Truth or Consequences

The last full day of our New Mexican road trip takes us slightly further south, following the border of White Sands Missile Range to Las Cruces, before heading back north again to Truth or Consequences.  We get so close to the Mexican border that US border patrol stop all traffic heading north.  Waving us jolly gringos on, we continue to blast through the empty desert in our trusty rental and arrive at our destination early afternoon. 

Truth or Consequences, New Mexico is a somewhat declining retirement community with a whole lot of hot water.  The town used to be called Hot Springs until they changed their name in 1950 after the game show Truth or Consequences just for a little fame and the promise of a live taping of the show in their town.  The big event was turned into a yearly party called Fiesta which is still celebrated in town today on the first weekend of May.  Because of its somewhat arduous name, New Mexicans often refer to the town as T or C.

Our lodging for the night was Riverbend Hot Springs- one of the more luxurious (yet still worlds from pretentious) hot springs resort in town.  T or C attracts a lot of older people; as my husband so eloquently put- you're the only @!$*# at this joint under 50!  But you can't help but just feel relaxed and at home when staying in T or C and even more so at Riverbend.  Named for its location right on the Rio Grande backed by Turtleback Mountain, this resort is way peaceful.  Our casita for the night opened up to a large courtyard facing the mighty river and the hot springs that overlook it.  We immediately popped open a bottle of our favorite wine- Rock Wall Zinfandel and lounged in the warm afternoon sun outside.  After a sufficient buzz we soaked in the hot springs while watching the sunset.

What I love about this place is that even in a seemingly rustic, sleepy, "blue-hair" kind-of-town like T or C we were still able to find, after a quick walk, a surprisingly hip and gourmet Italian restaurant open late on a Monday night with patio seating calling us on the warm evening.  The meal was epic- I knew we were in good hands when the waiter first brought out incredibly yeasty and crusty artisanal bread with fragrant, green olive oil and thick-and-black-as-tar balsamic.  This was the real deal- aged balsamic so substantial it refused to mix with the oil, with a pungent, woody, almost overwhelming smokiness.  Dinner included prawns so massive for a second I confused them for lobster tails and a pizza that was- well let's just say it was so good it was almost scary.  More red wine and a panna cotta to split and we were spent.  The last patrons to hobble out of the restaurant I faced both the truth and my consequence in T or C- the truth being the food and drink were monumental with the consequence being every step of the four block walk home was seriously painful from equally monumental stomach cramps.   

The next morning after fully recovering from my overindulgence we spent our morning drinking massive amounts of the first truly fantastic coffee of our road trip out on the patio, followed by one more soak in the hot springs before hitting the road for our long 8-hr drive home.  I've never regretted a trip to New Mexico and this time was no different.  This is a state not well known by many, yet incredibly welcome to visitors.  New Mexico reveals its secrets slowly and seductively but never quite completely and as we race north along I-25 towards Colorado I find myself dazed and delighted, already planning our next visit.

Riverbend Hot Springs Resort, T or C

Zinfandellin

Views from the Courtyard

Our Casita for the night

Resort kitty has a sweet deal

Where does the blue building end and the sky begin?

The Minnow Pools- ranging from 108 to 103 F

Riverbed Pools

A Whiter Shade of Pale

As I stepped out of our room at the White Sands Motel early Sunday morning desperately seeking coffee I was instantly hit by the relentless bright sun.  Today would be another day of sunblock, sunglasses, and lots of water as we were headed to a place with no shade, no water, and stunning, blinding, white sand- White Sands National Monument.

White Sands  National Monument has been on my bucket list ever since I saw a picture of it in a travel magazine a few years ago.  It didn't know what or where it was, but I knew I had to go there.  With average highs in the mid 70s in March and few tourists, Spring Break seemed like the perfect time to visit.  White Sands is the largest deposit in the world of gypsum sand which is what makes it so "white".  Gypsum sand is water soluble and typically does not collect in large deposits but here in the desert, with no water inlet or outlet sources, the gypsum sand stays and constantly shifts and moves in the form of breathtaking, bright white sand dunes.

