Fall Break - Day One

It's been awhile since Mister and I ran away for a few days.  We've been talking about it and are finally just getting in the car and heading west.  It's Election Day and for the first time I can remember, I would really rather be away from everyone tonight.  I don't see anything wonderful happening no matter which party wins and I foresee hate coming from the losers.  Period.  It's best just to not be here or anywhere other than out in the country where only the birds and other creatures can yell.  Perhaps we will find some calm there.  We leave home around 4pm and obviously hit traffic big time.  I thought everyone would be out voting.  Ugh.  Our destination for tonight is somewhere near Abilene and as we drive, I give Jen a call, but she is still on the road returning from San Antonio with the high school band.  I guess we keep going.  After stopping for gas and a bite to eat, we enter Big Spring and I give my friend, Kelly (in Midland) a call and plan to meet up in the morning for coffee and a visit.  Time for sleep.  We have 5 hours under our belt and that is a good start on crossing Texas.  This is a dang big state, you know.  (Fancy motel stop - yep keeping it classy.)

I wake around 4:00 a.m. for no apparent reason and break my own rule and peek at the internet.  To say that I am stunned is an understatement.  I need to admit loudly, "I WAS WRONG."  I was absolutely sure that there was no way to stop the machine that was in place to elect HRC.  The people of these United States have shocked the heck out of me.  Wow.  We live in Texas and it will go red no matter what.  Until such a time as each person's vote actually matters by doing away with the Electoral College, that is just how it will be.  Okay, that's the end of anything political.  Back to sleep girl.


The plan is to meet Kelly at 7:00 a.m. in Midland.  This is supposed to be a vacation.  Are we crazy?  I'm sure she thinks so.  It's great to see her smiling face and get to visit for awhile.  I wish she didn't live clear across the state.  We have a great time in a wonderful little coffee shop and I am sad when it is time to say our good-byes.  Also a wee bit jealous.  She is off to Thailand in a couple of days.  Yes, I'm green.

On the road again (yes, I just sang that) and Odessa is next.  They have a replica of Stonehenge that is as wide as the original and 70% as high.  Mister definitely wants to check it out and I have to admit that it is dang cool.

  It's pretty crazy to me that this (the original) was created FOREVER ago.  Seriously, sometime after the last Ice Age is the best guess they have.  Stones have fallen or been removed since it was completed around 1800 B.C.  This is a replica of how it appears today in England.

Can you see me inside the structure above?  And this is only 70% of the actual height.  Very incredible.  It reminds me of when we were in Egypt and thought about how they moved all those huge stones and lifted them into place.

I have a feeling we may experience this "past meets present" a lot this trip.  An hour and a half later, we are in New Mexico.  The first thing I notice is that oil wells dot the landscape EVERYWHERE.  Next:  Cotton fields as far as the eye can see.  Some are still green and others have been defoliated and are ready for harvesting.  Being a quilter, I have a definite love for this product.  Wouldn't it be fun to follow the whole process start to finish.  Next time, I will try and set up a tour of a farm while harvesting and a gin while processing.

As we get close to Artesia, I see pecan groves everywhere.  The trees are just starting to turn colors and I am delighted with the orchards.  Some are intensely large.

Entering Artesia, we are greeted by a very large derrick with smoke coming out the top of it.  Yes, oil, cotton, and pecans have dominated the landscape for several hours now.

Artesia has 7 wonderful street sculptures around town.  The first one is right beside the road as we enter the main street and is a depiction of a cattle drive.  I am only able to shoot a quick pic while driving past so really don't have any information on this one.  However, as we are in the heart of downtown, a very large sculpture catches my eye and Mister finds a parking space nearby so that I can check it out up close and personal.  It is called "The Derrick Floor" and is by Vic Payne.  These bronze sculptures are so very incredible.  The detail is phenomenal.  No kidding.  Look close and you will see what I mean.

Nearby is another scene depicting a partnership agreement between John R. Gray and Mack C. Chase.

There is a third setting nearby that tells a really cool story.  The people are Martin Yates, Jr. and Mary Emmons Yates.  Mary had an uncanny ability to find oil and this is called "Woman's Intuition" by Robert Summers.  I love it so much.  Again, the detail is so very impressive.

We are starting to get hungry and there is a brewery listed that has reviews that talk about food so we make the drive out to the Cottonwood Wine and Brewery.  This place is huge and has a great, rustic feel to it.  We have a nice visit with the owner and she said the place was absolutely packed last night watching the election returns.  I bet that was a crazy time.  It turns out that they don't serve food so we just have a couple samples and then make the return trip into town.

As we return to town, we spot another sculpture on a roundabout.  Love, love, love this.  It's right near the library.  Go figure.

And another one of a schoolteacher and some children.  I'm not sure how happy the teacher is though.

There is a second brewery in Artesia, The Wellhead, and this one does have food.  Mister and I both order some soup and he goes with a flight of samples while I am content with the Crude Oil Stout.  While we wait for our food, I make a quick run down the street to check out a little quilt shop I spotted.  Just as I am almost there, I see a cute little alcove between two buildings that is covered with murals and lovely decor.  Oh my goodness.

