From Alamogordo today we will make a round trip to old familiar places. On the program are Inn of the Mountain Gods, Ruidoso, Sierra Blanca, Cloudcroft and again White Sands.
First to the former quiet golf hotel Inn of the Mountain Gods. At the time, it was a well-visited but still nice facility in the middle of the Mescalero Apache Reservation. Today it’s a golf vacation machine with conference center and and….
Short view of the Sierra Blanca and behind Ruidoso up the hill. Up to over 3000m the road winds along the mountain. Up there a nice viewpoint.
Sierra Blanca
After one has come down the mountain again in one piece, first a little refreshment at Taco Bell and a little knickknack shopping. At a certified dealer we buy some Navajo handicraft stuff. Nice.
Ruidoso
The penultimate stage goes through Lincoln Forest to Cloudcroft. It is amazing how barren desert steppe around Alamogordo turns into forested areas within 20 miles. In Cloudcroft we walk the 2 mile Osho Trail into the forest. Very nicely done and nice to look at.
Cloudcroft
White Sands can be seen on the horizon from the trail about 40 miles away.
Osha Trail – view to White Sands
Last stage then again White Sands. This time in the afternoon sunshine. Always a pleasure. Walked the one mile Nature Trail and part of the 8 mile Alkali Trail and then took in another sunset.
White Sands
Tomorrow we’ll go via Carlsbad to Las Cruces. It’s a 300-mile detour, but it’s worth it.
Hey, fahrt ihr schon im Kreis rum ?? 😀
Von Carlsbad könnt ihr ja auch in den Big Bend NP runter 😉
Sun Set beim “The Window” fotografieren!
…und
The springs are a few yards from the rivers edge and were enclosed in a brick wall early this century, creating a small bathing pool for the benefit of guests at nearby Hot Springs Village. This has long been abandoned but the pool still receives quite a few visitors who enjoy relaxing in the clear 105° waters, whilst the Rio Grande rushes noisily past. The setting is remote and unusual, and well worth a visit.
Hahaha, nicht der erste Kreis, den wir fahren. Big Bend schaffen wir nicht. Das ist zu weit unten.
Hast du eigentlich noch gar keine Tiere vor die Flinte, äh, Linse bekommen?
Außer ein paar Eichhörnchen, einige Rehe und Krähen eigentlich nichts und auf Kühe stehe ich nich. Ach doch, einen jungen Wolf in Mesa Verde, während der Fahrt. Flinte kaufe ich in Texas, und dann werden sie schon kommen.