Hola Mexico y Nuevo Mexico…

Heading west from El Paso our journey took us to the historic Pancho Villa State Park. This is a place we have visited before close to the Pink Store which we wanted to visit again.

Pancho Villa State Park is located in the border town of Columbus, and this state park is a historical gem. They have a nice on-site museum, where exhibits tell the story of the infamous 1916 raid by Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa. The park's natural setting, dotted with artifacts and memorials, offers a cool glimpse into a bygone era.The RV sites are spacious and nicely landscaped. It was also entertaining to see an occasional roadrunner scurry around as well as hundreds of Sandhill Cranes nearby.

The Pink Store is a renowned establishment located in Palomas, Chihuahua, Mexico, just across the border from Columbus, New Mexico, in the United States. This distinctive store has become a popular destination for tourists, drawing visitors from both sides of the border.

We visited years ago and were looking forward to shopping there once again. We noticed right away that things had changed. It wasn’t as clearly marked in how to get across the border but were finally able to figure it out.

One of the most distinctive features of The Pink Store is its vibrant exterior. The entire building is painted in shades of pink, making it easily recognizable and a unique landmark in the region thus becoming an integral part of its identity.

Like last time the Pink Store offered a wide range of items for sale, including Mexican handicrafts, pottery, textiles, clothing, jewelry, and home décor. However, we noticed that the wares were significantly more upscale with less “trinkets” (and had none of baskets Sharon wanted).

Prices were definitely higher at the Pink Store. We can certainly see why people still visit as the store actively collaborates with local artisans and vendors offering up some unique Mexican art pieces and pottery.

Not seeing anything that we wanted to purchase (or could afford if we did want it) we visited the bar/restaurant, Known for serving traditional Mexican cuisine we weren’t planning on eating as we were unimpressed the last time we ate there. However, we did enjoy some chips and salsas along with a couple of Mexican beers.

When leaving Las Palomas we found even less signage describing how to return to the USA. However, unlike past trips across the border we found the border agents on both sides very friendly and helpful.

After a few days hiking and birding in and around Pancho Villa State Park we moved further west to Benson AZ to escape a cold front. We didn’t do much in Benson other than short hikes in the area but we did make a trip down to Tombstone for a walk around and to reconnect with RV friends Dan and Merlene over a cold craft beer at Tombstone Brewing Company.

One of the things we love about our lifestyle is visiting with all the great people we have met all over the USA. Reconnecting with them is like seeing old friends once again.

Out in the west Texas town of El Paso…

Our next stop on our westward trek was for an overnight stop in Van Horn, Texas. We don’t often stay for just one night but we have been to Van Horn many times and there really is much worth revisiting in this area, so we didn’t even disconnect the CRV.

The next morning we drove into El Paso and over to the Sunalnd Casino. The casino has 8 first-come first-served RV sites with water and 30/50 amp service and we were hoping to snag one for an extended stay in El Paso. Lucky for us there were several available so we hooked up and went into the casino to pay. Wow, only $15 per night to stay here!

It was nice to be in civilization once again after several remote stays in a row. We even found a nice disc golf course called Nations Tobin  we played. Also it was nice to be able to shop in real grocery stores and go out for happy hour. The Union Draft House and Aurellias Brewery were our favorites.

Also nearby was a TruFit fitness center, the same company we became members of in College Station Texas. We are really glad we took advantage of becoming members for FREE via the Silver Sneakers program giving us access to such a nice gym.

While here we took a drive through the Franklin Mountains, the largest urban park in the U.S. There are a few pullouts that provide some scenic panoramic views of the city and surrounding landscape. We didn’t stay until sunset, but we imagine it's especially picturesque during sunset or sunrise.

Lucky for us not too far from Sunland Casino we found a few places to hike and to birdwatch. One was a heritage park and another was a hike along the Rio Grande. Both places were fun and were quite scenic for hiking with views of the Franklin Mts.

Our next planned stop was in Las Cruces NM but the reviews of the park we normally stay at were scathingly bad as it appears the homeless and druggies have discovered the nearby hotel. We decided to drive to Las Cruces in our CRV and see if the reviews had any merit.

When we arrived at the RV park, we saw that the reviews were spot on. The only other park in our budget really wasn’t our cup of tea so we decided we would add a few more days in El Paso and skip staying In Las Cruces. However, while there we went to our favorite New Mexican restaurant, Andeles,  for some green and red chili!

We also went for a hike in Mesilla Valley Bosque State Park while in Las Cruces. So even though we weren’t going to stay we did find things we wanted to do had we gone there.

Back in El Paso we were treated to a beautiful rainbow before leaving. With the weather getting colder in the forecast it was time to move on…

Lake Sumner State Park, NM

It was time for us to leave Albuquerque and move on over to our next stop at Lake Sumner State Park in New Mexico. It is known for its picturesque and expansive landscape. The State Park has a well-maintained trail system and is home to a wide variety of wildlife. After spending time in the city of Albuquerque, it will be nice to spend time at a peaceful retreat

We enjoyed hiking many of the short trails in the park. One of the trails took us over to an overlook of the lake while another trail took us for a stroll below the dam. The area has a lot or sandstone and the weathering of the sandstone made for some neat rock outcroppings.

