason to eat out.  Neil suggested the Trinity Hotel in Carlsbad and told us some of the tales of the place.  Come to find out this area has a huge cowboy gunfighter history. 

It was almost Happy Hour time so we hurried over to the clubhouse.  The place was packed and everyone came by and said hello.  We've never been to a friendlier place.

These were the people that arrived today.  

They also sang "Happy Birthday" to Karen.  During the announcements they mentioned how great the breakfast was this morning.  This morning?  I can't believe I missed another day.  It was going to be so much fun and I was really looking forward to it.  Today couldn't possibly be Saturday already.  

This hotel has a unique cowboy history which included Pat Garrett.  There are bullet holes in the  room that Pat Garret occupied. The reason for them remains a mystery.  The girl at the desk would have taken us up to see the room, if it hadn't been occupied.  

The hotel was built in 1892.

  

Here's the birthday girl!

And John cleaned his plate.

And Bill cleaned his plate!

And I cleaned my plate.  Not one to go box between the four of us.

I thought this was a good picture of John and Karen.  

It's always fun when John and Karen are with us.  

Turtle Safely......