Silver City, New Mexico

Sunday, February 1, 2015

Saturday, we drove from Tucson, Arizona to Silver City, New Mexico. It was a four hour drive on Interstate 10 and Highway 90.  The landscape gradually changed from low desert (shrubs and cacti) to high desert (trees with some cacti).  It rained most of our drive. Lots of transport trucks travelled the highway with us.

                                                            Silver City KOA

We are a five minute drive from Silver City, population 10, 273 (in 2012), our first rural environment since the Ventura Ranch KOA near Ojai.  At our next three campsites, we experienced a wide-range of urban sounds: traffic from the freeway in San Diego, sirens and Mexican ballads at Indian Waters,  and fighter jets on their flight path above our Tucson campsite. (Sonja and Leo's courtyard was a welcome reprieve where I could hear a full, uninterrupted chorus of bird song.)  Here, some traffic noise and occasional barking dogs... but no sirens, jets, or loud music...

Today, we hiked Dragonfly Loop Trail, a four mile hike. It is a high desert environment at 6, 000 feet. The temperature was 15 degrees.

This image is from petroglyphs approximately 1.5 miles from the trailhead. We did not see the petroglyphs!

                                                                       Yucca

Cholla Cactus

                                    Earlier on the trail, we met a horse and rider in western wear.

     Tree growing from the truck of a fallen tree. Trees do not seem to rot in this arid environment.

KOA staff invited us to a Super Bowl party. Food was provided. It was a feast! We were sent home with several plates of leftovers!

 Jalapeño Poppers (Jalapeños stuffed with cream cheese & wrapped in bacon), Marinated Beef Tacos,  Homemade Salsa, Hot Dogs, Buffalo Wings, Devilled Eggs and Homemade Donuts

                                            Full Sail Amber Ale brewed in Oregon