Today the crew and I are going to Chloride!
Ever since the trauma of driving on Coyote Road in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, I’m a bit “road shy.” By that I mean I don’t want to ever — I mean EVER — drive on a mountain road that has ravines instead of a shoulders!
We’re going to meet fellow campers Chuck and Geri (phunnyfarm.blogspot.com) and Emily (http://followingthewinds.blogspot.com) in Chloride. Chuck told me the road to Chloride is not bad, “Well, except for that one area.” Okay. I’m checking Google Earth before I get on that road!
As it turns out the road isn’t treacherous.
The mountain scenery is spectacular. We drive through Cuchillo, a former stage stop, and then Winston, which was founded by those who found Chloride “too rowdy.” A Sierra County booklet says, “During the 1880s, Chloride was a thriving community with 100 homes, 3,000 people, nine saloons, 3 general stores, 2 hotels, restaurants, boarding houses, assay offices, a stage line, and a Chinese laundry.”
Chloride would qualify as a ghost town except about twenty people live there today.
A couple is in the process of restoring the town. There is a small campground, a museum, two cabins, and an art and gift shop. The bank building is being transformed into a cafe.
Chuck, Geri, Emily, and I eat a hot dog lunch at a picnic table in the shade of a tree. I set up the crew’s pen next to our table. Poor Spikey is so worn out from walking around the town, he falls asleep.
It’s been a memorable day with friends, touring a town that’s coming back to life from its old, silver mining days. [slideshow]
Very interesting post. I enjoyed the slide show. Looks like Spike and Bridget had fun with friends too.
Hello, Donna!
The other three dogs belong to Chuck and Geri. Spike and Bridget had met them when we visited their house. The crew got to see their new friends again.
Nice to see some memories of Chloride again. We did the tour of that old general store as well. They have done a remarkable job of restoring it. Nearby Hillsboro and Monticello are also interesting historical little places just like Chloride. Real nice twisty mountain drive between Hillsboro and Silver City through the Gila forest as well. We both liked that whole general area.
Hi, Al!
The general store is a treasure. My photos don’t go it justice, as there are many small, interesting, and unusual items in cases. I don’t know if you’ve seen the restoration of the cabins . . . beautiful wood walls . . . all the modern conveniences yet the sense of time in history is still there, simple and homey.
That road must be different than the road from Chloride to Silver City that Chuck, Geri, and Emily described to me. It goes through the Black Mountains, very narrow and downright dangerous.
I’m getting attached to this area. Time to move on, but I’ll definitely come back!
Check out the Buckhorn in Pinos Altos! Great food there if you want to treat yourself.
Thanks, Steve!
I had to do a search to find where Pinos Altos is (north of Silver City). I do plan on seeing that area. Make sure you remind me when I get there. LOL
A question from a slower person, is there any way that you can let me pause the slideshow ?
I ask because if I look at the picture and try to read the writing I don’t make it most of the time.
I don’t want you to slow it down because it is fine for most people. 🙂
Thanks
Bill Kelleher
Move your mouse over a picture and you should see three controls that appear at the bottom of the picture. Click on the center control (square) to pause the slideshow, and then you can move it forward or backward at your own pace using the right and left arrow controls. Don’t feel bad – I had the same problem!
Thanks Kay 🙂
Bill Kelleher
Hi, Bill!
I know what you mean. It’s hard to read that tiny white writing. I wish I knew how to change the font and color, and make it bold.
I’m pleased to know you’re interested enough in the photos to want to pause them!
Thanks Sue, it works fine.
Yes I study the pictures and then read the writing. 🙂
Bill Kelleher
PS I tend to scroll done the page using my keyboard so don’t move the cursor to much.
Enjoying again your travels. Looks like I might be a candidate for your lifestyle sooner than I thought. Any thoughts on what type of vehicle you would get if you had a second person with you? Right now I have an old 1972 fourteen foot Phoenix trailer with a toilet, no shower. What do you think?
Also,, not to be too nosey, but what kind of budget does one need to make this real? Any good websites for the planning phase?
We’re both retired teachers as well.
Pat
Hello, Pat!
