Decided to just get up whenever, knowing full well that I later today I'd be heading towards home. But before then I had two missions today...go get pictures of historic San Miguel church and to go on one last loop road off the interstate to see the ghost town of Lake Valley. After that, 70-80mph interstate driving all the way home. With mixed emotions I started out about 7:30 am and drove north into town a few blocks to the church. The sun wasn't quite up enough to shroud the beautiful building in full light just yet so I sat a little bit and waited. It was a cool 15 degrees outside and the sky was as blue and clear as I had ever seen. As I sat in my truck I was hoping that no one would call the cops on me for just sitting there. That's what happens when you have to sit and wait...your mind starts to wander. I was also hoping to see the temperature gauge jump up to around 72 degrees but that didn't happen. So when the time presented itself I grabbed the cameras and set out on my mission to get some pictures of this beautiful building.
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| 1600's era San Miguel Church in Socorro, New Mexico |
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| 1600's era San Miguel Church in Socorro, New Mexico |
After cheerfully getting back into my warm truck, I found my way back to I-25 and headed south towards and through Truth or Consequences, New Mexico (formally called Hot Springs) and down towards my last venture off the interstate before heading home. A right onto Hwy 152 then left on 27 took me to the ghost town of Lake Valley
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| I can't help but say "Elephant Butt" when I see this. |
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| My last venture off the interstate took me to the ghost town of Lake Valley |
As has been the theme on this trip, I pretty much had the place to myself. There was another couple here and a caretaker for the town but that was it. This old town was abandoned somewhere in the early 1900's and has a few buildings still intact. I walked around town for awhile, knowing that this would pretty much be my last recreational stop on this trip. I wanted to stay longer...wanted to turn west or back north again...wanted to see more...but time was running out.
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| Overview of Lake Valley, New Mexico |
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| Original school, turned gas station in Lake Valley, New Mexico |
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| Crumbling house and old mine shaft in Lake Valley, New Mexico |
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| Old car with Lizard Mountain in the background. Lake Valley, New Mexico |
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| Inside the 1930s era school, which is now the visitor center in Lake Valley, New Mexico |
Just a little ways up the road was the old cemetery. It was kinda spooky and I didn't hang around too long...didn't want anything to "follow me" home if you get my drift. Maybe I watch too much paranormal stuff on TV:
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| The spooky Lake Valley Cemetery |
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| Gravesite in Lake Valley Cemetery |
As I bid goodbye to Lake Valley, my thoughts turned to concentrating on getting home. I knew I had a long day and 3/4 driving straight through to get there. It's hard to keep a smile going. There is just something about heading towards home that makes me sad. Not that I don't love being home, I just love the adventure of exploring new places and being able to take my time. I don't like when vacations come to an end. Just before getting back to I-25 I passed through the little town of Hatch. If I was a chili pepper lover I would have been in heaven. Hatch is proclaimed as the "chili capital of the world". I also found out later that a co-worker of mine went to high school here. Go figure. I rolled on down I-25 to Las Cruces and grabbed some much needed lunch. Also gave my truck a much needed bath. Dirt roads and road grime from the snow on day 1 were caked on...didn't know if one trip through the car wash would even do.
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| Driving down I-25 in New Mexico |
I joined I-10 at this point and headed towards El Paso. This area of New Mexico and Texas is very beautiful and very dry. I was pleasantly surprised at how mountainous it is. I had never been in this area before. Passing close to the Mexican border, I could see how dense everything is on the other side of the Rio Grande. The streets are so close together that in my GPS, Ciudad Juarez looked like one big blob. From what the eye could see, it is not a place I'd like to go. Continuing east along I-10 I came across a border checkpoint, even though I was not crossing the border. I approached the station and was hoping I would not have to unload everything in the truck. I didn't have anything I wasn't supposed to, but at this point I was tired and wanted to get as far along as I could tonight knowing how long of a drive I would have tomorrow. The border patrol agent, with such a heavy Spanish accent that I barely understood him, asked me if I was a citizen. I had to get him to repeat himself....twice...cause I couldn't understand. I though for sure that was it for me...he was going to taze me and someone would upload it to YouTube. I finally understood and said that I was indeed a citizen...I really wanted to ask him if HE was a citizen.... but I wasn't in the mood to pick myself up off the ground after being a YouTube sensation. That was it...no showing of driver's license, no strip search...nothing. Back to speed. I really enjoyed the landscape between El Paso and Van Horn. It was strikingly beautiful as the sun set behind me. Darkness fell and I could no longer see the terrain however I knew that I was making my way away from the mountains once and for all. I struggled as much as I could to catch the last glimpses of the wild country as I could as the pitch black covered the earth like a thick blanket. It was seriously dark and desolate, with very little signs of life other than the ribbon of interstate cutting across the desert. I finally made my way to Fort Stockton and found myself at a Motel 6 for a change (haha). After driving up and down the main strip, I settled on K-Bob's steakhouse. After a 20 minute or so wait, I was seated. The food was just so-so. I expected more for a steakhouse deep in Texas. But hey, I wasn't asked "would you like that large size". I made my way back to the hotel and prepared for the long day ahead. The last day of the trip. After all the anticipation I could not believe it was almost over.
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