Wife wants to go visit NM....What should we know prior to going? All thoughts appreciated..

All thoughts?

Most of the state is a chit show.

What part of the state and when?

I like tacos.


Anybody know how to make them?

Take a left at Albuquerque.

That's all folks.

Time of year and your interests?

Food, try / enjoy the New Mexico green "hatch" chili's
They are slightly spicy and very tasty.

See the Gila area, it's a unique eco system with lots of elk.

Avoid the city slums, New Mexico has some crime problems.
Breaking Bad isn't just a fictional TV show.

If you are interested in the South West (American) Indian culture, there is no better place than New Mexico.

I was in Raton once. NRA Whittington Center - based on that, I'd go there again. Nice scenery.

Pot or kettle?

White Sands, Gila Cliff Dwellings, Bosque Del Apache are a few of the places you could visit.

Things you should know: towing a camper a long ways is a bad idea. Women like motel sex. Eating at restaurants is fun. Recipe for tacos is take $20, give to taco truck, eat tacos. Otherwise Idk. I don't know anything about new Mexico. Have fun.

Adobe Deli that is in the boonies by Deming is worth the trip. Try the Rib eye.

There used to be a stretch of highway north of Cuba you didn't want to mess around on.

Kent

Best like green or red chili pepper on most everything. I do.

ALB, I have heard, has lots of crime. I would pick you up from the airport, but I misplaced my vehicle.

Santa Fe, to many libs.

Gallup, if the world needed an enema the tube would be inserted at Gurley street.

Las Cruces, see first sentence. Also at the other end of the most boring straightest section of road in the world, see below

Deming, at the other end of the most boring straightest road in the world, see above

T or C, go swimming in Elephant Butte, just be ready to wring sand out of your shorts. Have hot springs but most it is pay by the hour.

Hatch, see first sentence.

Las Alamos, to many gmen

Roswell, besides aliens (the ones from way out there) not much else, OH wait it is south of Billy the Kids supposed grave site on I40

Grants, I think I found my vehicle there

Farmington, not a single thing comes to mind

Silver City, I use a gun smith there

Lordsburg, it sits between Silver and Deming

Edgewood, Jason Andersons hometown

Pie Town, piñon and red chili pie, who came up with that combination?

Quemado, campfire get together, have a uncle in the cemetery, RIP. Has a 1200 yard (at least) range.

Palomas, across the border from a popular dentist and the pink store

Great place to visit!

Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta is October 7-15th 2023.

New Mexico State Fair is September 7-15th 2023.

Or you can go to the Inn of the Mountain Gods at the Mescalaro Apache Reservation and go skiing later this year.

Andele’s Dog House in Cruces is pretty damn good.

No one wants to see Billy the Kid?

I grew up there and just spent 6 weeks hiking south to north through it.

It’s a stunningly gorgeous place; not all of it, but most of it. That said it’s got some real issues. It’s way to complex to go into here, and this isn’t the right place anyway to try to converse about anything serious. PM me if you want. But the short of it is, it’s a deeply complex, old, place, culturally. It hasn’t gone well for some of these cultures. Yes to the notion that Cuba and north of there is not a place to screw around acting, I dunno, entitled. On the other hand I had the best chile rellenos of my whole trip in Cuba.

Northern NM is often what you’d expect of Colorado, which makes sense as it’s the southern Rockies. The exception being the Farmington area. I’d say just avoid that.

Southern NM is a mixed bag. There’s some very genuine hardcore desert; I know, I just hiked it. If you are adventurous and physically able I’d say check out the Gila. Use Doc Campbells as a jump-off point and head up the Middle Fork canyon. I’ll put a pic below. Beyond stunning.

If you are car-touring exclusively the Gila is worth breezing through but you’ll just be on the edge of it and it’s way out of the way unless you are headed towards the Chiracawa’s in SE Arizona or something (also awesome). I’d focus on northern NM if I was car touring.

I know a lot about NM and will gladly give up some secrets in private conversation. Have a great trip. Oh- red or green, correct answer is green. And someone said Hatch chile can be mildly spicy. That’s true, but it can also be ferociously spicy! But nobody is gonna spring a surprise on you that way. If you are there in the fall, there will be folks roasting chiles in barrels at the roadside and the smell is divine.

Gallup on a Saturday night.

I've been told the gun laws can vary wildly. Be OK with the way you're transporting in one area & enter some reservation lands & realize a whole new set of laws.

Best to do your own research on that.

