The Land of Enchantment

Day 5
Location: Alamogordo, New Mexico, Road Runner Campground

To be honest New Mexico really is not that enchanting, however, we had a beautiful drive yesterday. After we got our Starbucks fix we headed out of Austin through the vast plains of northwest Texas. I have never seen such a vast expanse of land without trees to block the view of the horizon. We took pretty much all backroads yesterday which was an amazing change from the giant impersonal highways. We passed through tiny Texan towns with more trucks than you could count, and huge ranches that went on for miles. The closer we got to New Mexico the more the landscape turned into a barren desert tundra. We would pass through dilapidated towns that were completely empty and had fallen back into the dust.

We made Ramen noodles at a small campground, always delicious. Finally, around 6 30 we arrived in Alamogordo, New Mexico, a small town which actually has one of the oldest zoos in the country built around 1850...fascinating. We passed through some amazing mountains and rose 9,000 feet, and then descended into the valley of Alamogordo. A desert, barren valley surrounded by huge mountains on all sides. We pitched our tent had lunch at Peppers Grille, which was amazing after having nothing but noodles all day, and then we headed to the white hills national park. The camp director suggested that we go there for sunset , and it was definitely one of the top 3 sunsets I have ever seen. In the middle of the valley there is miles and miles of massive white dunes. The sand is bright white and soft, and took Katie and I by surprise. We found a secluded spot, drank some beers and watched the sun sink behind the mountains and turn the sands and the sky a million different colors, the pictures dont even do it justice.

We drove back to the campground very satisfied and tired, and I slept amazingly, but Katie had some trouble with her ground pad and claims that I kept stealing the covers...which is probably true, in our comfortable dome tent. By the way, I have not mentioned the dome yet...Katie and I like to call it dome sweet dome. It is our tent and it is a perfect five foot dome, just small enough so that if you stretch out your head hits one side and your feet the other, needless to say it looks ridiculous and people usually stare at us in disbelief whenever we pitch it, but it most certainly is our dome sweet dome.

Today we have a short drive, 5 hours, to Tucson, Arizona where we will stay with Katie's good friend, Liza. It will be nice to sleepn in a house tonight.

peace