Day Seven - Emporia KS to Raton NM - July 5

8:15A to 8P Central (7P Mountain)

More rolling hills, high plains, corn fields, wheat fields, ears adjusting to changing altitudes.  We drive through several rain showers and see flooded fields and full ditches along the highway. 

 Nearing Dodge City, we think of Boot Hill, pioneers and Cowboys and Indians  -- the real cowboys and Indians -- and the struggles they had. When we are far along enough to see the foothills, we begin to see billowy cloud formations. 

 At what should have been near the end of a travel day, we begin to think about stopping for the night.  After unsuccessfully searching for a Passport campground, an Escapees park -- just anything with hookups, we continue to travel toward Angel Fire NM to visit with Joe and Pearl Segars, our sometimes neighbors and all-the-time friends.  It is a longer day than we usually do, so we check out a few places in Trinidad CO.  However, the construction we encounter at our designated exit suggests it is better to continue on.  Even though the elevation is 5-6 K, we now see real mountains and thrill to driving over Raton Pass.  We find a nice KOA at Raton, open the windows for fresh mountain air, and start resetting all the clocks that don't reset themselves.  Camping next to us is a couple from Opelousas LA in the Cajun Country -- small world -- and we enjoy hearing their 'accent.'  


Willie of Walldog, Willie and Jake