Ruidoso

 

This week I went to Ruidoso,NM. It's a city that's about 220 miles west of Lubbock, up in the mountains.  Cool air, trees, fresh air.  It was good.

I'd been there one time before. Many years ago my boss Elizabeth & her husband, the adorable LR, lived in an RV at a KOA park here in Lubbock but their real home was in Ruidoso.  We had a Christmas party up there one year.  I remember it being very nice.  I didn't remember much & did not drive so this trip was almost a new experience.

I found the hotel on Travelocity for a good rate & I essentially won the hotel lottery. Less than one block away was the main street of shops.  Some were closed because they mostly do weekend business but many were open.  Lots of friendly people for sure.  I made a huge deal about shopping but I really didn't buy much. I didn't think much about it but I was really just a tourist.  I bought a t shirt because I loved the color & I like wearing Ts with shorts.  I bought a mug, mostly because I loved the shape & colors.  And I bought a keyring to go with the other charms on my current ring of cities I've been to.

And I bought a bubble something or other that was coconut juice with little bubbles filled with tropical flavored coconut meat.  It was very good though very sweet. I'm glad I had it but probably don't need another.

It was a good walk for sure.

I was carrying a shopping bag with Texas Tech Basketball on it & met a guy in one of the stores who told me his dad played for Tech back in the 50s.  I looked him up.  I gave his son the bag.  I bought a bag with the NM state symbol to replace it. 

Wednesday afternoon I went to Inn of the Mountain Gods to the casino but they mugged me.  Then I had a hamburger that listed as one ingredient "government cheese" which I found humorous.  I found the burger icky tasting.

Inn of the Mountain Gods

Lake at the Inn of the Mountain Gods.

Then I drove to a city about 30 miles away called Tularosa to buy a ristra for my front porch. Along the road, I needed gas & thought they would be a station soon.  I finally got to a town called Mescalero, which is on the Mescalero Apache reservation.  Roads were closed & I managed to get lost in a town that was actually small.  Not lost exactly but I could see a gas station & couldn't figure out how to get there from the wrong side of the highway.  I stopped and asked a nice young man named Wheeler who aked for a ride over to the station.  We had only a short encounter but he was very nice.  He was tribe member.  I wanted to ask questions but not enough time.

One of the cool things on the Mescalero road is that the retaining walls was divided into panels & each one had a wonderful mural painted on it.  Not graffiti but true murals.  So much talent.

I found the ristra man easily & the ristra is gorgeous. Sadly for me, I passed a place coming out of town that had way more choices but it was closed when I went by so I'm glad I got the 1st one.  I'd come in a different way so I did not see the stand coming in.  Next time I'll know.

New Ristra

It was a long enough trip for me.  I like being there but getting there is not my favorite.  Long road trips alone wear me down & airports are even worse right now.