DAY 119 - HOBBS, NEW MEXICO

Our first "Group" picture of SPIA and SAM, early in the morning - see shadows - as we start our first walk of the day. SAM & ME walked 37 miles today in two walk sessions. The wind was calm at first, but was whipping up Dust Devils by the end of the day.

SAM's 20 Watt Solar Panel was not putting out as designed...later found two loose wires in the Panel Controller and it seems to be doing better. I also rigged an AC extension chord from SPIA's Inverter back to SAM's perch on SPIA. I can now charge one of SAM's batteries at a time while SPIA's motor is running - not all three, but one battery at a time. It is much faster than the Solar Panels put out, so should be a big help in the future to keep SAM's batteries charged up.

Sure needed SAM's motor today...lots of LONG hills with the wind always in our face. As usual, SAM performed flawlessly.

US 180 at this point in New Mexico, is a divided highway...just as good as any Freeway. Beyond the other lane across the center of this photograph is: you guessed it...more desert.

SAM just parked for a moment, pondering the endless Highway and the Wind. I wish I had brought along my golfing or bowling gloves...pushing SAM for hours on end makes my wrists receive a lot of punishment...the gloves - especially the bowling glove - would help carry the load across the wrist joint.

This part of New Mexico is OIL COUNTRY. Oil Drilling Rigs or Pumps - such as the one pictured above - dot the landscape in all directions. The highway is packed with 18-wheelers carrying supplies and equipment - some of the loads VERY wide with NO Pilot Vehicles - to and from the Oil Fields. The town of HOBBS, NEW MEXICO is devoted primarily to Oil.

No, SAM did not do this damage...bet someone received a bloody nose at this impact.

This was nearing the half-way point of our second walk of the day. The wind had kicked up something fierce and I was pretty tired from pushing SAM. Glad I found a couple ways to get better battery charging for SAM...I could use her motor over half the time if the electrical power were available.

Please say HELLO to Jeremiah tending his Fire-In-A-Pot...David did not get in a pic...sorry, Dave.

Arriving in HOBBS, NEW MEXICO, I took a space ( # 11) in Greta's RV Park. She put us next to DAVE and JEREMIAH, who instantly befriended us. We spent until nearly midnight chatting around Jeremiah's Aromatic Fire-IN-A-Pot of Mesquite Wood. Dave and I enjoyed a couple Rum & Cokes...Jeremiah is only 29...too young to enjoy alcohol...

My Volt Meter quit working this afternoon. David had a nice new one, which gave good readings of SAM's electrical system...then Dave simply GAVE it (his new Voltmeter) to me...how to say thank you to folks like Dave...Jeremiah offered to run up town and buy me a Amp Meter...something I have wanted from day one, but at $500.00??? Thank you Jeremiah, but I can manage a bit longer with just the Volt Meter.

Both Dave and Jeremiah are Gun Enthusiasts...in fact, David crafts his own weapons as an avocation. He let me examine his beautifully crafted (machining and all) Rifle - forget the gauge, but big enough to take down a small elephant. Jeremiah, not to be overlooked, started bringing out his collection of unique and magnificent weapons...from small palm-sized pistols to VERY large "Sniper" Rifles, complete with Laser Sighting and flood lights. I was more than impressed...I was overwhelmed. I have handled guns of all sorts since I was 9 years old...I have a couple pretty nice ones at the moment back home..., but nothing like I was privileged to handle this evening.

An evening like this is what I refer to when I have often said I was Lonely out here walking and living totally alone for months on end. Am tempted to stay another night to hear more about Jeremiah's walks through the Jungles of Columbia and Venezuela, South America...did learn how to avoid being swallowed by an Anaconda - which Jeremiah DID run into in the Columbia Jungles: lie perfectly still...the Anaconda (20-foot long snake) will crawl on top of you to make certain you are still alive - they don't like Dead stuff -. After being satisfied you are alive, the snake moves to your feet - the smallest end - and starts swallowing. When he gets up to your knees, slowly slip your hunting knife out of it's scabbard, reach down to the busy snake's head and putting the blade at one corner of it's mouth, swiftly slice up and over the top of the Anaconda's head, neatly severing the top half of his head off. It will wiggle and thrash about for a few minutes, but is quite harmless.

Jeremiah said he watched an actual video of footage of a "volunteer" demonstrating by letting a big Anaconda swallow his legs and quickly dispatch the critter with his VERY SHARP Knife.

Jeremiah setting out "some" of his collection of weapons.

It is very dark by this time of the evening.

Even SAM is stunned by the image of having to Walk & Roll with me over repeated stretches of such roadways...now if the wind will just hold off.

DAILY REPORT: Walked 37 miles today...and was VERY tired.

SEE YOUR IMPACT.ORG: Credit 37 miles @ $0.02 per mile = $0.74 for the day.

Tomorrow SAM & ME walk and roll again...HOBBS is nearly on the New Mexico - Texas border, so we re-enter Texas again and walk to the town of SEMINOLE, TEXAS about 30 miles to the East on US 180.