Day 6...Friday May 28 2010

Alamargordo, NM is a very nice town! I talked with an older couple who owned a shop downtown and they said they had been to Wisconsin and Minnesota. They thought it was very pretty up our way! They had one burning question..."Why are all the barns painted red?" Tularosa was a quaint little town and I stopped to grab something for lunch. Met the owner of a little Mexican Cafe and told her that I'd really like to try something authentic, but not too spicey. She had the cook make me their specialty~a Brisket Burrito with pork, cilantro, cheeses, onion, tomatoe and green chile sauce. She said the sauce is pretty hot so she'd have him put only a small amount in the burrito, and give me more in a little cup on the side. It was SO good!!!! I braved it and tried some with more sauce...I teared up, had smoke come out my ears and nose, and waved good-bye (I could get NO sound out...my voicebox was swollen shut!)








Next stop: Roswell, New Mexico. I'm too early for the UFO festival!

I stopped at the Visitor's Center in Roswell, and was told about all the places in town that I might want to visit. Before I left, I needed to "hand over my camera so the MAGIC could start..." The woman that ran the visitor center told me where to stand, what to do, and viola...looked like I was about to be abducted, didn't it???. UGH.......that was the whole THEME of Roswell. Not the serious UFO side, but plastic UFO's and Aliens everywhere you looked...I was not impressed.









If you look closely, you can see Alien eyes on the lampost lights...



So much for Roswell...Traveled some smaller roads in NM and then, hit I40 to head to Amarillo, Texas.

Once I crossed the Texas line, all I could see were "Sea's of Cow's!" everywhere!!





I had been through Texas years ago, but really didn't see much. This time, I left with a very positive impression of Texas! People were super friendly, and a young lady that I talked with at a store was so sweet! Everything was, "Yes, m'aam, and No, m'aam" along with a big smile!




The place I stopped for lunch was fantastic!!! When they say things in Texas are BIG...they really mean it!!! I finished my salad and had to get my "free range burger" to go! I was stuffed! Best cup of coffee I had during the whole trip, too!









It was in Texas that I saw my first Armadillo!! How cool! They really do have a face that only a mother can love! I made it to Amarillo, grabbed a hotel room and talked for a bit to the night clerk. She said they have Bobcats around there and in fact, a neighbor just had a mother bobcat and babies show up!

Day 5...Thursday May 27 2010

Woke up in Deming, NM and felt fantastic! The dry heat is amazing! My allergies are GONE, no sneezing or itchy, watery eyes! Went to my brothers apartment and unloaded a bunch of things I had brought down for him! Amazing story...about 46 years ago, he met a girl named Shirley. They fell in love but were too young to settle down. They both went their own ways and they JUST reconnected!!! It was amazing to see them together again and SO happy!!! We spent the first part of the day at Rockhound State Park. BEAUTIFUL!!!!





Then, we toured the museum in Deming. It's subterranian, so it felt SO good! The temp was nearing 95 and although it's a dry heat...so is an oven...



This was Deming's jail until 1975!?!?






Part of the day was spent talking, laughing, reminiscing, and giving thanks for our three spirits to have come together again! Next, time to eat! :) We enjoyed a great meal together at a local restaurant. All full, we took a walk downtown to browse some shops and see the town...and walk off all the calories we had just consumed!



Not enjoying "goodbye's", off I went! To return again, next time, with Erik!

Bill gave me a HUGE cactus that he had. "Cactus Boy" is REALLY cool!! He sat in the backseat on the floor, and never once complained about my driving!


Here's a picture of Cactus Boy today: 10-07-11. Cactus Boy has developed 6 more "paddles" and has truly enjoyed his new Wisconsin home! He spends the summers outside, in front of a hot brick wall on the south side of the house. Winters, he spends in a south facing, warm basement window.

So, I had a traveling companion on the way home! haha I didn't even think of possibly getting arrested because of "Cactus Boy"...until I hit the US Customs and Border Patrol checkpoint near White Sands!!


Luckily, the officer was only interested in whether or not I was a US citizen! And, you know me...I started flapping my lips, so I'm sure he was glad to see me pull off and away from his station! He DID give "Cactus Boy" the eye though.

Next, was the White Sands Missle Range. I was too late to go in, but I wanted to hit White Sands National Monument/Park instead, anyway.





White Sands was almost magical! What a beautiful place! I pulled over in a stop area, took my shoes off, and walked in the sand...then sat down...then, was about to lay my head back when I thought of the "White Scorpions"! Got back up and strolled leisurely as I watched a huge thunderstorm moving in. It rained maybe 10 drops and was over. You'll see the rainbow that smiled on me at the end! ;)

















I drove to Alamagordo, NM and found a great hotel, grabbed something to eat and was fast asleep 2 minutes after I hit the pillow!!