New Mexico - Part II

We're making our way back home and spent the final couple of days in New Mexico. We visited Silver City, NM. The large strip mines to the SW and SE of Silver City are quite large scars on the land, but the town area is very nice. We even climbed the narrow road up to Pinos Alto at over 7,000 feet in elevation. There was snow scattered about on the ground, but it felt great out with bright sun, temperatures in the upper 40s, and light wind.

Up above Pinos Alto, NM

We stopped at the City of Rocks State Park and hiked among the massive rocks for a while. This one rock reminded me how inportant perspective is in how you see things. It's the same rock - one view looks like a thumbs up, or a #1 index finger, but move around about 90 degrees, and it looks like a rude gesture.

Thumbs up or rude rock - depends on your angle

City of Rocks State Park, NM

We boondocked for the night at a rest area that features a giant roadrunner sculpture made from trash. It was originally assembled by the artist and displayed at the landfill, but after a bit of history it ended up perched at this rest stop, where it's quite the popular photo stop. Read more about it here: https://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/14700.

Recycled material roadrunner

On day 31 of our trip (3/13) we stopped for another rare meal out on the recommendation of friend. We ate at La Posta in old Mesilla, NM. I think I had lost a little weight on the trip with all of our hiking, but I may have put it all back on at the restaurant. After stuffing ourselves, we hiked to Dripping Springs in the Organ Pipe Mountains. The spring was dripping or dribbling - a very tiny amount of water coming down.

Organ Pipe Mountains - Hike to Dripping Springs

We headed up the mountains into Cloudcroft, NM for a sunny, crisp afternoon. There was still plenty of snow at 8,700' elevation, and the parking lot was even closed for the hiking trail we planned to take. We stopped at the reconstructed rail trestle overlook. We then headed down the eastern side of the mountains to a free camping area in James Canyon near Mayhill, NM.

Restored trail trestle near Cloudcroft, NM

- Paul