bobnabq
Lead Service Attendant
Columbus, New Mexico — Pancho Villa and the Railroad Depot Museum
(Please move this if it's in the wrong spot)
(Please move this if it's in the wrong spot)
Columbus, New Mexico — Pancho Villa and the Railroad Depot Museum
(Please move this if it's in the wrong spot)
Rent a car in El Paso and make a circle trip.
Alamogordo isn't worth a look, but I'd suggest you visit Cloudcroft and Ruidoso on the way.
Both are really nice Mountain Villages which are very busy in the Ski Season and the Summer, but much more laid back in the Spring and Fall, with Cloudcroft much smaller and more geared to year round residents.
Ruidoso has the famous Quarter Horse Race Track and 2 Casinos( even a Wal-Mart!), with the Native American owned Inn of the Mountain Gods Resort being a nice stop for Lunch,a little Gambling and great scenery.( there's Mountains,a Lake and a nice Golf Course ).
Las Cruces is a growing University town, but nothing to write home about, but a good pit stop on the way from White Sands to Deming and Columbus.
The Historic Trinity Site where the first A-Bomb was tested is in the Northern part of White Sands and is open to the Public certain times of the year by pre-arrangement.( it's sort of desolute).
Be sure and have some New Mexico style Mexican Food ( the Old Village of Mesilla West of downtown Las Cruces is a great place for this) made with Hatch Chilis which are grown North of Las Cruces around the town of Hatch.
Yep, born in Alpine and used to spend Summers in West Texas with my Grandpa the SP Railroader.Wow, thanks for all those recommendations! I figured you'd might know some things about this area, since you're from Texas yourself, and probably had done some side trips over to New Mexico. IIRC, I thought I once read a post on this board that said you originally grew up in Alpine, TX? Let me know if I remembered that correctly, or not.
I will say LOOOOONG ago I went to El Paso with my church on a workcamp trip and spent time just outside Ciudad Juarez, to help with construction of homes in a town across the border from Fabens, TX. Looking it up on google maps, I believe the town was Guadalupe, Mexico, where specifically our church group went to. Also it's too bad Ciudad Juarez has had drug cartel violence issues in recent years, since I remember our group went to a local market there that was extremely nice! And El Paso was a nice city as well, including the fact I remember we ate one day at a Mexican restaurant there with a buffet that was pretty good.
Hopefully someday, I get back to that part of the world around El Paso, and also into southern New Mexico as well. And as the only time I ever briefly visited New Mexico, was that year when my church group in El Paso(and Guadalupe, Mexico) did a side trip up to Carlsbad, NM, to see Carlsbad Caverns.
Yep, born in Alpine and used to spend Summers in West Texas with my Grandpa the SP Railroader.
I've spent lots of time in El Paso, and you're correct it's sad what has happened to Juarez and poor Mexico.
As for New Mexico, I had an old girl friend that lived in Las Cruces and have visited there many times and have lots of good memories of the "Land of Enchantment!"( Much better motto for the State than "New Mexico USA!")
Strange that Silver City should have car rentals, but not Deming or Lordsburg. There is a small airport near Silver City, so maybe that's why. Speaking of the Silver City area, the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument is in that area and I found it worth a visit. Also in the general Silver City area is City of Rocks which is fun to clamor around in. I also like driving the 152-15-35 loop (triangle) between Silver City, the GCDNM, and San Lorenzo. Lots of hiking opportunities and pleasant surprises that I won't tell you about. Just don't take a rental car on any of the dirt roads that go up into the mountains, some of them are quite rough. Ok, I will tell you about one of the pleasant surprises. In Pinos Altos, which is north of Silver City, there is the Buckhorn Saloon and Opera House which is a historic bar (from the 1860s) and now also restaurant where musicians often perform.
Have fun in southern NM!
You probably won't find much about San Lorenzo. I just mentioned it as a junction for the "triangle drive" that I like to do down there.
By the way, I haven't heard of the slogan New Mexico USA as a tourist slogan. I have heard of True New Mexico and certainly Land of Enchantment. The True New Mexico slogan came into being just a few years back whereas Land of Enchantment is much older. However, given that lots of people in the US are strangely ignorant that New Mexico is part of the US and some even dispute that even when confronted with those pesky facts, the New Mexico USA slogan might be helpful.
There is a regular radio and newspaper short that is called "One of Our Fifty Is Missing" where people call in stories about people and organizations not getting that New Mexico is a state in the US.
Yeah, just the other day I noticed the Buffoon in charge was talking about extending the WALL across the border of Colorado.Interesting that show/column keeps track, of all the times people didn't realize New Mexico was really a state! I guess you really are right that there has been occasional confusion between Mexico the country, and New Mexico the state for so many years.
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