Jun 11, 2019 - Back to Las Cruces

Today, we traveled from Fort Stockton, TX to Las Cruces, NM. Along the way we saw some museums that we would have liked to stop, but, I wanted to beat the rush hour traffic going through El Paso. Also, we had a reservation to make. Better planning might have been a good idea. It was the usual nightmare in El Paso with traffic, construction, and idiot drivers. We can’t get over how huge El Paso is. Some friends of ours were heading East on I-10 from Las Cruces, NM to Midland, TX at the same time we were heading West toward Las Cruces. We...

Jun 3, 2019 - Carlsbad Caverns

This post is a day late. We got an early start and arrived in Carlsbad around 2 or so. We got set up, ate, and then headed to the caverns. We were here about 20 years ago or so but did not remember the incredible size of the main room. We're pretty sure the Park Service hasn't enlarged it so I guess we just don't remember. It was spectacular. We were both glad we took this detour on our trip. Our Adventure Pass got us in for free or it would have been $15 each. We just love our geezer pass. After hiking the 1.25-mile loop inside the main...

Jun 2, 2019 - Last Day in Las Cruces

We pretty much ran out of things to do in Las Cruces so we went to the movies. We saw "Rocket Man" - the movie about Elton John. It was a very well-done movie and told his life's story. Elton John produced it. We enjoyed it and like the many of his songs that were in it. We went back to the Double Eagle restaurant for dinner as Maryann wanted to get some pictures of a room that was holding a private party when we were there 2 days prior. We walked around Old Town Mesilla a bit more and stumbled on the building that used to be the old court...

Jun 1, 2019 - Las Cruces, NM - Day 2

We made a drive up to the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument. This is the smallest visitor center I have ever seen. It is very scenic but consisted of mostly hiking trails. Most of the trails prohibit dogs all or in part so our stay there was short. In addition, it was about 90 degrees, so a bit hot for hiking. Nonetheless, there were a few hearty souls on the trails. Las Cruces was named for, well, that seems to be a mystery. There is no shortage of rumors on the internet – you can take your pick. One has it that the place was...

May 31, 2019 - Las Cruces, NM - Day 1

We made the 340-mile leg of our trip that is from Casa Grande, AZ to La Cruces, NM. I am very disappointed to see that the roads have deteriorated greatly since our last trip in 2015. I had to slow to 45-50 in places. In other stretches, the ruts were so bad that it was extremely difficult to hold the lane. I saw some of the most horrible roads: some were worse than RT 66 that hasn’t seen maintenance in over 50 years. If there was another way back that didn’t take us hundreds of miles out of our way, we’d take it. I-8 was no better. On the...

May 30, 2019 - Alkali Flat Trail

White Sands National Monument is located 15 miles southwest of Alamogordo, New Mexico in the Tularosa Basin. Gypsum is rarely found in the form of sand because it is water-soluble. Normally, rain would dissolve the gypsum and carry it to the sea. The Tularosa Basin is enclosed, meaning that it has no outlet to the sea and that rain that dissolves gypsum from the surrounding San Andres and Sacramento Mountains is trapped within the basin. The natural feature of this monument is the pure gypsum dunes, but perhaps less obvious are the sources...

May 27, 2019 - Arizona to New Mexico

Went to see what was on the free breakfast bar, we are getting kind of tired of the same ole thing so we just had a snack and coffee, leaving at 7:40 and a cool 65 degrees, traveling up I-10 we stopped for breakfast at TJ's Homestyle breakfast, Buddy had quesadilla I had a wet burrito, it was very good and very big, on we go up I-10 we had a time change so we are only 2 hours behind, arrived at hotel in Deming, New Mexico at 5:15, and 81 degrees, we traveled 483 miles today, also forgot to say the speed limit is 75 Buddy had cruise set at...

May 25, 2019 - Albuquerque, NM

May 25th – May 27th Albuquerque Since this is the first city of any size since leaving San Antonio, Beverly was busy hunting for a restaurant. She found Los Poblanos, a historic ranch, inn and restaurant. It was a great choice and the food was superb. We went back the next morning for breakfast and then to the Unser Racing Museum. On this Memorial Day weekend, it seemed fitting to visit the Unser Racing Museum. Between Al, Bobby and Al, Jr., the Unsers won the Indy 500 an amazing record nine (9) times. Until Parnelli Jones found them, the...

May 24, 2019 - White Sands & NM Space Museum

Alamogordo sits on the edge of the White Sands Missile Range. The missile range and White Sands National Monument and Alamogordo are all in what is basically a huge bathtub. The whole area is surrounded by the San Andres Mountains. The White Sands Nat'l Monument is in area where the wind swirls and pushes up against the mountains and creates the dunes. The sand itself is pure white and is very fine. It is the material used for making wallboard used in home construction. Alamogordo is the home of Holloman Air Force Base. This is where a lot...

May 23, 2019 - New Mexico

We had the breakfast at the Hotel again this morning with quite a variety of stuff to eat, we left around 7:48 and it was a cold 56 degrees, again traveling off and on I-25 and Rte 66, saw some snow on some mountain peaks, we stopped over in Santa Fe, New Mexico found a parking spot and walked around downtown seeing a lot of stuff and unique buildings, we went into the The Plaza Café for coffee, I had a Mexican Mocha, Buddy had plain old coffee and a slice of coconut cream pie which was awesome, the crust was made of coconut, walked into...

May 23, 2019 - Alamogordo, NM

May 23rd: We solved the mystery of the Roswell UFO crash wreckage. It was actually a secret high altitude spy balloon that the military had launched. We were hoping to meet some little green aliens. We are so disappointed! So, now we have moved on to Alamogorda, NM which is just north of the White Sands National Monument. We visited White Sands previously, so, we may not do that again. The White Sands Missile Range was where the first atomic bomb was tested. Alamogordo seemed to be a good place to stop on our way west. I really did not want...

May 22, 2019 - Oklahoma through Texas now New Mexico

We left Weatherford, OK this morning around 7:10 it was 57 degrees, and let me tell you I was glad to get out of that state weather is ridiculous, we stopped in Elk City, OK and had breakfast at Chuck's which was pretty good just got basic breakfast, and also got an oil change in the car at the Chevrolet Dealer, on we go through Texas getting on and off I-40 as there are parts of Route 66 that are barely visible or not at all and some may be dirt or rock so we have to be careful, made some stops in Texas then on into New Mexico still...