desert

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Northern Geronimo Trail Scenic Byway, New Mexico with Colorado Traveling Ducks

Leaving Truth or Consequences for the day, we drove through desert and mountains.

Desert at Truth or Consequences

The city is surrounded by desert.   This is a picnic pull off about a mile out of town.   Continuing, we knew when we arrived at Truth or Consequences Airport.

Sign for airport

There was also a small sign, but we loved the retired Air Force jet as a marker.  We are driving the northern part of the Geronimo Trail National Scenic Byway.   We will see living ghost towns.   These are towns that came into existence when silver mining in the area was profitable.   When the mines shut down, most people moved.  However, each of these towns still exist and each town has a small number of permanent residents.   Shortly we arrived at Cuchillo, previously called Cuchillo Negro.  The town was named for an Apache chief.

San Ignacio Catholic Church in Cuchillo, New Mexico

We really liked this church.  San Ignacio Catholic Church was first built in 1867.  Catholic Mass is still held here every Sunday.  The name, Cuchillo Negro, means Black Knife.   The same name as a nearby creek.   According to US Census, sometime between 1900 and 1910 the name was shortened to Cuchillo.   We enjoyed seeing these deer.

Deer

They watched us as we lowered the car window and took photos, but they did not run.   We quickly left to allow them to enjoy their time grazing.  The next town is Winston.

Winston General Store

In the late 1800’s silver was mined here.   Winston grew as a town for families, a change from a more rowdy town a few miles away.   We will tell you about that town next time.   We went into the General Store.   They really have everything.   Groceries, tools, souvenirs, beautiful turquoise and silver jewelry.   And delicious chili dogs.

Delicious chili dog

Everything is in crock pots and you make what you want.   Enjoying a warm, sunny day, we decided to eat outside.   Food was delicious and the nice weather was just what we wanted.   Let’s drive around town a little.

Winston post office

A cute small post office.  The population is estimated at only 61 full time residents.   Frank A. Winston, was a prominent resident in the early days.   The town was originally named Fairview in 1881.   But when Frank Winston died in 1929, the town was renamed for him.   A lady at a Tourist Information office told me Frank went to Europe and saw some metal work he liked.   He bought the metal work, had it shipped to New Mexico, and built a Carriage House to fit the metal.

Carriage house

The Carriage House is still standing and it is very nice.  It is nice to see good workmanship still being used now.

New Mexico desert landscape

The New Mexico desert in this area is nice to see for a change, but we think it would be very difficult to live here all the time.  But we love to visit.   Next time we will show another living ghost town.

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To The Desert With Zeb the Duck and Chanel the Bear

Oh no moms!   Really?  We are flying back home tomorrow?   It’s too soon.   But, our moms say, yes, our time here is almost over.   What to do on our last afternoon and evening?   Well, we are surrounded by desert, so let’s go to the desert.   In our tourist vans, looking out the window, Zeb the Duck and Chanel the Bear, watch the desert.

Zeb and Chanel going into the desert

Some plant growth here, but lots of sand.   Further from Dubai, the plants are more sparse.

Further into desert. Fewer plants

Our driver stops the van, slightly deflates the tires, and into the desert we go.   No roads here, just hills of sand, or sand dunes.   This is a crazy ride and we love it.   After parking in the sand, the duck, the bear and the humans get out to wander among the sand dunes.

Huge sand dunes here

It is pretty warm, but this was February, winter in the desert, so it was nice.   None of those horribly hot summer days.

Zeb and Chanel on the desert dunes

Chanel and Zeb look and feel rather small in the desert.   Eventually, back in the 4 wheel drive vans, we continue through the desert, adding a little air to the tires and get on the highway.   Wow!   Look what is waiting for us.

Ready to ride a camel. Camel is close to sand when we get on

Camels.   We are going to ride a camel, with our moms, of course.   When the camel stands up, we feel like we will fall over the camel’s head and into the sand.   But we don’t.  We are on the second camel in this photo.

Riding camel. We are on second camel. A little scary when camel stands up

Is our camel trying to get closer to a camel friend?   Yes, and he does get close.   Chanel’s mom even has a bruise on her leg from this camel encounter.   But we all have fun.   After the camel ride, we progress to the area set for us.   These dates are so good.

Snacks before dinner. Those dates are delicious!

The sweet balls are also wonderful.   The tables are set for us.

Tables are ready for us

We, and other groups of humans, will eat here.   Our buffet is to be wonderful.   We believe it.   All our food has been very good.   Before eating, the humans get henna tattoos.   A beautiful young Arabian lady applies the tattoos.

Humans got henna tattoo.

By morning, the raised henna will fall off, leaving the lines on human hands.   Those tattoos did look good in the morning.   Our moms went home with tattoos!   The birds of prey hunt in the desert.

This bird will soon fly for us.   He has his helmet on.

This guy will soon perform for us.   He flies fast and sees very well at night.

Bird flies and dives. Birds of Prey hunt at night. They are fast.  Great carpets here.

This bird is putting on a show now, but when free, he will hunt for his dinner.   Now it is getting dark.   The human entertainers begin.

Entertainer

This man twirled very fast and for a very long time.   Most humans would get dizzy and fall down, but not this man.   While twirling, he unwraps yards of cloth making different, flowing articles of clothing.   Next the female dancer begins to dance, with her cape flying in the wind.

Entertainer

Since it is now dark, the photography is finished.   After the dancers, the buffet lines begin.   Everything was so tasty and good.   And there was a lot of different foods to try.   And we sampled many things.   After the buffet, more entertainment and then our drive back to Dubai and the Hyatt Regency.   A wonderful ending to a wonderful trip.