It's a damn shame you didn't fall off a cliff.

Its where RVs and mobile homes go to die.

Born and raised in NM

You may want to narrow down your question

What time of year?
Just being a tourist?
Outdoor activities?
Whole state is in the mix or where are you gonna be?

Bought some roadside tamales on the Rez from an old Navajo woman.
They would have been better if she had skinned the cat before cooking.

first world technology with a third world government.
but then again its citizens are all victims and they've voted democrat in response.

Used to "High Point" with the family. (i.e. highest point in each state is called "Highpointing"... you can Google it).

Wheeler Peak is 13,000'+... so be in shape. Also go AM early... afternoon thunderstorms can get really dangerous.

Less adventurous? The drive on 456 to Kenton, OK (High Point of OK) is beautiful. OK is an easy High Point.

Northeast NM is a place I could live for sure.

I live here and would be happy to assist you. Feel free to PM me. Bottom line, there is lots to do and some places to absolutely avoid.

Unappreciated genius.

I've heard Animas is awesome.

Chili Line Cafe in Tres Piedras is awesome… Taos is for starving artists and Californians… Artsy Fartsy so to speak… If you like fishing, try the lakes in the Carson NF. 4 wheelers can drive the roads in Carson… Lots of cool spots to visit, like the Rio Grande canyon…. Saw bighorn sheep on the cliffs, and the aftermath of some DS that jumped…

Been here since 1978. Delaware basin oilfield is the biggest producer of oil and gas in the USA. That’s why we have all these transplants here. Oh yeah we have Green Chile too.

No one like Carlsbad Caverns huh?

Los Alamos is worth a trip if you found Oppenheimer interesting.

I was about to ask that.
Wife and I went there many years ago. We thought very interesting.

I like New Mexico, in 59 Explorer Scout trip, and on our honeymoon trip.

OP, these guys laid out the tourist traps and some good eats. Otherwise your parameters are still too vague.

It’s been 25 years since I’ve been to NM. I spent about seven months drifting around the northern part of the state. I have no idea what the rest of the state has to offer but Santa Fe and especially Taos were pretty cool with beautiful scenery.

Obviously big lefty hippie communities. Plenty of older hippies at that time in Santa Fe and plenty of younger ones in Taos. Take your pick but they didn’t bother anyone. I couldn’t disagree more with their politics but if anything they were friendly and personable. I spent a decent amount of time on the mesa’s around Taos.

Some canyons, with a mix of high plains mostly sagebrush desert. Mountains, wildlife, caves and hot springs above the Rio Grande. Ranton NM to Trinidad CO rivals just about anywhere for scenic views.

Los Alamos and shiprock are our two biggies...maybe up in Taos and Santa Fe....I spent 9 days in Artesia 15 years ago and a few hours in Roswell.....don't need to go there again!
Thanks for the thoughts.

and if you have to ask, a better answer is "Christmas".

Then you'll know which you like better.

If it’s a drive through type visit. Drive the enchanted circle, Taos to Angel Fire, Eagle Nest, Red River, Questa back to Taos. Drive up from Espanola to Taos and you’re driving along the Rio.

Texas Reds in Red River has pretty good steaks.

Take HWY 4 from San Ysidro to Los Alamos and visit the Valle Caldera. This drive could easily be incorporated into the above if starting off from Albuquerque.

Lot of options if you give a little more on interests.

Yes it is, neat place.

The World’s Longest Tram as well, not mentioned…

Do either of you climb rock?

If so, I just helped a friend who runs a climbing school in Taos by giving some hand crack climbing instruction. Loads of nice rock around there, though you have to go up out of the valley to get to it. There isn't a lot bolted or even named routes, and not many other climbers most of the year.

Anyway here is a very nice overhanging crack that starts in a creek and runs for 600 yards before you have to traverse to another crack above it, that goes another 600 almost to a local summit. Both cracks will hold cams the entire way, so safe but your belay will need to be a ways off so bring plenty of rope. But you can stand in the creek and grab it to ascend.

Only 2 miles off the road too, on private land but getting a permit is just phone call and a $5 "donation".



If you don't climb my only suggestion is to go to White Sands then hit a bar in Alamogordo. Get drunk and drive (NM tradition) up to Cloudcroft. The contrast in scenery will make you think you were abducted by aliens and they took you to another planet (also a NM tradition).

What time of year do you want to go?

Ruidoso, Capitan, Lincoln area has some neat history and scenery.