Experienced fulltimers may chuckle at me trying to give advice on the subject as I’m still a newbie. My first reaction is . . . If the trailer doesn’t leak and is safe for the road, it can be a fulltimer’s home. Is the fourteen feet interior length? My Casita is seventeen feet but that includes the tongue. Mine works for me. I wouldn’t want to live in it with another person, but that’s me. (I wouldn’t want to live with another person in 3,000 sq. ft.!)
I can’t tell you whether your trailer would work for two people. It would be close living; you’d need to be very tolerant of each other! Having no shower is not a problem. You can take your showers in campgrounds. I often do, and I have a shower.
I’m too new at this to advise on budget. Costs are going to fluctuate with the seasons. Also I’m making purchases now to equip myself. . . If you’re on a tight budget and dependent on campgrounds, New Mexico is great. That’s why I’m here. When I get myself equipped to boondock, I’ll go to other states.
Is there any way you both can try living in your trailer? That would tell you more than I can.
Browse through forums. That’s how I learned. Read all you can on http://www.casitaforum.com, for instance. Tons of info there written by very experienced fulltimers. Read blogs. Good luck!
Pat (and anyone else wanting to learn more)…. one more thing . . . Click on the names of people writing comments here. Often you will be taken to their blogs and get better information than I can give!
Old towns like Chloride are a lot of fun to visit and camp nearby I might take it in as I am not far from there in Deming NM. From your posts this life seems to agree with you 🙂
Hello, KayJulia!
If you want to camp behind the general store, it’s $15 a night with hook-ups. There are pretty trees and a small “mountain” close to the rear of the campground. The town is quiet and serene.
I forgot to mention the hanging tree (as in noose!) in the center of town. Donna (in photo) will give you a tour of the buildings, including the progress on the cafe. I know you have your rv, but I want to mention that the two cabins they’ve restored are for guests to rent. .. very charming, rustic but not too rustic.
The more I live this life, the more I love it!
Hello, Jool!
I’m so glad you found my blog, too! Welcome . . . and thanks for writing. You read every single entry? I’m honored.
Welllll, gollllle Sue, it was so great to meet you and the crew Sunday. We had some nice talks on various subjects. Glad we could confuse you more on the solar panels! My little solar panel, I showed you, is sufficient for the way I travel now; but, if I do spend much more time off the beaten path I’ll have to move up to a larger size.
Am at Geri & Chuck’s until Thursday mid-day, then time to head home. Chloride is such a neat little town to even just chill out and slow one’s pace down too. I am planning on going back sometime. We passed a Casita going up that way today. Did you get to stop in Winston and see the little general store? The woodworking on the door is fantastic!
Hi, Emily!
It was great to meet you! I enjoyed the afternoon very much. Yes, I did go in the store in Winston. Quite a place! The door reminded me of an expensive chess board. I wanted to take a photo but there were several people there and a camper was parked in front. Kind of spoils the old-timey look when a Class C is in the photo!
It is a tedious job to make a slideshow with several photos. I usually write less when I’ve got that task. There’s so much I could have written about you … the fact that you have a Casita, too, and some of the things you’ve learned on your many travels.
Chuck and Geri always make sure their guests have fun. I bet you enjoyed a dinner at Groovy Gritz!
Groovy Gritz is tonight… Tuesday night and you are welcome to join us! Groovy is closed on Mondays! So glad you enjoyed your day in Chloride! You are welcome to come camp with us there on Halloween! What better place to spend Halloween than in a ghost town?? Hahaha!
Hi,
We waved at you and the crew through the window as we arrived at Fort Sumner, NM (we waved out the south window in the RV). We spent the night there at Valley View RV Park and walked over to the Billy the Kid Museum–nice museum. From your blog, I see that you are doing some of the same. Tonight, we are camped at Canyon Gateway RV Park in Williams, AZ. Should arrive in Mesquite, NV in a few days. Follow your blog religiously and enjoy the script and the pics.
Herb and Cindy,
I almost missed seeing your comment. Sounds like you are having a wonderful trip through the Southwest.
Thank you for coming back for more of my blog. . . . Travel safe and happy!
It sure looks like a neat place. Will have to put it on my list of places to visit.