OK, so this is tentative, particularly the dates, and length of stay, but will adjust as necessary. Remember we will be towing a Travel Trailer so if you want to meet up, it has to be someplace I can maneuver the travel trailer around. Just coffee and talk is fine, no need to muster the whole town and declare and honorary Packrat day!
1) Leave Tucson, headed for Albuquerque, NM on the I-10. Probably overnight somewhere around Isletta Isle, North of Socorro on the I-25. Will take the Hatch cutoff from the I-10 in Deeming, NM and will miss Las Cruces on the out bond trip. May stay around Albuquerque for a day or so to visit friends. Not sure.
2) Leave Albuquerque for Las Vegas, New Mexico to visit family. Will probably stay 2 days then pull out for Denver for more family.
3) Leave Denver, headed South on the I-25 back to Las Vegas, NM, cutting south on the SR 84, going to Santa Rosa, NM located on the I-40. Will probably be here at least a full day after arrival. Is my lady friend's birthplace and will be visiting what little family remains, Cemetery, etc.
4) Leave Santa Rosa, NM headed to Amarillo TX to visit friends. probably stay at least 1 full day after arrival.
5) Leave Amarillo, TX heading South on the I-27 through Lubbock and maybe on down to Abilene, or maybe on down through San Angelo, headed for San Antonio, TX No idea how long this will take so will just play it by ear and take whatever time we need. One advantage of this route is that the land is so flat, once i have the rig up to speed, can take by foot off the gas and coast almost to either Abilene or San Angelo! Looking at my globe, I can see we are heading downhill so that will help with the coasting.
6) Going to stop outside San Antonio to meet up with scrmblr if he can find enough time from making babies to meet up! Don't plan on heading down to the ranch near Uvaldi until the return trip. May not even get a chance to hunt this trip, depending on what's going on with my brother in Houston or the owners plans. Last year, on our way through, the owner and his kids had the ranch tied up for a family reunion when we were in the area! We only have hunting rights to the property, depending on the owners and his families schedule Sigh!
7) From San Antonio, then on to Pasadena, just S. of Houston for several days with my brother and his Family. May get to do a little Salt Water fishing. If things work out, may drop off our Dogs with my brother and go to New Orleans for a couple of days since my lady has never been there. Then head back, pick up the dogs, hit the ranch if possible for a few days, pick up the I-10 to El Paso, then to Las Cruces, NM and back home.
All in all, we figure right around 3 - 4 weeks, but could stretch it out if needed or we find something to pique our interests enroute. Being retired is sort of like the posting below!
So that's it, the only thing not set is the starting date and that is going to depend a lot on the weather in Denver when we leave!