Carlsbad: Cows Just Don't Like Carol

[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 5 of our road trip. 

Sunday, 7 march 10 

MZURI'S REPORT

We left Buffalo Inn, Canyon, TX, about 9:30 or so this morning. Rainy all day til we hit NM .... sunny, warm. In Carlsbad in mid-afternoon it was 74.

 

We didn't talk much on the drive between Canyon and Carlsbad while we listened to music, looked at the scenery, or got lost in the meditative rhythm of the road. Carol did remark on how a particular herd of cattle looked "interesting."  We pulled off the road for lunch, bringing out sandwiches we'd made for the trip.

 

A little past the town of Seminole, TX, we went by an odd lake. White crustiness surrounding it.

 

 

Living Desert Zoo and Gardens State Park, Carlsbad, NM

Upon arrival in Carlsbad, we climbed up in the car to the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens State Park, which sits atop a tall knoll. Scenic panorama all the way around. Beautifully designed -- it was a serene walk amidst various desert climates, in and out of shade, and crossing paths with many desert animals. These included a bear, the very rare Mexican wolves, and also-rare Bolson tortoises, plus hawks, prairie dogs, mountain lions, bobcats, and snakes. Oh, and antelope, bison, and elk. It was a good walk, about a mile, and we both enjoyed it. Many pleasant spots for visitors to sit and take in the immense view, feel the breeze and the sun on one's face, and drift away from the daily stuff.  

  

Drove back down into the valley in which Carlsbad sits, and selected the Carlsbad Inn as our new home. It has a big ceiling fan over the bed - we're loving that! Not to mention the fridge + microwave. We're sharing a bed this go-round to maximize our living space. Did I mention the ceiling fan? What a luxury. For ~ $50/night. Outside our window are palm trees. Not the healthiest palm trees we've ever seen, but palm trees nonetheless. We're eating in again tonight after a replenishment trip to Walmart. 

 

Carol bought a bloody mary mix, so we are sipping these while watching the Oscars. 

 

 

CAROL'S REPORT

Living Desert Zoo and Gardens State Park, Carlsbad, NM

I think Mzuri was tired tonight when she wrote this.  Sad because I know she puts a lot into revisiting our day in order to pass along what we are experiencing traveling hundreds and hundreds of miles south and west of Missouri into a warmer climate and time change.  The fan above the bed is nice because both of us have fans above our beds at our own houses.  Here and all of the places where we stay have air conditioning...the best kind where each unit controls the temperature and fan speed with their own units protruding from outside by the door.  Now at 8 PM we can hear thunder outside of our room and the weather channel forecasting damaging winds up to 70 miles an hour with hail. More later.

READER RESPONSES:


FROM SHILO GIRL:

OK.  I simply must stop reading at the mention of "interesting cattle".  Did you stop near the cattle?  Did you seem the mom-cattle phenomena?  Mzuri, if not, you absolutely have to stop the next time you see cattle and see if mom can still work her cow magic.  You may need to put her outside the car so the cattle can see her.  Close to the fence is good.  It was a sight to behold when we were in Kentucky at the Land Between the Lakes.  I discovered her cowly wiles work on BUFFALO!  I was a little concerned that they came right up the the fence and seemed overly interested in us(?) and we only had the protection of a little wire and a little Chevy Cavalier to protect us.  So of course I skedaddled and got in the car!

FROM MZURI:

We did stop to look at some other interesting cattle near Palo Duro. What appeared to be a bull looked piercingly at Carol when she got out of the car.

 

We also got out of the car to look at Palo Duro's resident longhorn cattle. The one had its back to us, but the other one only had eyes for Carol. It seems her mojo is still there. 

 

Hah - that's funny about the buffalo!


FROM SHILO GIRL:
It is too bad you didn't have a herd of longhorn cattle running toward you, even from a short distance.  seeing a herd of cattle come up at you with such enthusiasm is a sight to behold!


FROM BEEKEEPER:

Dear Thelma and Louise,

Your journals kindle my genetically inherited wanderlust. 

 

I want to hear details of the "armed holdups",  the "high speed chases", and of course, the glorious moments leading up to the "car flying off the cliff".  Pay for nothing!  Show them folks out west what two Missouri girls are capable of.

 

Keep on truckin'

With envy,

"The Hitcher"


FROM MZURI:

Hah!

 

I wish I liked that movie better. I'd say refer to us as Butch Cassidy and Sundance Kid, but they ended pretty much the same way, eh? 

 

In search of sun and warmth, we're deviating from our original itinerary and heading toward Las Cruces instead of Tularosa (north of Alamogordo). We'll pass through Salt Flat and Cornudos, Texas, then take a loop around El Paso before re-entering NM.

 

There was a war over salt in Salt Flat back in the day.


FROM TRAILERHOOD:
In reference to the comment, "A little past the town of Seminole, TX, we went by an odd lake. White crustiness surrounding it." The white crusty residue surrounding the lake are referred to as evaporites.


FROM HOLSTEIN GUY:
God, he's one of us after all. 

FROM SHILO GIRL:
yes, the genes will always come out.


FROM SHILO GIRL:

but seriously, Trailerhood, loved your answer.  even clicked on evaporites link and read a little.

 

of course, that reminded me to look up the definition of cobblestone.

 

lately people in the St Charles area have been referring to old Main Street as cobblestone.  This irks me because it isn't.  its brick.  Now confirmed to my satisfaction.

 

whew.  so glad I had a forum to share that information with.  holding it in was really becoming critical. 

 

cuz, ya know I had to hold that in from the rest of the world. ;-)

FROM LABARQUE:
Ouch. That brings back memories. I remember being holed up in a log outbuilding in the cow pasture at Lost Creek with mom after she pissed off a herd of cattle.  We looked at the cows' eyes through the spaces between logs. Our eyes and the cows' eyes met and they don't like that. It's like a challenge to them and they just stare right back at as if to say, "Make your move. ". Based on current observations and past history I've come to believe bovines in general just don't like mom. I'm not sure she has much regard for them either. I think she has not ever resolved this issue out of respect to her brothers who seem more fond of them.  I'm just sayin em aren't Missourah cows. Em are Texas cows so you be careful out there, Mom. ... I can't say cows like me much either. Come to think of it horses, especially colts named Bruiser don't like me much either, but that's another story.

FROM TRAILERHOOD:

I thought my genetic physical stature would have been the first clue to my membership in the family. I really enjoy keeping up with the C&M travels.

 

Shilo Girl, I also get annoyed with the misidentification of cobblestone when it is really just a bunch of bricks. WIkipedia is not always the greatest reference, but it''s a good place to start.