2022 - West - May 6 - Kilbourne Hole & Old Mesilla

For those of you that don't know me - I am a rock-hound at heart.  

Vaughan found a place called Kilbourne Hole just south of Las Cruces. 

The drive there was miles of washboard dirt roads with lots of cows, lizards, and jackrabbits.

Kilbourne Hole is known as a Maar - a pit or depression caused by a volcanic explosion.  It is over a mile wide and 300 feet deep. 

Volcanic "bombs" were blown from the vent and are dull black or brown, but when broken open they reveal a yellow and green interior of olivine glass granules. 

We did happen to find 2 of these bombs.

On returning to Las Cruces our new friends from yesterday, Walter & Linda, called and invited us to lunch at Double Eagle in Old Mesilla. We ate in the Billy the Kid Patio which was the inner courtyard of the building. Each room was filled with antiques and amazing artworks.

This is the Old Mesilla Catholic Church, Basilica of San Albino. It was constructed in 1851 and still holds masses today.

 

2022 - West - May 5 - Leasburg Slot Canyon, NM

We made it to Las Cruces, NM yesterday.  We had a nice dinner in Old Mesilla at a Thai restaurant and then crashed early.

Today was wonderful. First, we hiked Leasburg Slot Canyon. It was a fairly easy hike of less than 2 miles with just a few scrambles over rocks.  

On the hike we met 2 couples who had moved to Las Cruces within the last year.  As they filled us in on some fun things to do in the area, they invited us to join them for lunch a few miles up the road in Hatch. Hatch has a world-famous Chile Festival every Labor Day. 

We had lunch at Sparky's Burger - known for their green chile cheeseburgers. It is apparently a major roadside attraction and when you see the pictures below you will understand why. The burgers were incredible, and it is always nice to make new friends.

and then there was Sparky's

It was nice of all the characters to wave goodbye as we left.

2022 - West - May 3 - Big Bend TX - Tinaja Hike

 Tuesday, May 3:

Took a nice jeep ride on Old Ore Rd to the Ernst Tinaja trail. 

A tinaja (pronounced "tihn-AH-hah") is a microhabitat created when a rock depression fills with water that later disappears. 

We call them - desert hot tubs.

The hike began easily enough down a rocky wash.

Then things got interesting - 

Here is an example of a tinaja.

Meanwhile, the canyon walls were amazing.

Another tinaja - this one dry.

The next few pictures were taken by Vaughan - my fear of heights and bad knees kept me back sitting in the shade with my knife out and my whistle in case a mountain lion found me tempting.

It was a beautiful hike. 

Now - here are some nature shots I took along the way - free range mules, birds and cactus. 

2022 - West - April 29 thru May 1

 We are finally back on the road. We sold our home in Georgia - the time (and market for homes) was right.  It was a very trying time - selling and donating 41 years of accumulated stuff.  I had to keep telling myself that it is just "stuff" - unnecessary & unneeded. During COVID we spent more time in our old RV than we spent at home anyway. Time to move on and travel again.

So here we are in Big Bend, TX. 

In the last 2 days we have seen where the Rio Grande should be flowing (almost completely dry), helped a tarantula cross a road, hiked Lost Mine Trail (5 miles with 1000 ft elevation change), videoed a bear climbing a tree, crossed path with roadrunners, and sat out on a moonless night under an amazing sky full of stars.

Below in Santa Elena Canyon. Normally there is a big, beautiful river, Rio Grande, flowing here.

Here is Vaughan crossing the Rio Grande - seriously!

Here is the tarantula that Vaughan helped cross the road - it reared up on him a few times but I think was grateful once in the bushes.

The Lost Mine Trail is about a 5 mile hike up and back. Beautiful views all along the way.

The road is way down there - yes, it was a long, hard hike.

All along the way these beautiful blue birds were everywhere.

At the ranger's station we watched this very young bear walk up the sidewalk and proceed to climb a tree next to the store. 

Here is a video of him trying to get out of the tree - 

2022-05-01-Big Bend TX-Bear in tree - YouTube

Then came the roadrunner - 

After a long hike you would think a soak in a hot spring would feel good but not at 105 degrees when it's in the 90s.