Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Rodeo, New Mexico

Rodeo, New Mexico


Getting to Rodeo

The day after I went to Rodeo, New Mexico, I ran into a gentleman who claimed Rodeo is known to have the darkest skies in New Mexico. If so, that's saying a lot, because there are a lot of places in New Mexico with dark skies.

It is in an area that attracts birds - and birders.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. From my weekend base in Lordsburg, I zigged west on I-10, then zagged south on Highway 338, hung a right onto Highway 145, then a left onto 80. On Highway 80, I drove through a scenic mountain pass.


I liked seeing another range of mountains in the distance, which had snow cover.





A few miles outside of Rodeo, I passed a curious RV park. It looked well-kempt, it had a goodly number of inhabitants in what appeared to be nice rigs, and yet it was disconcerting to see this settlement out in the sun with no nearby signs of points of interest. Rusty's RV Park, for that's its name, supports the claim of the gentleman I mentioned earlier, its website noting that people come here to look at the night sky.

There was also this, further along the road.



Rodeo



Chiricahua Museum, Rodeo, New Mexico



About two miles north of Rodeo is the Chiricahua Desert Museum. A classy place in the middle of nowhere. A well-appointed gift shop with lots of nice t-shirts, tons of books about the flora and fauna of the neighborhood, jewelry, and other stuff. The museum has two parts. One holds the living snake exhibits, mostly various flavors of rattlesnake, along with some other types of snakes, some lizards, and turtles. The other part I found more interesting, which I'd call a multi-disciplined homage to snakes and turtles through skins, skeletons, artwork, and commercial products that incorporate snakes and turtles.





Chiricahua Museum, Rodeo, New Mexico




Rodeo itself seemed a little down and out, but as is so often the case, down and out has its own beauty. 

Rodeo, New Mexico


Rodeo, New Mexico

Rodeo, New Mexico


Rodeo, New Mexico

Third Street, Rodeo, New Mexico


 I love this shot of Third Street. With a stop sign, no less.

All of the Rodeo pics:




#30



No comments: