I am 5 days into my trek to Gardiner, Montana for the summer. Unlike my trip from Alabama to New Mexico, this trip north from New Mexico is smooth sailing. I am traveling an altogether different route than planned, thanks to a late snowstorm that blew into the Rockies, but the journey has taken me along some delightful new-to-me roads in the Southern San Juan Mountains of Colorado and along the western slope into Moab. The new route means I miss seeing dear friends and delivering to them Kahlua and Tequila from Mexico. Still, the journey has been a joy. Below is a summary of the first few days, when I was still heading up into Central CO and not yet heard about the bad weather ahead.

Day One

I left Deming mid-morning and decided to drive through Silver City into the Black Mountains (Gila National Forest) instead of taking I-25 straight to Albuquerque. The distance was double that of the Interstate route, but as always, I prefer to see the countryside rather than travel fast.  

I started in Deming towards Silver City. From there, I headed to the left, taking that upper perimeter road (180 to 12 and then 60) through the mountains and then down into Socorro. Just before I left, my friend, Ron, took me from Deming to the northeast on 26, then 27, to the cool town of Hillsboro. Before that, I traveled on 152, from east to west, then back down 180 to Deming. I love those mountains.

The Black Mountains are generally a pinyon-juniper ecosystem: quintessential New Mexico until I started down the mountains and rode through beautiful valleys. The vast lowlands and the cottonwoods along the creeks were a brilliant, spring green. This section looked exactly like parts of Wyoming. I felt a longing for Wyoming but then realized that the best of New Mexico and the best of Wyoming existed together in this spot. Lots of NFS access roads and places to explore next year in a new favorite place! I pulled over at a Wal-Mart in Socorro for the night. Nothing much to report after that.

Black Mountains, NM

Day Two

I passed through Albuquerque mid-morning and headed towards Sante Fe. Drivers can opt to route around the city now, but my routine has always been to navigate through the city to catch the SF Vibe and then head north to Taos. Such an overwhelming sense of being home again in the Rockies. So, as the snowy Sangre de Christo Mountains jumped up from the valley, my heart jumped in response. I am here! I am back! Thanks for waiting for me.

I did not yet have a plan for the night, so I stop at the Rio Grande Gorge Visitor Center in Pilar, NM for suggestions. My travel mojo holds. Just down the road is access to a string of small BLM campgrounds on the Rio Grande. Two of them have electricity, and I find a spot with a hookup. A trail rises up from the river and onto a bluff. Tango and I walk there and knock out the travel kinks. 

This wonderful hideaway along the river is part of the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument, which Obama created it in 2013 along with many others during his two terms. That was a great time for folks who support land conservation. However, the current administration is reviewing the newer monuments, and their preserved status will be reveresed if enough oil, gas, or coal is waiting for extraction. During my stay, I had bittersweet feelings and even a tinge of anger. 

The overall tone, however, is peaceful. I have allowed ample time to wander. After a few repairs while in Deming, the van runs great and the camper rides better than ever. A friend in Deming suggested that I travel with the fresh water tank full. I have always hesitated because of the extra weight (480 pounds), but I took his advice and by golly, it worked. The gas mileage has not changed but the ride is much smoother.

On Day 3, everything will change. The dark clouds to the north and spotty rain should have warned me, but I just rolled along, enjoying the journey.

To be continued…