Near the state park is the Fort Sumner, a village in De Baca County, New Mexico. With a population of 1,000 Fort Summer's claim to fame is that it is the home to the burial site of Billy the Kid, who was supposedly shot and killed there in 1881.However, not everyone believes that Billy the Kid was shot dead and buried in Fort Sumner, New Mexico. I guess we will never know for sure.

Fort Sumner was also the name of a military fort in the New Mexico Territory in the mid 1800’s. The fort was built to intern the Navajo and Mescalero Apache populations. From nearby Bosque Redondo.

Bosque Redondo is where the Army was responsible for the forced relocation of the Navajo and Mescalero Apache people in 1864. The relocation was part of the government's plan to assimilate Native American tribes into American culture and civilization.

The brutal journey from their homes to Bosque Redondo, known as the Long Walk, was a traumatic experience for the Navajo and Apache people. The relocation led to the death of over 200 people due to starvation, disease, and harsh living conditions. At Bosque Redondo, they were forced to farm and raise livestock which proved to be unsuccessful, and in 1868, the Navajo were allowed to return to their homelands, creating the Navajo Nation.

Sadly, for us the Bosque Redondo Memorial. Was closed but the nearby park allowed us a chance to do a little birdwatching. The park covers 267 acres and is a popular destination for nature enthusiasts and hikers.

We certainly enjoyed our short stay but yet again it is time to move on…

Enjoying the Sandia Mountains and Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge, NM

One of the great things about Coronado Campground is the view of the Sandia Mountains. The Sandia Mountains are one of the mountain ranges in the central part of New Mexico, just northeast of the city of Albuquerque. The range located in Bernalillo and Sandoval counties has as its tallest peak in the range, the Sandia Crest which is 10,679 feet in elevation.

When we visit this area, we always pick one of the warmest days to drive up to the Sandia Crest. A road winds all the way to the top and it is a very scenic drive. The day we picked had high temperatures in the mid-80’s and when we arrived at the crest the temperatures were in the low 60’s making for quite a contrast.

When making the drive up the mountain we often stop at many of the pullouts. This allows us the opportunity to do a little hiking and a little birding. It is also fun to see the gradual changes in what plants and birds we see as we gained elevation.

When we returned, we visited one of the many great breweries in Albuquerque. One of our favorites is the Alien Brewery which was conveniently on our way home.

Another day we visited the Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge. It is a 570-acre protected area in New Mexico just 7 miles south of Albuquerque, New Mexico. The refuge is managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service as part of the National Wildlife Refuge System.

When we pulled into the refuge the first thing we noticed was that it looked brand new and didn’t look to be open. I later read that on September 27, 2012 the establishment of Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge occurred with a Grand opening planned for 2022. The website had conflicting information with one page stating it was open, and another page said the grand opening was to be determined. In any event it wasn’t open when we visited.

Even though the refuge looked a bit barren we elected to walk the 2.5-mile Bosque Loop Trail which was open providing a walking access to the Rio Grande Bosque. The trail didn’t have a lot to see except for a few art pieces and even the trail near the Rio Grande didn’t get close enough to the river in our opinion. We still enjoyed the walk, nonetheless.

This park is a designated Urban National Wildlife Refuge and was a former dairy farm. Most of it is still currently in agricultural fields however, long-term plans are to transform it into a mosaic of native Middle Rio Grande Valley habitats. We will certainly have to revisit it someday in the future…

Our only regret during our stay this year in Albuquerque was not being able to spend more time with friends but that too can be remedied with a future visit.

Petroglyphs, Hiking and Cold Beer…

The time came to head down the road to Albuquerque NM where we reserved a stay at Coronado Campground in Bernalillo NM. We love staying at this park with its charming casitas while visiting the greater Albuquerque area. We have several friends who live in the area, and we also love all the culture New Mexico offers.

One place we enjoy hiking in Albuquerque is the Petrogyph National Monument. There are several great hikes to do within this park, and we hiked two of them this time around. The monument is one of the largest petroglyph sites in North America, featuring designs and symbols carved onto volcanic rocks by Native Americans and Spanish settlers 400 to 700 years ago.

Petroglyph National Monument’s geology shows the remnants of volcanic eruptions which happened over 200,000 years ago. Basalt from these lava flows covered the sandstone of the Santa Fe Formation and as the softer sandstone eroded away, the basalt broke off and tumbled down the hillside. This resulted with the volcanic escarpment as it is today and is also where the Ancestral Pueblo People carved their petroglyphs.

We hiked the Piedras Marcadas Canyon Trail Length which is 1.8 miles round-trip on a unpaved sandy trail where there are as many as 400 petroglyphs to see. We also hiked the Rinconada Canyon Trail Length which is 2.2 miles long where we saw many petroglyphs as well.

The trails have posts with cables on them to keep visitors on the trail. The last time we hiked these trails there were no cables, so we were able to get very near the petroglyphs. Now binoculars are needed to see many of them further off the trials.

