Fort Sumner to Clovis, New Mexico
Distance: 85 miles
Walmart (boondocking)
Cost: free
Weather: Warm and sunny
We decided to leave Sumner Lake State Park a day early, even though we couldn't get a refund for the second night. The flies were so annoying and the amenities at the campground left a lot to be desired. By driving ahead to Clovis, we could shave off some miles on Tuesday's drive, which, otherwise, was going to be a fairly long day.
We left the park after 11:00 and made a stop at the Billy the Kid Museum in Fort Sumner. I'm not sure it was worth the $5/person, but it was something to do and we had time to kill.
When we arrived in Clovis, we found a coffee house (Java Loft) and spent an hour or so there, uploading pictures, working on blog posts, and catching up on social media. It would have been a nice place if the employees weren't so loud and talkative. Next time, we'll remember to bring our noise-cancelling earphones.
We got settled at Walmart (our first experience boondocking at one) and went inside to grab a few groceries and ask the manager if we were ok parking there overnight. Not every Walmart allows this anymore, but the manager was very friendly and said it wouldn't be a problem. It wasn't long before several other RVs pulled in and parked on the outer edges of the large parking lot. Other than the glare from the tall overhead parking lot lights, we didn't have any problems. It was a very quiet night.
Fort Sumner, New Mexico
Our first boondocking experience at a Walmart.
Our view from the parking lot.
Could be worse.