To visit White Sands in the middle of the day in full sun takes quite a bit of endurance and persistence.  Past the visitor center there are no opportunities for water and very little for shade.  We parked and headed out on the Alkalai Flats Trail which is quite deceiving because the trail crosses up and down dunes of significant size. The only way to know exactly where you should be heading into the endless white abyss is to follow orange marker poles that guide the way.  After about a mile of barefoot hiking in temperatures flirting with 90 F we came across sort of an oasis in the desert- a huge, hardened mound of sand that stood about 10 feet tall and provided about 3 square feet of shade at its base from the midday sun.  We huddled together under the shade and consumed massive amounts of water and handfuls of electrolyte-filled jelly beans.  We both admitted defeat and decided it was best to return to the white sands at a more hospitable time.

White Sands is sort of like a new love- only becoming more enchanting and thrilling as the evening wears on.  We returned to a totally different scene- warm evening breezes over cool white sand with a surreal bluish glow slowly developing from a lowering sun behind thickening clouds.  Giddily we hiked to the tallest dune we could find and set up our tripod.  There was not another person in sight as we played around in the sand like kids while observing one of the most mysterious and enchanting sunsets ever.  It wasn't so much the spectacular colors of the sky or patterns of the clouds- the magic of this sunset was the aforementioned blue hue on white- not just a blueness to the sky, but an actual blueness in the air, so real and tangible it could be grasped with bare hands.  Laying down on the cool sand I felt like the luckiest person in the world to be there at that moment.  As the sun set and all breezes died it became so silent I could hear a swoosh, swoosh in my ears, sounding like ancient whispers from the soul of the earth.  A moment of perfect stillness and peace.

White Sands- a harsh environment during the heat of the day.

Alkalai Flats Trail

Shade!

White Sands in the evening

Cure for the jaded soul.

A surreal blue glow 

Perfect peace

New Mexico Off the Beaten Path

Pushing 80 mph through the wastelands of Southeastern New Mexico, passing by no name towns I became grateful that our road trip was a loop and the return drive a different route.  I thought if we had to do this portion of the drive again I might jump out of the car.  I wondered how far I'd roll through the flat, dusty, barren landscape.  We passed a tree- the first in about 150 miles, and instinctively I grabbed my camera as I do whenever I see something of interest.  Then I had to remind myself- it's just a tree!  We stopped for a snack and a stretch at a retro 50s shiny diner in Vaughn for an incredibly satisfying burger and fries and a large chocolate malt.  Back on the road, back into nothingness.

Hours pass and the landscape gradually holds interest again.  Mountains can be seen in the far distance and cacti of all shapes and sizes grow.  We arrive at Valley of the Fires recreation area.  After filling our water bottles and applying ridiculous amounts of SPF 50 we are ready to head out into the black lava fields.  It is hot, dry and windy, but it is not uncomfortable.  At these low humidity levels, you don't even realize you are sweating as it instantly evaporates and helps keep you cool. 

From our stop at the visitor center, we learn that Little Black Peak erupted about 5,000 years ago and flowed into the Tularosa Basin.  The lava flow we were about to venture into is from four to six miles wide, 160 feet thick, and considered to be one of the youngest lava flows in the continental US.  While a boardwalk takes you safely through the lava fields, the signs encourage you to explore off the path.  I carefully step in between cacti and sharp lava rocks while at the same time keeping a watchful eye and ear out for tarantulas, scorpions, and rattlesnakes (oh my!)- props to those people who actually camp here! One of the online reviews I had read prior to our visit was from a lady who observed a "herd" of tarantulas run by her while in the lava field.  As spectacular of a scene as that might be I had serious concerns I may pass out at the sight.

