We left Roswell at 0800, we don't have that far to go as we are still doing Tucson in 2 days instead of one. We headed out on the road in front of our mo'tel that we came in on, the highway usually runs down the street with mo'tels on either side so the premise was sound.

We kept going and going with the 70 marker appearing from time to time to reassure us. The speed limit signs started increasing, again a positive sign you are leaving town, then we came to the airport, yet another indicator of being on the outskirts.

Then we entered the New Mexico Military Academy and the whole plan went awry! We turned around as we were not entering the Academy! For starters, I don't like haircuts! Or marching, standing at attention or authority figures. Or push-ups for that matter. I am guessing there are a lot of push-ups done at a Military Academy!

We did a quick nav check and determined we needed to get to highway 380. Both Bill & I remembered seeing that sign some ways back. We found it and eventually did start to leave town. Sadly on this part of the highway there was a quaint mo'tel with a SUSHI restaurant in it. Dangit! I have been craving Sushi for sometime. We always find Mexican restaurants, but never a Sushi joint. When I lament this to Bill he points out we are only 50 miles from Mexico, but about 1000 miles to the Ocean. Point taken.

I had Sushi once in 'merica, in Iowa. It was breaded Shrimp 3 different ways. But, we also had Sushi in Alaska, granted it was Anchorage. It was spec-fugging-tacular!

We climbed a Summit, peaking at 7500 feet, it was pretty cool and the road was flanked by dense forests. I was shivering but knew it would be short lived. Passing the crest and starting down the other side you could see a white line or indetermined origins stretching across the horizon ahead of us. Descending to the desert floor eliminated the shivering, eliminated the trees and raised the temperature noticeably!

Route 380 took us by first Holloman Air Force Base, home to, literally, a rocket sled on rails. A number of high speed tests have been accomplished on this experimental track including development of supersonic aircraft ejection systems, testing rail containers for carrying nuclear waste and cutting cars in half with snowplow blades on Mythbusters. The original good MB'ers, not the lame new one.

Also, just for funsies, a couple of years ago they did a test just to set a record for the fastest speed achieve on land. They accelerated a rocket sled to 10 430 kmh. Mach 13.7!

We were getting closer to the White Line and just as we reached it we passed by the entrance to the White Sands Missile Range. The sand came right up to the road a couple of times and it looks just like talcum powder! They don't offer tours of either Holloman or WSMR which is too bad!

Due to the scarcity of roads in this area we had to run on the Interstate for a spell, just cus there weren't any other routes. It wasn't hot like it was outside of STL, we haven't seen 40+ Celcius since then, but it was 37 degrees and the Sun was beating straight down on us.

We were in the desert proper, like Coyote and Road Runner desert, complete with Cactuseses, er Cacti? There are many different types of Cacti, Bill is a bit of a Cactiaficinado, and not just becuase he is prickly! Sorry, the jokes write themselves and I just type them, I can't be held responsible! Just for the record Bill is not a p**** he is perhaps one of the kindest and most generous people I know.

Perhaps!

He has told me about a number of different Cacti, we once had a lengthy conversation about the Cresote bush and he is also an expert on fruit trees. There is a type of Cactus that has a dark fuzzy texture on the bottom, they often grow in pairs and are maybe 12' high.

On the Interstate there would be these rows of Billboards, some times 8 in a row, on both sides of the road, all advertising stopping at a specific Curio shop.

I was hot, in my schaps, 30 pound black leather jacket, black helmet, strong headwind, direct sunlight, glare through the bug guts on my visor. I saw one of these black legged fuzzy Cacti in the median and thought it was a Grizzly Bear Carving, another advert for this Curio shop. As I drove by I recognized it as a Cacti.

We ran by this style of Cactus a few more times and each time I thought it was a Grizzly Bear carving. Good time to stop for a rest when you are hallucinating at 85+ MPH! Just then a wayside appears and we pull in to sit in the shade and drink water for a spell. Clarity of thought and vision comes back after a 20 minutes break in the shade. No more bears!

We take the lodging exit for Lordsburg, NM. It is pretty optimistic advertising East, Main and West streets of mo'tels. Lordsburg may have been a bustling town at some point in its history, but Brother, Jesus has left the building! Mo'tel after mo'tel was boarded up or obviously deserted. One had a newish looking sign boasting an attached Cocktail Lounge but upon closer examination was just a big empty room.

Again, there should be a law that when you go out of business you have to spend your last $100 removing your sign, turning it upside down or inside out, or maybe slapping a big Sorry! on it. We continue almost to the edge of town where we find a Days Inn next to a Love's Truck Stop. It is the only game in town, but it is also maybe $65 bucks, so OK.

Only after checkin do they mention their internet is out, frustrating! Connectivity used to be a nice to have, now it is essiential for all travelers. If yer interweb is busted, that should be on your sign out front too, so I can make my decision from the street!

Bill, being the ever thrifty millionaire, has brought the beers we didn't finish in Roswell with him to Lordsburg. He carried them in the space that his popcorn used to occupy, before I ate it all! He gets some ice, puts them in the sink with water and chills them down in 15 minutes. We have a Dust Buster session in his room by the window. Well done Bill. I feel remorseful now about that Prickly comment!

Also there is only one restaurant in town, but no cab company, meaning we'll hafta drive to dinner, but dinner always involves alcohol and we have a zero tolerance policy for drinking and driving. We end up walking to the gas station and having individual pizzas. It is truck stop and truckers don't put up with bad chow so they were better than expected, but no liquor!

We set a new record for being in our rooms for the night, I won't share it with you out of sheer embarrassment, but lets just say I am in good shape for my transition to assisted living! The lack of internet makes for a long evening. I am reading the 9/11 Commission Report so at least I have something to occupay me for long stretches.

Day Twelve!

Roswell, NM to Lordsburg, NM

491 kms