Alamogordo: Pistachios and Pecans

Pistachios, Alamogordo, New Mexico

[2010 Out West Road Trip.  Travels with Carol.]

In March 2010, my mother, Carol, and I took a road trip from Missouri to New Mexico, in search of sun and warmth. Here is Day 8 of our road trip. 

Wednesday, 10 march 10  

MZURI'S REPORT

Our first order of business was to move out of the Classic Inn and find a more upscale and roomier place, with reliable wireless. We settled on the Best Western Desert Aire. We've got mucho-comfy beds, wonderful daylight streaming into the room, ample space, and a real complimentary breakfast (versus the plastic wrapped sweet donut-something) proffered by one past motel.

 

La Luz, New Mexico

We went to nearby villages, La Luz and Tularosa, today. Picturesque, but nothing to go "ooh and ahh" over. Pleasant.  

 

Pistachios, Alamogordo, New Mexico

We stopped at a pistachio farm and winery, the first pistachio farm in NM, in fact - the Eagle Ranch. Evidently, this part of NM has a climate almost identical to that of an area in Iran, home of centuries-old pistachio trees. I went on the tour, which was interesting - how they process, roast, flavor, and package the pistachios. Ninety-eight percent of the pistachios we buy come from California, with NM and a teeny-tiny spot in AZ comprising the remaining 2%. The pistachio grove is very pretty. We also saw, at a different place, the world's largest pistachio.

 

Pecans, Alamogordo, New Mexico

Following, we went to a pecan farm; on site is a gallery and restaurant. The woman I talked to there told me her family settled in Alamogordo as pioneers, coming here in a covered wagon. 

 

The weather - beautifully sunny, coolish breeze, warm. We can see the snow atop the nearby mountains. Let me go check the upcoming Missouri weather. Oh. Sorry. 

 

I really like seeing the mountains around me. One reason occurred to me today: Unlike beaches, no amount of wealth can obscure the mountains from anyone's view. 

 

 

CAROL'S REPORT

This really is a nice motel.  We don't have to share a bed here.  That motel Mzuri mentioned as having a complimentary breakfast with a "plastic wrapped sweet donut-something" I didn't know about until she mentioned it in the car today.  Both she and Shilo Girl try to protect me against my proclivity to consume anything sugary and I really do appreciate that.  We also do some sort of gentle aerobic exercise each morning, not to mention lots of walking.  I bought a 2 lb. bag of pistachios at the Eagle Ranch place and looked around for something to buy my business associate, Holstein Boy.  Knowing he has forsaken wine and high calorie foods nothing seemed worthy and even tho Bill loves pistachios and since I couldn't find anything for Holstein Boy, and remembered that Bill never bought be anything on his trips decided the best thing to do was eat them myself.  I'll share with Mzuri, of course.  Was it really 72 degrees in St Louis today?  here it was lower but nonetheless very pleasant.

READER RESPONSES

FROM SHILO GIRL:

No need to be sorry about the weather.  It only rained while I slept.  And the days are sunnier than we have seen in months.  And yes indeed yesterday was 72.  I checked my air conditioning in the truck on the evening drive home and was pleased to feel it cooling.  AAAhhh.  Turned on the family room fans and enjoyed a lovely evening.