Ruidoso area has lots to do. Inn of the Mountain Gods Casino Resort; gambling dining, golf, small zip line, shops, dining, etc.

Ruidoso proper; shops, dining, go cart, mini golf, hiking, horse race track during season.(home of the richest quarter horse race) Elk and deer will be roaming the residential areas.

Ski Apache; nice drive up, lots of overlooks, zip line during off ski season. Will probably see elk if you go in the evening.

Even better when you have ibex blood on your hands.

It is what you make of it. The VLA is cool to see once. The Gran quivira is cool along with other ruins in the state.
Cimarron has a lot of history
You can watch young guns 1 &2 then come see where it all happened in Lincoln.
Same with breaking bad I guess.
Long stretches of highway with hole in the wall places in between.

Locals and tourists often have different ideas about what is interesting. I spend some time in NM and have family there, but I suppose I am more like a tourist.

I like Santa Fe. It's got a good solid food culture with some pretty good restaurants. In the summer the opera plays. You don't even have to be an opera fan to enjoy the open air venue. The opera goers tailgate in the parking lot before the show. Beer, bbq and the works. Hearing the song of the coyotes is bonus. https://www.santafeopera.org/

The Plaza in the old part of town is pretty cool. There are often good festivals there. Women enjoy hitting the shops. Hyde State Park up on the mountain to the east of Santa Fe is a nice drive with some good hiking there. In the fall the apsens put on a nice show. https://www.emnrd.nm.gov/spd/find-a-park/hyde-memorial-state-park/

Chama is pretty cool. The train ride is well worth taking. It winds through some absolutely picturesque places. https://cumbrestoltec.com/

I love the drive from Clayton to Raton. Antelope are everywhere and Capulin is worth the visit as well from what I have heard. I have seen it but not been to it.

A sleeper of a good drive is from Tucumcari to Las Vegas along 104. Between Tucumcari and Conchas Lake there are some antelope. Once you get closer to Las Vegas, Elk aren't uncommon. Both the Raton and Las Vegas drives following good rains are stunningly pretty. The grass greens up and it looks like a well manicured golf course for as far as the eye can see.

The ladies will appreciate Ojo Caliente Spa https://ojosparesorts.com/

I have been across much of the state, and while there are plenty of things to interest people all over, the northeast corner is most interesting to me. The plains in the far east, the Rockies and what I call high desert provide for a lot of diversity.

October/November maybe.....
no rock climbing we be old farts so car riding is all....did the walking around stuff 15 years ago....

Sparky's in Hatch.

The Owl in San Antonio.

Green chile cheeseburgers!

Haven’t been that fortunate….Yet.

Lots of history in your country. Ever go to the dances at No Scum Allowed? Some friends go and say it’s a pretty good time?

If it’s early October, I’d definitely think about the Enchanted Circle drive.

Just got back day before yesterday. The state has the mentioned issues but is beautiful. We went from Las Cruces up past Sana Fe. Stayed In Ruidoso, Alamogordo, Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Ghost Ranch (ultra liberal in my view but gorgeous), and Glorieta. Wonderful vistas! More practical is there is a ten round limit on magazines, few places off limit. Crime may be rampant but stay out of the bigger cities, we had no problem other than elevation, I live at 400 feet and should have carried some oxygen with me. Heat... 112 in Las Cruces, ouch! Hatch chilies were being roasted many places and smelled delightful, if only I liked them. I like New Mexico a lot and will return.

I was concerned for my ass virginity at a McDonalds in Albuquerque one time.
I had to step over a passed out bum in the foyer and then I suddenly realized I was the only 'normal' person in there.....they were looking at me like I was more than just a piece of meat.

If you remember, I told you to leave the skirts at home and let the hair on your legs grow out for a while.

True - the reservations have their own laws.
Although I've been over much of the state, if you want to know about the Northeast part, PM me for my phone #.
I'll answer any questions I can.

In 1997 I stopped in the Visitor Center at Tucumcari. This was before we carried phones with us that told us everything. I grabbed a visitors guide and saw that the state had 14,000’ mountains and set off on that exact route.
We camped at Storrie Lake State Park and toured the area. Fell in love with it and spent a lot of time in the northeast part of the state.
I’m pretty sure Longmire was filmed in Las Vegas NM.
I’m long overdue for a trip back out there!

The Los Alamos area can be interesting, scientifically and otherwise - someone earlier laid out a road trip near there - good advice. But, why is Shiprock a biggie? Not on most agendas.

