Day 1 Lordsburg, New Mexico

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In the wayback machine, for me that would be the mid-70’s, a stop in Lordsburg was pretty fun. There was a swinging Mexican food joint on the road through town. Stopping there was an event – a great break from the dusty summer travels. Then I-10 became what it is today and now this town is just sad. People just don’t leave the interstate. Even the Kentucky Fried Chicken joint and the Valero Gas Station have dried up and nearly blown away. It doesn’t seem that the young and those able to make a change can avoid the lure of getting on that same killing interstate to find somewhere else. We stubbornly continue to stop in Lordsburg for a meal. If we could find any, we’d get gas there too. For an army that travels on its stomach, Kranberries is a pretty good stop in L’burg. Homemade green chile stew and pie – what could be more close to the border American?

Tucson to Lordsburg always seems like a long haul, but it’s just the preparation for the slower, long haul to Lordsburg to Silver City. Silver City is a quaint arty-4rty town that doesn’t seem to be doing so well after the financial crash of the oughts. Some folks are hanging tough, but it looks like a tough living to make. I wonder what all of the young people are doing to survive in these small towns – I guess they are getting on the nearest interstate and moving to the larger towns and cities.



First night camping –just east of Silver City. We didn’t make it as far as planned but we got to about 6000’. Lovely and cool after our hot, humid nights in Tucson. Monsoon storms in the distance, active cells with lots of high desert lightening. Love sleeping in the turtle – the camper is a small insulated world. After a couple of nights it seems enormous and I will wonder why I need more space to be happy. So quiet.

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