Las Cruces to Alburquerque

World's largest chile

The license plates say "Land of Enchantment." I think they mean it.

This morning I dawdled at Americas's Best Value Inn making phone calls and catching up on emails. After coffee, I started toward Interstate 25 to drive to Hatch, New Mexico, the Chile Capital of the World. I know several million Thai's that would dispute the claim but Hatch does  grow and ship a lot of chile peppers.

Un-retouched photograph

Before I made it to I25, I saw a sign pointing toward Hatch that promised an alternate route. I turned onto Valley Road, State Route 187,  and headed into Mesilla Valley. The mostly two-lane road was definitely the one less traveled, and that definitely made all the difference in my enjoyment of the day.  Just out of Las Cruces, I passed through miles of pecan orchards. One grove was flooded and my eye was caught by how the light filtered through the trees and reflected off the water. I stopped the car, the first of many stops this day, and snapped a few shots. This evening when I looked at the day's photos I was amazed indeed at how the light reflected of the water as recorded by my camera. Fairy lights in a pecan grove in broad daylight? The license plates say "Land of Enchantment."

A little further north, I crossed the Rio Grande once again. Once it crosses into New Mexico from Texas, the river turns north and my route that day closely followed its course. I arrived in Hatch mid-morning. I was immediately taken with how not touristy it is. It is a farm town with a couple of concessions for gringo turistas. I explored the few streets,  shopped in the local mercantile store where I was seriously tempted to buy yet another cowboy hat that I would never wear. I did buy a denim work shirt with snaps as my small economic stimulus package. I had a late breakfast-early lunch of red chile and avocado salad at The Pepper Pot. And I bought chile powder and honey at Hatch Chile Sales. I was thoroughly charmed by the town and the people I met. And I moved on. It took me 7 hours to make the 200 mile drive. I visited Leesburg Damn, Caballo Lake, and Truth or Consequenses, New Mexico. I wallowed yet again in the stark, primal beauty of earth, air, fire formed mountains, and water filled clouds. I saw lightening over the desert and rain storms far in the distance.

Lake Cabrillo

Tonight I am in in Alburquerque, staying on historic US Route 66. My motel, The Monterey Non-Smoking Motel is from the era of the TV show but has been nicely updated. One thing I am noticing about cities here is the aggressiveness of drivers - especially the many young motor cycle drivers in town. It is such a contrast to the countryside. It's as if to compensate for being herded into a city, they feel the need to act out by straddling noisy machines and speeding through town. It's as if someone had cast a spell on them. Well, the license plates say "Land of Enchantment."

There are lots more photos on my Facebook page. I'm putting in my earplugs and going to bed.