Life has started to fall into a somewhat comfortable pattern. We wake up early, Al works while I putter or do laundry or whatever, we eat a little something, then we drive to our next RV park. After setting up the RV we do something about supper for ourselves and the birds, then Al works while I blog or play on the computer or whatever else. We've been retiring quite early each evening and I think the extra sleep is really helping us both, because soon after Al finished work this morning he felt well enough for us to take off for points east - specifically New Mexico. Not surprisingly, this part of New Mexico looks quite a lot like southern Arizona - very, very wide valleys bordered by distant mountains. I recall that when we drove across the country TO California we went across the middle of New Mexico and were impressed by the mesas and so forth. This area is very different from that. More desert with cactus and scrub and rocky outcroppings.
Just like Arizona, this same topography went on for mile after mile, with the difference being that, as you can see, we enjoyed some sunshine along with the scenery.
Another difference was that we started to see cattle here and there - evidence of ranches or farms thereabouts. Small semi-towns began to appear...little truck stop sort of places. It was there that we saw a delightful little house we thought we might choose to move into instead of making that long drive all the way to Florida - here's a photo of it. We thought it...had character...
There were actually a number of these old, dilapadated ruins scattered along the side of the road - some more disheveled than others. I missed taking a photo of a REAL ramshackle one because the phone rang just at the wrong time, Oh well -
Our trip today was about 185 miles, most of which was through scrub - I think this area of the state may be called "the badlands". I saw a sign saying something about service in the badlands...not sure.
This area actually reminded me of an area I described in the first book of The Siliphore - Spanner Plains - a windy plain where nothing much grew but yellow grass and scrub. Like this:
Anyway, before long we actually came upon Las Cruces, which, much to my surprise, lies at the foot of a range of SNOW-COVERED mountains! Imagine! Here we've been going along doing our best to avoid anything having to do with snow or winter weather, and we drive right into a town sporting a tall, craggy range all covered in white! Having never been to Las Cruces before, I must say I was impressed by how one comes upon it - it's really rather lovely - the snowy mountains notwithstanding. If I had a better camera with me I could have taken a much more impressive photo of it - but here's the best I could do so you can see what it looks like when you go over the hill and see the city spread out in front of you:
This really doesn't do it justice - and you really can't see that those mountains in the distance are all sorts of snow-covered. Thinking that might be the case I took another photo - specifically of the mountains. Boy, I sure hope this is as close to the snow as we get!
There. Snow. Lots of it. BRRRR. And we've been hearing all these reports about the major blizzard that occured in the more northerly part of New Mexico up to Kansas. Luckily for us, Las Cruces is at the BOTTOM of the state. In theory we should be all right, since our route tomorrow takes us nearly due south to El Paso, then on to Van Horn, TX (where it's going to be in the low 50s tomorrow) and the rest of Texas. And boy; if I thought Arizona and New Mexico were big - wait'll I see Texas! I think it's going to take us the best part of a week to get across it!! Think we'll be speaking in a drawl by the time we reach Louisiana? Only time will tell, partner!
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