Continuing though the Tularosa Basin we stop at the next site of interest according to my "New Mexico Off the Beaten Path" guidebook.  Three Rivers Petroglyph is an area that boasts more than 21,000 rock carvings of birds, humans, animals, fish, insects, plants, and various geometric designs within 50 acres of the northern Chihuahuan Desert, dating between 900 and 1400.  The carvings were created by the Jornada Mogollon people for reasons still unknown.  We followed the rugged, uphill trail into the petroglyphs again keeping a watchful eye for small critters that might sting or bite.  I stepped down on something very sharp- ouch!  A cactus needle right through the sole of my minimalist trail shoes... in hindsight not the best choice of shoe for the desert.

We continued on our way and eventually arrived at the White Sands Motel in Alamogordo, our stop for the next two nights.  Too tired from our hikes in the sun to venture into the white sands that evening we picked up a six-pack of Santa Fe Pale Ale and hunkered down in our clean, air conditioned room. 

Diner in Vaughn, New Mexico

What was left of our meal after we got to it.

The boardwalk that winds through the Valley of Fires

The only tarantula we spotted on our hike

Lava caves

Lava leaper

Three Rivers Petroglyph Site

White Sands Motel- a welcome site after a long day in the sun

A New Mexico State of Mind- Day 1

It is a long drive down to White Sands National Park- 1141 miles total, round trip.  After finding a good car rental deal we decided it best to leave our aging cars at home.  We picked up our rental on a sunny and warm Friday afternoon, and, after listening to a lot of threatening words from the man working behind the counter (liable ... collision ... impounded) we still managed to refuse all that extra pricey insurance.   We were off!

Our first stop- Las Vegas, New Mexico- not Nevada.  Las Vegas, New Mexico is a town that at first glance is a little rough around the edges.  But, after pulling up to the historic plaza and hotel I felt like I just walked into a movie set- with all the historic buildings it's not surprising that countless big name movies have been filmed in town such as Wild Hogs, Not Forgotten, Beer for my Horses, and  No Country for Old Men, which was mostly filmed right in the plaza and inside The Plaza Hotel, our stop for the night.  The receptionist told me that when they were filming No Country for Old Men, set on the Mexican Border, the signs in town were changed ("You are now entering the US" or "you are now leaving Mexico").  Apparently there were a lot of confused tourists wandering into the hotel, trying to figure out when they drove into Mexico!  But looking around town and experiencing the rich Hispanic culture that dominates it wouldn't be too hard to believe. 

Everything about the Plaza Hotel, built in 1882, is grand- the massive lobby and staircase, the renovated rooms with 15 foot tall ceilings and bathrooms so large you could do a cartwheel in.  Everything but the price that is; I found our room as an online off-season special for $69.  Included in this price was a sit down breakfast for two in the hotel's restaurant.  I ordered huevos rancheros on blue corn tortillas, covered with green chile and my husband the breakfast burrito with red chile.  "Red or green?" is the question most often asked while traveling through New Mexico. Just about everything is, or can be covered in or made with red or green chiles (not chili!)- from the obvious like burgers, burritos, enchiladas, chile rellenos, and tamales to the more strange- pizza, chocolate, even beer!  The finest chile peppers are grown in Hatch, New Mexico (a stop for later in our trip).  The green chiles are picked earlier and the red chiles are allowed to fully ripen.  The best chiles impart heat, fragrance and a touch of smokiness.  On this trip I would learn to no longer tolerate or accept a  red chile sauce with a slightly brownish hue that is made from powder or (gasp!) the canned variety.  Real red chile sauce is made with freshly roasted chiles and is unmistakable in its bright, fire engine red color.  During harvest season in late summer you can find farmers roasting and selling their chiles in large, cylindrical roasters over hot coals on the side of the road.  The smell is enough to make you salivate.  Luckily, for the rest of the year dried, whole chiles (chile ristas) can be had that still make a fine sauce.

The Historic Plaza Hotel, Built in 1882

A Grand Stairwell

Inside the Room

The Haunted Byron T. Saloon

The Lobby

Historic Building Fronts in the Plaza

Burrito with Red Chile and Enchiladas Christmas Style- Half Red/ Half Green Chile

Dried Red Chile Ristas