Some of the best things to see and do in NM are far apart - in different areas of a large state. Those asking about time/place/interest are trying to be helpful.

Until recently, we lived in the Gila National Forest for 21 years and it was beyond fabulous for us. Most of the "Gila" in SW New Mexico is great for those who are heavily into outdoor life and grand vistas.

We worked hard at trying to explore the best of NM and found a lot to enjoy, but very little of that was in cities. Some locations are lowdown bad.

[quote=SLM]Haven’t been that fortunate….Yet.

Lots of history in your country. Ever go to the dances at No Scum Allowed? Some friends go and say it’s a pretty good time?

[quote=

You know what, we haven’t been but I hear it’s a damn good time too. I need to talk the little lady into going some time.

There is tons of history all over this country. I rack my brain daily trying to figure out why did they settle here or what route they took to get from point A to B and how hard would it have been by wagon. The cool thing about Lincoln is it’s really relatively unchanged. No convenient stores, modern restaurants etc.

Albuquerque is a weird town that probably isn’t on anyone’s radar of places to visit.

The locals called liquor stores bars and had a goofy anti bar law that required standing outside filling out a clipboard full of info and paying a fee in order to be “a member of a club” before being allowed into a bar that almost always sucked and was a few older guys drinking and a bunch of junkies just outside of the door.

Pretty sure there is no capacity limit in NM. They were trying for 9, but I believe it failed.

From what I’ve seen of NM, is can be a very pretty state from a geography perspective but the towns are mostly a total dumpster fire. I’ve always wanted to explore the NM Rockies more, but every time I drive through the state I’m ready to leave.

The rougher the neighborhood the better the tacos

I could only imagine. Dodging drunks all night. Ate well at Ella's in Reserve NM many times.

I carried a Glock 43 the whole length of NM this spring. I know open carry is legal there; I didn’t look into mag limits as my little backpacking gun only holds 6 + 1. I bought my first real gun in ABQ in the late 70’s as a teenager. Not even sure I had to show an ID. Had that rifle behind the seat of my truck all through high school. How times have changed. Ugh.

NM is a complex place. Those who know, know what I mean. I’m not going into it too deep here. If ever there was a place to keep front-of-mind that other folks can be living in a whole other cultural reality than yours, yet be just as American as you are, it’s there. The town I grew up in has the oldest church in North America. The place (NM) is just steeped in history, much of it very dark. I can and have taken people to places, just random-seeming places in the desert, where you are literally crunching along on the shards of those who came before you. In NM, almost unique in this way, many of those cultures are still more or less intact, albeit not always thriving. It’s heavy. It’s real. It’s gorgeous. It’s New Mexico.

The Four Corners area is nice.

The climate is great



The political climate, not so much

People are fleeing to red states in droves.

Sad

Oh so you grew up in Santa Fe. Explains why you are a homo.

That being said, I'll agree with you that it is a unique landscape and a very spiritual land once you leave the cities behind, as well as being an incredibly complex land. I lived there from the age of two until I was 15 or 16. Went back every summer until I graduated high school. It is truly the Land and Enchantment. It just takes time to see.

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

Anybody know of any good places to eat ?

No, I did not grow up in Santa Fe.

Where did you live from 2 to 15?

Yes!

Outside of Rio Rancho. I had grandparents who lived outside of Roswell in Chavez county. I have family in Gran Quivira, Hobbs, outside of Las Cruces. One rich uncle who married a Pueblo chick in Taos.

Thanks. I grew up in Socorro, not far south of you. I was just in the ABQ a couple months ago, after our big hike. It’s still a shïthole, haha. Lived there for some years, going to UNM.

“Outside” of Rio Rancho could be a double wide on the mesa

Can you be more specific?

When were you at UNM?

Thank you, I'm always willing to learn.

One of the non res properties close to Loma Barbon. Small house.

Still love going to Dion's, Rudy's and Whataburger. Best Mexican place in ABQ is Monroe's. My picture is on the wall. Sadie's is pretty good too.

Well, c’mon. Narrow the question a little. Good places to eat WHERE? Or did I miss an earlier post.

Go away.

Funny. The banner ad at the top of the screen is suddenly for some New Mexico something or the other.

“They are watching” lol

No.

A favorite drive in SE NM coming up from Texas is from the high plains of Artesia west 90 miles to Cloudcroft (9,000 ft). From Cloudcroft you can look down on White Sands and the Organ Mts 50 miles out.

Comfortable lodging to be had in town, nice campgrounds with showers in the adjacent Lincoln National Forest.