Our favorite petroglyph is at the end of the Piedras Marcadas Canyon Trail. It is one featuring many hands on it. Another somewhat comical petroglyph we discovered this year was one encompassing some rock imperfections to make a face. Too funny…

We also walked over to the Coronado Historic Site which is adjacent to the Coronado Campground. The Coronado Historic Site and the ruins of Kuaua Pueblo are located about a 5-minute walk from the campground in Bernalillo.

It is said that in 1540, Francisco Vásquez de Coronado along with 500 soldiers and 2,000 Indigenous allies came somewhere near this site searching for the fabled Seven Cities of Gold. Instead of treasure, he found a dozen villages inhabited by prosperous native farmers.

Another place close by the campground is the Bosque Brewing Company. It is convenient to the campground, and someone has created a makeshift way to scale the wall between the campground and the brewery making it very easy to get to it. Needless to say we scaled the wall (does that make us illegals?) and visited the brewery several times during our stay in Boquillas. It is well worth the visit to  enjoy some great beers made there. Albuquerque never disappoints!

Socorro, New Mexico–Touring, Hiking and Birding…

Moving on, our next stop was Socorro, New Mexico for a short stay. We stayed at the City of Socorro Rodeo & Sports Complex – RV Park & Horse Stall which we found to be a very nice campground.

Socorro, New Mexico was founded in 1598 by Juan de Oñate, who named it after the Spanish word for "help or relieve”. Socorro was an important stop on the Camino Real, the Spanish trade route which connected Mexico City to Santa Fe and is home to the San Miguel Mission, which is one of the oldest churches in the United States.

It was built in the 17th century by Spanish missionaries and was founded in 1627 by Franciscan missionaries. The church was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1970 and is a beautiful example of Spanish colonial architecture. It was unfortunately closed while we were there.

Also nearby was New Mexico Tech, a public research university in Socorro.It was founded in 1889 as the New Mexico School of Mines, and it is one of the oldest institutions of higher education in the state. We enjoyed a nice stroll around the campus.

One afternoon we went to the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. It is a 57,331-acre wetland and  is home to a variety of wildlife. Established in 1939 to provide a critical stopover site for migrating waterfowl it is a popular destination for birdwatchers and photographers

We drove the nature loop in the park. We saw lots of birds and a nice mix of  grasslands, shrublands, and woodlands. There was even a lone snow goose and a family of Canadian Geese still hanging out at the refuge. We were about halfway through the loop when it began to rain and then hail on us. Yikes!

Socorro, New Mexico is a great place to go hiking. There are many different trails to choose from, ranging from easy to challenging. The trails offer stunning views of the surrounding mountains, valleys, and rivers.

Another day we went hiking on the Box Canyon Trail. This moderate trail is located in the Cibola National Forest. The trail follows a creek through a canyon and offers beautiful views of the surrounding mountains. Box Canyon is also very popular with rock climbers in the area.

We even found a nice brewery in town called Box Canyon Brewery where we would often end our day on a good note…

Elephant Butte Lake State Park 101 Hwy 195 Elephant Butte, NM

We loved our stay at Rusty’s RV Ranch but it was time to go. Our next stop Elephant Butte Lake State Park  is in Elephant Butte, NM. New Mexico State Parks have got to be one of the best deals in America. Our total cost per night including taxes and reservation fees was $16.40 per night.

The campground we stayed at (Desert Cove loop) was a small loop with sites that were mostly very close together. Other loops we walked around had sites further apart. The sites in our loop were mostly unlevel as well. If you come here, I would suggest a different loop.

Elephant Butte Lake is named for an ancient volcanic cone located in the lake and is said to resemble an elephant’s head.  It is New Mexico’s largest and most popular lake, but we had a hard time seeing the elephant’s head. It is just north or the town of Truth or Consequences which was once known as Hot Springs because of all the hot springs in the area.

We found a nice little hike (Cairn loop) near the Elephant Butte dam site. We hiked about 2.5 miles over mostly high desert terrain. Lots of cacti were in bloom and we spotted several birds on the trail. The views from the trail also made this an enjoyable short hike.

Another day we took a drive over to the north end of the lake to see where the Rio Grande feeds into it. The Rio Grande is rushing right now due to the snow melts up in Colorado. It has thus nearly doubled the size of the lake this spring from 10% full to 20% full. As of this writing I hear now it is over 25% full.

Just south of the state park is the Town of Truth or Consequences. The town is mostly geared to tourism due to the hot springs in the area but it does have a small mom and pop grocery store and we even found a nice brewery with pretty good beers. However, we could not find a lot of other things going on in this small town.

We also drove the northern route of the Geronimo Scenic Highway over to Chloride NM. We passed through historic mining towns such as Winston and Cuchillo. However, we have to be honest these towns may be historic, but they now look to be home to many in poverty. There was not much to see other than an interesting historic church. At least the town of Chloride had some interesting buildings from the late 1800’s and it is obvious the people living there are a wealthier by a long shot.

We had hoped to drive the southern route of the Geronimo Scenic Highway, but it was closed due to a failing roadway. The website said it appeared as if the road was slowly falling down the hillside and needed to be replaced. Oh well, maybe next time we pass through this area we will drive that road.