Yes there is, and that's where I am blogging to you from. Probably the one thing that most people think of when New Mexico is mentioned is the Manhattan Project and the first detonation of the atom bomb. This is probably still the only place in the US where you could detonate one and nobody would notice. Although I suspect CNN would figure it out eventually. There are a few places I can think of which would rank higher on the priority list for a nuke, but let's keep it nice. Again, I put in a lot of extra miles just to keep away from the Interstates today. This took me through some splendid desert landscapes, and well away from the trucks. I headed north from Van Horn on Texas 54, then west to El Paso on the US 180. There was really no getting away from El Paso, a place which I had been advised to avoid, or at least to drive straight through, for several reasons. It big, its ugly (even on the map, its ugly), and its a heavy scene crime wise, and a dangerous place. OK, I listened. I just skirted a corner of the town on the bypasses. I was going to go via Carlsbad TX and Roswell NM to see if I could spot any real aliens, but I really needed to save some time, so I headed for El Paso anyway, then went straight up to Alamogordo, through to Carizozo and then across to Socorro. Here I decided I had had enough, as it got really windy, as well as smoky from some wildfires in Arizona. That still leaves me a big day to get to Flagstaff tomorrow, but I plan an early start.
Oddly enough, I vaguely remember a movie where somebody leaves town with the parting line of "Socorro Sucks!!" I can't remember too much that happens after that. Funny the stuff that sticks in your brain, well my brain anyway.
An interesting days riding today. It was actually cold for the first couple of hours, and I had to stop and change gloves, and rug up a bit. OK the vegetation is fairly ordinary, but there are usually some spectacular mountains in the background, the impact varying a little, depending on how the light just happens to strike them. Very reminiscent of the Flinders Ranges at home. Am I getting homesick or what? Anyway, back to work. Just by the by, I have seen some interesting roadkill lately. Lots of armadillos in Texas, and in the last couple of days, coyotes. One in particular had a whole flock of about 10 buzzards helping to recycle it. And they were really annoyed about me trying to ride right on past. I thought coyotes were a bit like dingos, you know, supposed to be too smart to get hit by a truck. Then again, Wile E Coyote was always getting belted by something, so maybe not.
So anyway, very little traffic until I got to the outskirts of El Paso, which did look really crappy from this direction. One thing that was impossible to miss was the Army base at Fort Bliss. Bliss? I didn't think it looked that good personally, but holey moley, what a size! I reckon it took me half an hour just to drive past the place. No sooner had I done that, than I was driving through their massive training area, this time being buzzed by Apache attack helicopters. They even stop the traffic at certain points so the convoys of humvees and trucks can cross the highway. Come to think of it, it does look a bit like Iraq around here. A bit further on there is a missile range, and after that, yet another Air Force base, with a bombing range. And of course, then you hit another Border Security checkpoint, just to make sure you are not Mexican. Further up the road there is the White Sands National Monument, and further still, the site of the first detonation, although this is well off the road, and not accessible. Not that I wanted to get that close. Somehow, I don't think they care if the Mexicans sneak through this area, but not even Mexicans would be game to leave the roads around these parts.
Cariozozo and Socorro both look as though they are struggling a bit. But nonetheless even here in obsole-aville I did manage to find a 2007 Wolf Blass Yellow Label Shiraz Cabernet on the shelves of the local supermarket in Socorro. How civilized is that? If you are a grape, this is one of the nicest thing that can happen to you. This wondrous elixir is made about 40 miles from where I live, and it is sold cheaper here in New Mexico than I can buy it at home. How does that work?? I know life isn't fair, but this really sucks!
Which reminds me, one of the things I really enjoy about being in the US is visiting supermarkets. I get a real buzz from looking at all the stuff on the shelves that I've never heard of before. Half the time, I just try to work out what the hell it is. Some of it turns up at home eventually. F'rinstance, right here in Socorro, I was totally unaware that there are so many things you can do with chilli peppers and all the derivatives there from. But after my experience in Lockhart, I ain't going near any of them. And the number of weird things you can (or can't) buy for breakfast is totally outside my orbit, being a muesli guy, but hey, vive la difference. Rest assured I will talk at great length about obesity in a future diatribe. But right now gotta go, Wolfie is calling. Mmmmmm, lucky me.
Oddly enough, I vaguely remember a movie where somebody leaves town with the parting line of "Socorro Sucks!!" I can't remember too much that happens after that. Funny the stuff that sticks in your brain, well my brain anyway.
An interesting days riding today. It was actually cold for the first couple of hours, and I had to stop and change gloves, and rug up a bit. OK the vegetation is fairly ordinary, but there are usually some spectacular mountains in the background, the impact varying a little, depending on how the light just happens to strike them. Very reminiscent of the Flinders Ranges at home. Am I getting homesick or what? Anyway, back to work. Just by the by, I have seen some interesting roadkill lately. Lots of armadillos in Texas, and in the last couple of days, coyotes. One in particular had a whole flock of about 10 buzzards helping to recycle it. And they were really annoyed about me trying to ride right on past. I thought coyotes were a bit like dingos, you know, supposed to be too smart to get hit by a truck. Then again, Wile E Coyote was always getting belted by something, so maybe not.
So anyway, very little traffic until I got to the outskirts of El Paso, which did look really crappy from this direction. One thing that was impossible to miss was the Army base at Fort Bliss. Bliss? I didn't think it looked that good personally, but holey moley, what a size! I reckon it took me half an hour just to drive past the place. No sooner had I done that, than I was driving through their massive training area, this time being buzzed by Apache attack helicopters. They even stop the traffic at certain points so the convoys of humvees and trucks can cross the highway. Come to think of it, it does look a bit like Iraq around here. A bit further on there is a missile range, and after that, yet another Air Force base, with a bombing range. And of course, then you hit another Border Security checkpoint, just to make sure you are not Mexican. Further up the road there is the White Sands National Monument, and further still, the site of the first detonation, although this is well off the road, and not accessible. Not that I wanted to get that close. Somehow, I don't think they care if the Mexicans sneak through this area, but not even Mexicans would be game to leave the roads around these parts.
Cariozozo and Socorro both look as though they are struggling a bit. But nonetheless even here in obsole-aville I did manage to find a 2007 Wolf Blass Yellow Label Shiraz Cabernet on the shelves of the local supermarket in Socorro. How civilized is that? If you are a grape, this is one of the nicest thing that can happen to you. This wondrous elixir is made about 40 miles from where I live, and it is sold cheaper here in New Mexico than I can buy it at home. How does that work?? I know life isn't fair, but this really sucks!
Which reminds me, one of the things I really enjoy about being in the US is visiting supermarkets. I get a real buzz from looking at all the stuff on the shelves that I've never heard of before. Half the time, I just try to work out what the hell it is. Some of it turns up at home eventually. F'rinstance, right here in Socorro, I was totally unaware that there are so many things you can do with chilli peppers and all the derivatives there from. But after my experience in Lockhart, I ain't going near any of them. And the number of weird things you can (or can't) buy for breakfast is totally outside my orbit, being a muesli guy, but hey, vive la difference. Rest assured I will talk at great length about obesity in a future diatribe. But right now gotta go, Wolfie is calling. Mmmmmm, lucky me.
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