A Very Cold Southwest

Saturday February 28,2015 Quality Inn Room 139 Alamogordo, New Mexico

Woke up to snowy mountains and fields and very cold Friday morning yesterday. Headed up to Tularosa and stopped along the way at McGinn’s Pistachio Farm. Bill was curious about their nuts and wanted to get some more to replace those he’d eaten. They make the lemon-lime that Heart of the Desert no longer makes so I was happy. Picked up a couple of post cards to send my Aunt and my Nephew and his family. As we came back onto the road there was a large group of servicemen cleaning up the shoulders. I figure they were from Holliman. Really impressed to see their community service, probably on their own time, since we saw them on the way back getting into their own cars.Continued into town and the bank to get some cash and then the Post Office. Very interesting with many displays of the history, primarily of Alamogordo and La Luz, which is much smaller now. Half way through I was getting too tired to absorb much more information. In speaking to the docent we found that this is much smaller than the new museum will be. They are in the process of moving into a historical building that is being renovated for them. They should be in by early June. I said I didn’t envy them the packing and moving and hoped they’d have plenty of volunteers. She said they would and that fellows from the base have already volunteered to help, too. She said the town always can count on them in times of need. Makes me proud of our servicemen all over again.

By this time it was noon and I was feeling very tired. Came back to the motel and once I got myself settled in, took a nap and slept until 2:30. Bill also slept and then we went out to the Alamogordo Zoo.  Much bigger than it looks from the outside. Several of the animals were so friendly and curious –the llama like animal came right over and was face to face with me. She strolled alongside me as I moved to the next enclosure, where an Emu silently chewed me out. The mouth was going a mile a minute but not a sound came out. Strange.

I foolishly walked in my shirtsleeves, outfoxed by what looked like a warm sun but was not. It was warm enough to have melted all of the morning’s snow but not warm enough to keep me or many of the animals happy. Though the mountain lions, especially one, just like all cats stretched out and slept. Loved the large kangaroo on his back with all four legs up in the air. The coyote surrounded by the holes he must dig when he’s bored. We figure he’s working on an escape tunnel.

After this good workout stroll we headed to Chili’s for a guacamole burger and onion rings. Then the day was done once more.

Today we are headed to Las Cruces, across the Sacramento Mtns through San Augustin Pass and back up the other side to Truth or Consequences and probably Socorro for the night. Maybe a stop at the Basque on the way. The weather has been awful north and northwest of here. Albuquerque had real problems last evening with snow melt that froze into a sheet of ice on the roads. No salt, no studded tires, lots of accidents. It has been so snowy I’m not sure we’ll be able to go to Gallup for the first time. No Perry Null?????? To think a year ago today we were tooling around Taos and Santa Fe.Not this year. Well, we won’t get on the road if I don’t tie this up.

Have a great day and pray for warmer weather. Hugs from the Two Traveling Peas