Beautiful 30 mile drive from there across the Mescalero Reservation to Mescalero : Pine forests, high mountain meadows, elk in the road at night. The Mescalero Rez ain’t like many, at least the parts you need to cross, never had a problem there over forty years of visiting.

The Silver Lake Campground/RV park on the Rez en route is a quiet and pleasant stay, many repeat clientele, mostly from El Paso.

The Mescalero Apache Mission just outside the town of Mescalero is among the nicer churches I’ve seen, 30 years in the making with a real story behind its construction.



From there the tourist town of Ruidoso is just over the mountain. Lots of comfortable places to stay or, more upscale, Inn of the Mountain Gods resort on the rez.

OTOH if ya wanna camp primitive at 11,000+ feet and get nosebleeds take the Ski Apache road up Sierra Blanca.

Other side of Ruidoso lies the Smokey Bear museum and gravesite (allegedly, local rumor has it Indian firefighters hopped the wall and stole the bones one night). Capitan is a quiet town with a nice old motel and a good restaurant.

A little ways further down the road is Lincoln and the Billy the Kid museum.

Well there's an obscure reference.

Who the hell is Jason Anderson

"El Hombre"
Motocross racer / supercross champion

People drive through on I-40, think they've seen New Mexico.

We're I a stranger wanting to explore on wheels, I'd drive all the forest roads in all the mountains I could each day, then find good eats in the small towns at night, have a beer, talk to the locals.

If you like architecture and history, just finding really cool old churches could be a thing, without even bothering with the big, well-known ones. Also some cool Pueblo ruins scattered about.

Where New Mexico truly shines is off the beaten path.

This.

Please tell the rest of California and Texas this so they stop coming here in such high numbers.

Politics suck but there is absolutely great food, history, breweries, and outdoor sights.

Right about Ella's. But, health caused Ella to move to lower elevation. Someone else took it over and kept the name going - was still good food when last I was there - 2022.

Right about Gallup, too. Always kept driving through there and through Shiprock as well - Cortez a welcome sight.

Adam's Rib in Chicago has great BBQ...

Per Hawkeye

Albuquerque

Atomic museum
Sandia peak cable car



Santa fe

Georgia okeefe
Taos pueblo

LRoy,

I've heard there are some really great Italian restaurants:

Trombino's
Saggios
Mario's
Buca di Beppo
M'Tucci's
Caruso's
Bravo!
Scalo
II Vicino
Piatanzi
Farina Alto
Luigi's
Luca

That's about all though.

Well ok. Lots of things are too late for lots of people.

At my wife's request we drove down to Santa Fe to spend part of a day on "museum hill". If you have any interest in that sort of thing there is a bit of SW native art in one of them, a good native history spread in another, and a nice botanical garden to walk around in full of local plants, all in the same complex. Also a "folk art" museum that was not at all to my taste but I did a decent job of pretending to be interested.

That whole area was absolutely crammed with boomers so might be a good fit. Herds of them.

Later, not far away, we ate excellent red chili sauce on some mexican food.

Santa Fe was already becoming Disney-fied when I first went there as a kid in the early/mid 70’s. I shudder to think now. I was actually just there, about a month+ ago, but I had just taken a bus down from Ghost Ranch and was catching a train to the ABQ and didn’t have time (or desire) to hit Santa Fe proper.

The Santa Fe/ Taos area got overrun by pretend-artsy (mostly) east coasters in the 70’s and really wrecked it. I don’t need to see some New York heiress parading around in faux Native American garb. Yuck.

I like the terrain in the Taos area. The mix of people is all right by me, since I consider the self delusions of art hippies to be pretty harmless. Outside town there are more lots crowded with dilapidated RVs and school buses and mobile homes than I care to be around, but also fairly harmless.

Now that reefer is legal in NM I think it has drawn in a lot of longhairs. Lot more here now than I remember from previous visits.

It is my understanding that the mag limit was stalled in committee and didn't pass. Of course, MLG vowed to bring it back next session.

Wonder of they still deliver.
I was thinking Italian...


Good list, thanks

Anybody ever been to "Pisanos" in Albequerqe ?

I bought legal weed in Cuba a couple months ago and it made my day. After spending my teen years dodging getting popped by cops <grin> it was awesome to be back there and walk into a store like a free man. Hell yeah. Let freedom RING.

Was it you mentioning climbing? There’s an area down near Socorro we used to party at called Box Canyon that I guess has become a bit of a thing. I didn’t start climbing until I’d moved to Oregon.

