Eden to Aliens!

In the Gila Wilderness,
May 21, 2006
Sadly I have to go. After a breakfast of apple pancakes and scrambled eggs, juice and coffee with all the house guests. 2 more soaks, pay my bill and leave.
Yet another gem discovered!
No mortgage, no bills, life on the road, why not! I take SR 35 out, pass canyons, lodges, over the Continental Divide again, it meanders, flowers are blooming in the mountains, they are in a 2 year drought, extreme fire danger here, thanks to the volunteer fire dept., and there hard work, for they are the backbone of safety in America, most are unpaid volunteers.
I stop at Mimbres, 2 calls from my kids, sweet. I asked the fellow about a road, he says it’s not paved, Dean had told me about this road, I trust Dean, I ask the owner of the store if he’s from here. He laughs. The road is paved, always ask more than one opinion on the road.
Pass Hillsboro, NM, the whole town is for sale, even the 1827 grocery store.Location, Location, Location!
Down SR 27, the road has gravel, and cattle, open range, pass a ghost town at Lake Valley to the Jct. of SR 26 & SR 27 where the

“Middle of Nowhere Bar” is, by the way, it’s for sale too.



It's a long drive to Roswell and the Bottlomless Lake, pass Las Cruces, Hot! Hot! Hot!, 25 miles from the border, head to Hwy. 70E, I need to get around the White Sands Missile Base. Stopped on Hwy 70, for an immigration inspection, the young army fellow says “looks like you are on a hell of a trip," I say "yes sir I am”. The heat and stop in this desert,shit, my engine light is on again, over heated battery cells, I will need to have someone reset them again, Maybe Austin.
Long drive, quick stop in Alamogordo to tacos, BOOM!
Pass the Mescalero Apache reservation, Fry Bread!
On into Roswell, Sunday evening, not much open, nor any aliens sited either.
In July, they have a parade, the locals run, as alien visitors invade the town.
Last night in the Bottomless lake campsite, I am the only visitor, turned on camp lite, only to be attacked by bugs, lots of bugs.
Lighting in the distance, the smell of rain, and the wind picks up; I have not experienced this in a long time. Camera reading for pictures, the rain never came.
66.5 mpg/ 369.8 miles traveled