But before we leave Ojo Caliente, I have to mention something M and I both noticed: the people are nice here. I mean, they're nice at home, and you can get good service, but they're genuinely warm here, in a different way. I mean, nice like the waitress this morning, who got some anti-itch cream from her purse for M's mosquito bites. Or the desk clerk who let us use the hot pools for free since it was so late already. Or the clerk who saw us carrying a lantern and offered to put it behind the desk for us. Or the mechanic whose shop was chock-full, but after hearing out story, took our truck in anyway. Like that. You feel genuinely welcome here (and Dapple gets lots of grins!)
So - we sailed south, running to get out of the smoke, and headed for - oh, hell, I forget where we were headed; we ended up somewhere else, anyway, after a mistake or two and then a later reconsideration. On the way, we passed a Genuine Indian Flea Market, and M must've heard the pinball lights and bells from my side of the truck, because we stopped (truthfully, I asked and he obliged.) Flea market! I MEAN!
Spent a blissful hour or more looking at Genuine Native American things from Africa and Pakistan and India and Mexico, along with some beautiful local arts and crafts. The nice thing was that the art pieces were being sold by the artists, so you could talk to them about what they did. M bought a cotton blanket for Dapple's seat, so she's decked out and hopefully pleased. She coughed a bit today, just a reminder, but otherwise was in full sail.
We were headed for Hobbs, on the Texas border, but at the last minute realized that the towns we were running through were about as likely to have a campground as a Starbucks, which is to say - not. So we took a back road diversion to Carlsbad, figuring it would be touristy enough. The road was a somewhat narrow spooky route through the natural gas fields and open cattle range, and M slalomed through cows, a fox, and - a porcupine! - and missed them all. We pulled in about nine or so, hungry again (an annoying habit, this eating thang) we wound up at the Dragon Buffet. Close to the Barbecue State AND the Mexican border; we chose a Chinese restaurant, where M had -- pizza.
After our international cuisine adventures of the day, we are tucked in at Carlsbad RV Campground, which has THE COOLEST TIRE SWINGS IN THE UNIVERSE and an indoor pool, and I am sitting on a bench outside in the lovely breeze. Tomorrow, we run for Austin, and see how far we get.
AFTER I swim.
hotel pool in Taos, about ninety degrees :)
Sun through smoke, midday south of Taos
earthship garden
well, it WAS pretty cheap, and they had jello! Chinese jello! Yay!
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