New Mexico: Lunch and Dinner off the Road

On Sunday, I had lunch here:

Turnout from the Jemez Scenic Trail (Highway 4), between Fenton Lake State Park and La Cueva, New Mexico. 

Turnout from the Jemez Scenic Trail (Highway 4), between Fenton Lake State Park and La Cueva, New Mexico

Joining me were lizards; a chipmunk; some very loud, assertive, flying grasshoppers; and a hawk overhead. 


... and dinner here:

View toward Carrizozo from Valley of Fires, off Highway 380, New Mexico

Dinner was less serene than lunch, as the gnats drove me back into my car so I could eat in peace.

I enjoyed a visual digestif as I completed my drive home on Highway 54 at dusk:

Highway 54, looking east, between Carrizozo and Three Rivers Petroglyphs, New Mexico

Valley of Cow Patties, erm, Fires, New Mexico

Cow Patty Hill, New Mexico. No, really, Valley of Fires, Highway 380, New Mexico.

Yes, I get the fire bit .. lava ... volcano ... hot sulphurous fumes .... but visually, it's all a field of cow patties.

Valley of Fires, Highway 380, New Mexico.

 Here is an actual cow patty. Judge for yourself.

Cow patty. Credit: K.A. Lewis

The boardwalk trail at Valley of Fires Recreation Area is wheelchair accessible. Nice. It's a pleasant walk through the lava field. Although it was hot the day I strolled through, there was a lively breeze, so it was very comfortable.
 

Valley of Fires, Highway 380, New Mexico.

Also, it's spring in the high desert, so there were flowers. Because of the intense sunlight, I boosted the color saturation and contrast so you can see the blooms. I need to do some research on how to take photos in full sunlight.

Valley of Fires, Highway 380, New Mexico.

Valley of Fires, Highway 380, New Mexico.

Valley of Fires, Highway 380, New Mexico.

Valley of Fires, Highway 380, New Mexico.

Valley of Fires, Highway 380, New Mexico.

Valley of Fires, Highway 380, New Mexico.

 

Carrizozo, New Mexico: Just a Bite

Carrizozo, New Mexico

I'll return for a longer look in the future, but yesterday I had a chance to take just a bite of Carrizozo.

Funny enough, a couple of years ago, on a road trip with my mother, we touched the edge of Carrizozo at the very point at which we decided to return to Missouri rather than proceed with our itinerary, which included a night or so in Roswell.

So on the spur of the moment, at the junction of Highway 54 and 380, we turned left, or north, onto Highway 54. If we had turned right, we'd have entered Carrizozo proper, which is a pretty little town.

I would have likely just passed through yesterday, making a mental note to come back for a proper review, as I was on my last leg back to Alamogordo from a fall foliage excursion, but I saw a pink motel. It happens that I'm collecting photos of pink houses in New Mexico, so I turned around and went back. This resulted in my entering a little main street that was too colorful to postpone a look-see for another day.

Carrizozo, New Mexico

Carrizozo, New Mexico

Carrizozo, New Mexico

Carrizozo, New Mexico

Carrizozo, New Mexico

Carrizozo, New Mexico

Carrizozo, New Mexico

Carrizozo, New Mexico

Yeah, I noticed those burros atop some buildings, too.