If so, probably not more than once.

Got kicked out of Uncle Bills for falling asleep at booth. Not passed out, just nodded off. Me and my 2 buddies too lol.

Yes, and I've climbed at Box a few times. We didn't go this visit, never got south of Santa Fe, but I heard it has gotten really popular. Good technical routes and a lot of bouldering from what I remember.

Potato Canyon is not far from there. My wife climbed the Big Potato when we stopped a few years ago.

I was always eying the cracks in the Gila canyon this spring, though the rock itself seemed janky there. I used to love crack climbing. Still have a lot of my pro from back then. It started screwing up my hands, and I’m a guitar player so I let it go. My youngest daughter has gotten really into it; she just led her first climbs at I believe Smith Rocks recently… might have been City of Rocks. I led my only 5.11 (as far as leading) at City of Rocks… that was a long time ago.

I heard the rock at Box Canyon is kinda slick, which is how I remember it. Basalt? We used to scramble around there, but mostly, it was a teen party spot. First time I did anything with a rope was in the Sandias when I was going to UNM.

I haven’t seen that spire. That’s near Socorro?!

Edit: googled it. South of Magnelena. Never saw that! Very cool.

Rhyolite, which is pretty much the same as Basalt. From memory most of the routes don't require much gear it is all pretty well bolted. A handful of quickdraws and a few cams would cover the whole thing.

This is a pretty spire in the Middle Fork Gila canyon.

I only have a few hero shots from climbing, back in the day, and my hair was good & long so I’m not posting them <g>.

Remember they had a posting in side about the place being available because of health reasons. Always amazed me the number of natives walking or riding bikes north on the highway, 666 it used to be 491 now. last there 2019, drew tags many years ,lot different now.

I've lived on either side of NM my whole life and know the state well and spend a ton of time there. On average it's turned into a [bleep], moreso than my own state. Just spent the wknd there and will this wknd too...

Small towns folks are great but damn the folks invading them are epic.

I think they just call it Billy's Bar now. Still thriving.

Been many, many places across the world - have seen a lot - to have lived in the Gila all of those years was the best by comparison. We called our place Casi Cielo.

If God had meant for men to eat tacos..

Seems N.M. is about like Ca., a wonderful, beautiful piece of land with a politician problem.

True of so many places, like Colorado, Oregon or even Australia, but tourists should generally spend most of their time away from the major cities, politicians and druggies. Enjoy this "Land of Enchantment" one-on-one, out in the country. New Mexico is the 5th largest state in land mass but 45th in population density, meaning that you can get rural and scenic quickly once you get away from the cities. If you get lonely or seek crowded roads, spend some time in Albuquerque, where there are almost a million people, nearly half the state's population. The aerial tramway to the top of the Sandia Crest is an experience that is worth the bother that ABQ poses.

On the other hand, NM has original wilderness areas, amazing food and culture, intriguing historical places, casino gambling, horse racing, balloon rallies, hang gliders, marijuana dispensaries, chili roasting, ghost towns, museums of every imagination, ski areas, art shows, fishing, birding and hunting, the Spaceport, hot springs, Trinity site, narrow gauge railroad, exotic wildlife, Philmont, rock climbing, volcanos and lava flows, White Sands, the site of the Lincoln County Wars/Billy the Kid Country, the site of Pancho Villa's raid on Columbus, huge bosques (marshy areas with tons of ducks, geese, cranes during migrations), roadside geology, restored forts on the Santa Fe Trail, big forests, large deserts, petroglyphs, Smokey Bear's park and grave, Area 51, Pietown, whitewater rafting, wine tastings and festivals, big ranches, Pueblos and Chaco Canyon, Air force drones, Carlsbad Caverns, big dairies, National Grasslands, ancient ruins and cliff dwellings, huge pecan and pistachio orchards. . and more.

You might also see long desolate stretches of highway with no services, incredible poverty, dust storms, dangerous cities, colonias, crazy weather swings, junk yards, Indian reservations, illegal aliens, wildfires, drunk drivers, hippie camps, gang graffiti and abandoned businesses, but that cannot be your focus.

Chose your agenda by the calendar OR just divide the state into quadrants and hit the high points in all four regions, no matter what season it may be. I have made Nuevo Mexico home for nearly 30 years and I don't know if I will live long enough to see all the amazing sites and sights. I'm trying!

PM me for specifics or hit the Googlesphere when you have the time.