Photography . . . Travel . . .

Tuesday, December 22, 2015

More New Mexico Road Trip - December 2015

Before we left Santa Fe to head south, we took a little detour up to the base of the Santa Fe Ski Area at 10,300' to check out the views.  Apparently the aspen trees showed up after a big fire in the late 1800's. 



About halfway between Santa Fe and Las Cruces we turned west onto US 60 at Socorro to visit the National Radio Astronomy Observatory's Very Large Array.  I'll put up a separate blog post for that.

In Las Cruces we spent more of our time in the little village of Mesilla.  We had dinner at the Double Eagle, which is housed in an old adobe that dates back to the mid-1800's, and is said to be haunted by two ghosts.  


We didn't see the ghosts, even though we went back the next morning to get more pictures.  Apparently the ghosts of Armando and Inez, who died in the room pictured below, are said to be quite friendly and playful.  


The town plaza was decorated with luminarias.


Our last stop in Mesilla was the Mesilla Valley Bosque State Park, where we took a little walk to stretch our legs before the drive to Tucson.  This is New Mexico's newest State Park, and they've done a very nice job setting this up.



Anyone who has driven the Interstate highways of the US Southwest will remember the many signs touting the next upcoming gas station / gift shop / tourist trap.  One that I remembered from trips to Texas in the mid-1970's was The Thing.  For many miles before you get to it there are signs proclaiming that you have to see it.  I saw it in the 1970's at some point, but didn't remember much.  We just had to stop and see what it was.


After you pay $1.00 each for a ticket, you pass through a ratty little door at the back of the shop, and head through a series of old, dusty sheds with old, dusty stuff on display.  Follow the yellow footprints.



Eventually, in the third shed, you get to The Thing.


I would hate to spoil the surprise for anyone, so I won't show what's inside the case.  In fact, I don't even have the photo in the gallery linked at the end of this post.  If anyone really has to know what The Thing looks like, and doesn't feel like driving out I-10 in Arizona to just before the New Mexico border, send me an email.

One of our last stops was in Gila Bend to refuel.  We saw some dinosaurs.


Click here to see a few more images from various spots we stopped along the way, including a lot more from Mesilla.  There are other links at the end of the other blog posts about this road trip.
     

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San Diego, California, United States
About me . . . When I'm not working I like to be out exploring and photographing. I do this blog just for fun, and to be able to share these images with friends. I hope you enjoy viewing these images as much as I enjoyed creating them.

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All of the content and images on this site (c) Frank B. Baiamonte. If you would like to use any of these images please contact me via email at frank@frankbaiamonte.com to discuss terms of usage. Note that images from the San Diego Zoo and Safari Park are not available for commercial usage. You can also see more on my Instagram page @frankbaiamonte.

Header image: Cibola National Wildlife Refuge, Cibola, Arizona. End image: Downtown San Diego, California skyline from Coronado Island. Profile picture: Craters of the Moon National Monument, Idaho, by Heather Baiamonte.