We've had a lovely break and it is time to move on.  As we leave Artesia, the cactus have changed and these large clumps dot the land now.

A short time later, where the heck are we?  It is so empty out here.  Not even any other cars to be seen.  Just over the hill, however, we enter the Lincoln National Forest and within moments have gone from one terrain to the next.  Trees!  I do so love trees.

At the top of the pass (seriously, at about 8600 feet - wow), we find Cloudcroft, NM.  What a perfectly delightful hidden gem.  For a brief moment we think of calling it a day here and just checking out the town in detail.  It passes though and we settle for a quick look around.  Again, I have found a quilt shop and want to check it out.  Yes -- up here in the middle of nowhere is a cute little shop.

The temperature sure has dropped up this high and I am actually chilled for the first time in awhile.  It's a great feeling.  As we leave Cloudcroft, I am sure we will be back to check it out a little more.  What a truly wonderful little world up here.  Upon leaving, it is mere minutes before we come to a tunnel and a lookout.  Oh wow.  We have the most wonderful view.

What do you suppose my sweet Mister sees that has him climbing out on a rock to take the picture?

One incredible view, that's what.  He calls me out to join him and it is definitely worth the climb.  Check it out.

Continuing down the road, I am using the map and seeing how much daylight we have left to explore when Mister asks where the camera is.  I find it as he slows down and rolls the window down.  Next he says, "take that picture -- it has beautiful light."  Okay, that means it's lesson time for me.  He's right though, it is gorgeous and pretty hard to mess up.

Once we are off the mountain, we come to McGinn's Pistachio Tree Ranch.  My friend, Sherri, had been here a couple of weeks ago and I wanted to add it to my list as well.  I am ALWAYS game to learn something new and see a plant or tree that unique.  This is my first time with pistachio  trees, although I adore the nuts.  We have arrived too late for the last tour but they let us walk through the orchards and vineyards for awhile, taking pictures.  This place is also a winery and I find chardonnay grapes on the vines.

It seems late for them to still be on the vine so I am wondering if they are going to use them in a dessert wine or ice wine.  Yes, Mister makes me take a picture with the giant pistachio.  Silly man.  Now to find some treats to eat.  Into the store we go and after sampling a great array of flavored nuts, we agree that the regular ones are our favorites along with the pistachio brittle.  Oh yum.  With a bag of roasted, shelled pistachios in hand, it's time to head on down the road.  This is definitely a great stop along the way.

As we are leaving, I ask Mister if he wants to try and make it out to White Sands Monument before dark.  Perhaps we could catch the sunset if we hurry.  He takes a look at the light and agrees instantly, thinking he'll get some great photographs.  On through the missile range, we spot a military drone passing over us.

It's going to be close getting there on time but I'm watching close as the sun starts its descent.  Soon it is peeking through the clouds with breathtaking rays showing so much more intensely than this picture shows.

Just keep driving (yep, singing again) and as we enter the monument, we have to drive another 6 miles before we are treated to the white sands.  Oh wow.  This is incredible.  Once we find the parking lot, I am out of the car in a heartbeat and heading up the hill.  Mister suggests that I put my toes in the sand and so the shoes come off quick.  The sand is COLD but I love it so much.  Ahhhh --  grounded once again.  Oh, I hear you.  What's up with the sun by now?  Well, the rays are still oh so lovely and Mister has taken up residency on a hill above me.  I will keep an eye on him now as he sees things I miss for sure.

As the sun starts to set even further, our shadows lengthen and I spot it first.  Taking my own picture, I whisper to Mister to do the same.  He obliges.  (Two different cameras at work here)

Then, for kicks and giggles --- one together.  This may be my new profile picture.  Love it.

Now for some eye candy -- some Mister sees and some I see.  Just enjoy these wonderful White Sands moments with us.

And the grand finale:  Simply magnificent.  This has truly been a magical experience for me.  I don't think I've played and giggled this much in a long time.  Add to that the beauty of it all.  Truly one of the highlights of my life for me.

Proof that we are indeed together on this trip.  It's required every now and then.  Yep, still have my shoes in my hand.  The sun is gone.  My toes are VERY cold.  It's time to go.   We've decided to go onto Las Cruces before stopping tonight and by the time we get there, I am oh so hungry.  Mexican is what is discovered and the amount of food I get could have fed 4 people.  What is wrong with this picture?  No wonder I keep gaining weight.  I have to laugh at the table, though.  The name is painted in huge bright letters across each and every table in the place.  Wow.

After dinner, we are off to another brewery I have located.  The Spotted Dog Brewery doesn't have food on the menu or we would have had only one stop.  As we order a flight (me this time) and pint, we discover that they do indeed have food.  Drat.  Well thanks to us, they know to fix their website.  A musical trio starts to play by the door and they are a mix of folk/rockabilly.  It's nice though -- even if they are three unlikely people to see together.  It's time to call it a night.  This has been a super fill day and I am tired.  Hello hotel and bed.  See ya'll tomorrow.