Goodbye, Columbus (Columbus, New Mexico)

End of the line?

"This must have been a jail," explained Captain Obvious.

Single?

Or the family suite?

Old hotel.

The wind finally blew us out of Columbus, but not far out.

Door in Palomas, Chihuahua

 

Same door in Palomas

Pancho Villa

Goodbye, Columbus. [Pancho Villa State Park, New Mexico]

I really like Rockhound State Park, and had a wonderful time last time I was here. This time, circumstances were just a little off, so I moved on quickly to Pancho Villa State Park. I had it in my head that that was my real destination, so I didn't fight it.

Pancho Villa S.P. had a friendly vibe last time I was here (March 2014), and it didn't disappoint me this time. Sparsely populated right now, probably because no one can stand upright outdoors. It was so windy I had to take down my butt-tent and sleep hardshell like a common Yellowstone visitor.

Carol, from Diary of an Adventurous Lady, is full of energy, and her blog is always upbeat. It was so cold a body could freeze waiting for water to boil, and she made sure to intercept me to invite me in for coffee. She travels in a drool-worthy Chinook ("Jeremiah").

David (Pleinguy) is in his second year of full-timing in his peppy red-and-white Lazy Daze ("Tardis"). We got to chat over enchiladas.

Frank doesn't blog, or email. In fact, he only turns his phone on two times a week. He has been full-timing since 1999 in his silver cargo van ("______").

You'll want to visit the Pink Store in Palomas. You'll probably want to enjoy a margarita. WARNING: just because they're cheap doesn't mean they're weak. Later you'll shop, and realize the margaritas weren't "cheap" after all.















Tonight I'm in Truth or Consequences. Tomorrow, back to Datil. I really only intended to be gone for two days; I should have brought more underwear.

Pancho Villa State Park: now with more owls!

Emmylou Harris was probably not singing about Pancho Villa. I'm as disappointed as you are. Luckily, you didn't suffer the humiliation of asking.




It was brisk this morning before sunrise, and my usual cold latte didn't appeal; I set out to find the hot version in Columbus on a Monday morning.

It was after 9 before I was in leaveable condition, and I headed to Martha's Place: not open.

To the American Legion: they serve coffee until 9.

Patio Café: not open.

Another disappointed breakfaster pointed me toward La Casita. By then, I recognized that he was speaking English and I understood "blahblahblahcoffee." This place was the most fun you can have before noon. The lady who greeted me spoke no English, and somehow I was immediately drinking coffee.

She asked me, in Spanish, if I speak any Spanish (enough to get coffee), because she spoke no Inglés.

¿No comer?

¡Si, huevos!  [If I had known how to say "vegan" I would have starved.]

[Some words I didn't understand, but I think they meant "soon someone will come to bring you eggs."And they did.]

Speaking of getting up owly for eggs ...

Owlivia is setting on eggs.

Owliver is guarding them with one eye.

Bisbee, and heading out of Arizona.

Most of my visit to Bisbee this time was involved with eating massaged kale and drinking Americanos while holding leaves to the plate, hats to the head, and coffees to the cup. I took off my hat, threw in the kale, coffee, and muffin and put it back on. You can't fight Mother Nature. She had her blow on in southern Arizona yesterday, and there was nothing to do but hide.

But, last time I was in Bisbee - oh! what a day! So, go look at that day.

I saw a lot of these signs, and being a small subset of "everyone," I went on in.

There is a fiber shop here now. That means yarn.

Art School, I think.

I meant to have an occupied booth as the subject, but I was made and had to cheese it.

I took 80 into New Mexico. I took a chance on the Chiricahua Desert Museum's bathroom, and it paid off. I wasn't in the mood for a long stop, but another time I would pay the $8.50 and go into the museum.

I've been reading Blue Highways, by William Least Heat-Moon, and jumped at the chance to go through Hachita. It seems different. I drove down a couple of the streets for a weird feeling. I didn't take pictures there on accounta the weird feeling.

 

These are right on NM9.

I'm loving New Mexico state parks again. I'm gazing off into the lights of Palomas, Chihuahua. Or an airport - who can tell? The full moon is reading the blog over my shoulder. My electric blanket is toasting me up. Life is ... naw, better than that.