Ruidoso and then back to my South Fork free dispersed campsite.

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Saturday August 13 Ruidoso and then back to my free dispersed camping campsite in the Lincoln National Forest , South Fork campground area.
I had a full day in Ruidoso. I went to the Hubbard Museum of the American West which was supposed to have a display of Western Paintings but it had been canceled to my great disappointment, Then the Billy the Kid Visitor Center which has a museum on the Lincoln County wars, and the Ruidoso River museum which has a floor of exhibits on the Lincoln County Wars as well as other exhibits on other floors and outside.
Then I went to one of the Casino’s here to see if they had a good buffet but they didn’t so I left.
After that I drove up to the top of the 10,000 feet Montjea Lookout. It had a very rough and rocky road going up and in most places I was in 1st gear. On the top I had to stop and get my breath back about 3 times from the parking lot to the Ranger fire observation tower on top but I made it.
I took such a long time up there getting my breath bank and then just enjoying the view that some Germans or Austrians who had passed me on their way down while I was getting my breath back came back up to see if I was OK. That was nice of them.
I had planned on camping on top of the mountain but decided I might get altitude sickness so came back down……..in 1st gear all the way.
I went back to the free dispersed camping at South Fork in the Lincoln Forest and camped for the night. About 8:30 it started raining so hard I became concerned that the stream may flash flood and so tossed some of my stuff in the back of the truck; abandoned the rest for the night (instead of gathering them up in the cold rain) and drove up the hill for the night. In the morning I drove back down and retrieved my very wet things.

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Photos

Campsite
My campsite in the dispersed campground of the South Fork Campground in the Lincoln Natinal forest

cross over the stream
To reach the free dispersed camping after you pass the commercial and paid use public campgrounds you go in and out of the public land and then in again till you cross over the stream here

The Ruidoso River Museum
This museum has a section on the Lincoln County Wars as well as some other sections.

Montjea Lookout parking lot
There is a large parking lot at the top of Montjea Lookout which I could have overnight parked in but at over 10,000 ft I thought I might get altitude sickness if I stayed up there that long, so I came back down......in 1st gear because of the slope and rocky road. I had to keep my speed around 10 mph to keep from tearing up my tires and front end.

Montjea Lookout
I drove to the top of the Montjea Lookout and it was a pretty rough and steep road, some in first gear. The final climb to the tower was rough at over 10,000 feet as well. This is the ranger fire lookout tower about 100 yards hike uphill from the parking lot.