Free roadside camping in Big Spring TX

Made it 270 miles farther across Texas today.  We had planned on Abilene but when we got to Big Spring... the truck quit.  Yup, lost speed and we were just able to get off an exit and onto a service road.  Big dose of good luck there.  The exit was right there where we needed it and it happened to have a huge shoulder to pull off.  We have the slide out and are still off the traveled portion of the road. 
The engine was running fine but the speed was dropping.  When we parked I looked under the truck and found transmission fluid raining down from the back of the engine; probably that new torque converter.  That would explain the symptom.  We are about 10 miles out from Big Spring, modest size city of 27,000.  I called Good Sam Roadside Assistance since i have the camper in tow.  But it's Sunday and they could not find anyone open.  Since I'm in a safe place they suggested staying here tonight.  Tomorrow morning when things open up we'll go at it again.  They said if they towed me today to a place that could not handle the repair I would pay for the next tow.  there is a Dodge dealer and a campground in Big Spring so we should be pretty well set when it gets arranged.
I wanted to notify the TX State Police I was parked here so they wouldn't have to get curious in the night.  I tried 4 different phone numbers from the internet and all were no answer.  Even one labeled 24 hour roadside assistance!  When we went for a walk a trucker stopped to ask if we were OK.  When I explained it all he gave me the local dispatcher phone number from memory; he is a former deputy!  (I had noticed he was packing)  😄  Then a young couple in a pick up stopped to ask too.  He was wearing a cowboy hat.  Seems like a good neighborhood.
Tonight may be noisy.  We have I-20 50' away on one side and a railroad 20' away from our door.  Good thing I like trains!  In the 7 hours we have been here at least 9 trains have passed. 



First some West Texas landscape:

Callahan has the whole back seat area with the seat folded down and his bed from home on the deck.
He likes to ride with his chin on the console.  Doesn't look comfortable to me, but...

Gushing and dripping, Oh My!
Not a precise quote!

That's camp!

We went for a walk down a rural road near us and Cal found lots of interesting aromas in the tall grass.

TX Farm Road 818, goes to Lomax

Trains!

More trains!

Wild West RV Park, Van Horn TX

About 350 miles today, and 2 time zones (in effect).  We lost an hour when we left AZ because they don't use DST, then another hour just west of Van Horn when we entered Central Time.  So it only looks like 2 hours, we are just 10 miles inside Central so sunset is 8:20!  Like summer!  Sunrise 7:43.  Going to be a hard start.
This is a small campground and pretty cheap with the Good Sam discount, $25.  Not much facility here but we don't need much.  They have a laundry that we hadn't noticed.
We have a campsite tomorrow night in Abilene, 335 miles.  No time zones so it should be a nice day.
Just a few photos from the day.

Good Bye Graham Mtn.  From the SW you can see the observatory

Some simple West Texas scenery from the truck

While we checked in at the RV park Cal got in Carlene's seat.  He didn't get off again when she got in. 
He didn't mind that at all.

Van Horn Rescue has a training facility on the main street.

Wilcox Playa, Wilcox AZ

Easy 50 mile drive from Roper to Wilcox Playa Wildlife Management Area.  The truck ran just fine, I was "just a bit nervous" for the first few miles.  You may recall that it was just one mile with the camper when that cussed check engine light came back on.
This is a relatively small gravel parking lot which has a great view!  The Dos Cabezas (2 heads) mountain is just east of us, Graham Mtn is out of sight behind some trees but is just north of us. 
We went into Safford this morning for groceries for the trip home and into Wilcox to get fuel and do some laundry this afternoon.  A nice little town.  We never stopped here before. 
We should be in Van Horn TX tomorrow night.

Dos Cabezas

Roper Park 3, got the truck back!

It took until 2 PM but we did get the truck back.  They delivered it to me here at the park, no bill.  Good guys!  They told me a bit of what the various issues were but I didn't get most of it.  All about like I said last night, making the new part fit a 5 year old truck.
We did a short walk in the park to let Cal swim a bit.  He's still happy about that.
Not much else to talk about tonight.
We are on a different site because someone had the old site reserved for tonight and the weekend.  They calmly waited the 2 hours it took to get me off site.

Hey, all the photos tonight are of birds; even mine!  What's up?

yellow headed blackbirds

American coot

boat-tailed grackles

mourning dove

Roper Lake 2

The truck went back to Dodge this morning.  The new torque converter is also out of range and slipping.  They had received 2 of them when they ordered mine and therefore had another in stock to put in.  But it would again take all day.  They gave me a ride back to camp so I had all day to hang at camp.  Sure beats the garage waiting room!
Late today they called and wanted to keep it overnight.  I want it fixed right so I had planned for this.  Fine with me.  This latest one is also having some issues and it may be more involved than just the new part.  We know the new part is not a totally identical part since the truck is 5 years old.  They needed some wiring conversion.  This all doesn't make a complete sense to me, just telling what I think I know about it.  But they did take it in just 5 minutes after I arrived this morning and worked all day on it unscheduled.  That's not bad!

Meanwhile back at the park, we had a nice walk all around the park again.  Sure is a pretty place.  Then some sitting & reading, watching the people with their toys.  Fishing boats, inflatable kayaks, bird watchers, dog walkers, bikes.  Everybody seems to be keeping their social distances.

We were just out walking Callahan on the beach.  Still in shorts and T shirt.  One of the nicest nights yet!  68 outside.  Got to 81 today.  It’s going to be cold when we get home!   Almost glad to have a 2 week quarantine to get used to it.

Views around the park:

Birds at the camper

View from the camper

Modest sunset tonight