“Some campgrounds are places you visit once. Others become places that feel like coming home.”
Introduction
Every camper has that one special place.
The campground you can’t stop talking about.
The one you recommend to everyone who asks where they should go next.
The place where the scenery is beautiful, the pace of life slows down, and the people become just as memorable as the destination itself.
For us, that place is Burro Mountain Homestead in southwest New Mexico.
After discovering this hidden mountain retreat on a previous adventure, we knew we had to come back. Better yet, we wanted to share it with some new friends we had recently met while camping in Flagstaff. Dan and Nancy had never experienced Burro Mountain before, and we couldn’t wait to introduce them to one of our favorite camping destinations.
As it turned out, this trip became about much more than mountain trails and RZR rides.
It became a week filled with laughter, unexpected adventures, new friendships, and plenty of stories we’ll be telling for years to come.
Chapter 1
Back to Burro Mountain
We Really Tried to Leave on Time
If you’ve followed JourneyFor2 for very long, you already know one thing about us.
No matter how much time we give ourselves to prepare…
…we’re almost always running behind.
This trip, however, was going to be different.
At least, that was the plan.
For nearly four days before departure, we packed a little at a time. We loaded supplies into the motorhome, made grocery runs, organized the RZR, and checked items off our list one by one.
We were convinced we’d finally figured out the secret to leaving on time.
Then Wednesday evening arrived.
Suddenly we were loading clothes, making one last trip to the gas station to fill fuel cans for the RZR, realizing we still needed groceries, and asking ourselves the familiar question:
“Didn’t we already pack everything?”
The next morning wasn’t much better.
Tracey was outside draining and refilling the fresh water tank while I made what I sincerely hoped would be my final grocery run.
Fortunately, our friends Scott and Kerri decided to push the departure time back from 10:00 to 11:00.
Good thing.
Considering we’d originally hoped to leave at 9:00, there was never any chance of that actually happening.
Some traditions are simply too difficult to break.
Meeting the Caravan
Eventually…
Everything was packed.
The motorhome was fueled.
The trailer was loaded.
And we were finally ready to hit the road.
Our meeting place was the local Tractor Supply parking lot, where Dan and Nancy had already arrived with their trailer.
Although we’d quickly become friends after meeting them on a recent camping trip to Flagstaff, this would be our first time traveling together.
Scott and Kerri pulled in a few minutes later, and after making introductions all around, we gathered beside the RVs to talk through our route.
Dan mentioned that he typically preferred driving a little slower while towing.
Tracey smiled and immediately replied,
“No problem. We’ll all travel together.”
That simple response summed up the entire trip.
This wasn’t about getting there first.
It was about getting there together.
Life Is Better in a Convoy
Before long, our little caravan was rolling east toward New Mexico.
Traveling with friends changes the entire experience.
Instead of simply watching the miles pass by, every fuel stop becomes a chance to catch up.
Every rest area turns into a conversation.
Every radio call keeps everyone connected.
About an hour into the drive, Tracey announced that he was getting hungry.
Since we’d left much later than planned, lunchtime had already arrived.
One of the things I love most about traveling in a motorhome is being able to get up, wander into the kitchen, and put together lunch while the road continues rolling beneath your feet.
Apple slices.
Sharp cheddar cheese.
Crackers.
Cheese spread.
Simple.
Easy.
Perfect for the road.
And yes…
One of the biggest luxuries of traveling in a motorhome?
Being able to use your own bathroom whenever you need to.
It’s funny how the little conveniences quickly become some of your favorite parts of RV life.
Miles, Memories & Military Stories
As we crossed Arizona and continued toward New Mexico, the conversation inside the motorhome took an unexpected turn.
For hours, Tracey talked about his time in the military.
Not just where he’d been stationed.
But the people.
The friendships.
The places.
The stories that had remained tucked away for years.
If you know Tracey, you know he doesn’t often talk about those years.
Especially his time in Panama.
Hearing him share memories I’d never heard before made the miles disappear.
Sometimes the windshield becomes more than a view of the highway.
Sometimes it’s the perfect backdrop for conversations that might never happen at home.
By the time we reached western New Mexico, I realized this drive had already become one of my favorite parts of the trip.
When the Weather Changes Everything
As we neared Lordsburg, the skies ahead became darker with every passing mile.
The sunshine we’d enjoyed most of the day gave way to towering storm clouds, flashes of lightning, and powerful desert winds.
It felt strangely familiar.
Almost like Burro Mountain was reminding us that mountain weather has a personality all its own.
Not long afterward, Dan radioed that he needed to pull over.
One of the steps on his trailer had come loose.
Thankfully, it turned out to be a quick fix, and before long our little convoy was back together once again.
After topping off our fuel tanks, we continued toward the turnoff leading into Burro Mountain Homestead.
As we climbed higher, something caught our attention.
Water.
Everywhere.
Standing water lined the roadside, and what had been dry washes only days earlier now looked like rushing rivers.
Looking toward the mountains, I jokingly asked,
“So…where’s all that water coming from?”
Tracey looked over with a grin and pointed toward the peaks ahead.
“Up there.”
That was exactly where we were headed.
Suddenly, I wasn’t thinking about campfires or mountain views anymore.
I was wondering what seven miles of muddy mountain road might have in store for us.
Sometimes…
The adventure begins before you ever reach camp.