G'Day from Deming, NM!

Run Stats:
Day: 429
Miles Completed: 1488.5
Miles to San Diego: 611.5
Avg Miles/Day: 3.5
Marathons Completed: 56.8
Longest Run Streak: 15 days
Shoes: Skora Fit/Skora Tempo
Playlist Favs: America's Greatest Hits, Rush of Fools

Bible Verse of the Day: "Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it." - 1 Corinthians 9:24

Run Reflections: This past weekend I virtually passed through the town of Deming, NM. It was a pretty good running week and I was able to do a 10 day streak and fit in some runs around several other commitments. I had originally planned to try and run every day during Lent but those plans changed Saturday due to a head cold I've been fighting. I'm still hoping to run as many days as I can during Lent.

Deming, NM: Deming is located within the upper Chihuahuan Desert climate zone. The climate is dry, hot, and breezy. Summer temps often exceed 100 degrees but the altitude (4300 ft) and dry air sometimes make summer days more comfortable than one would expect given the high temperature.

According to the web site desertUSA, Deming was settled about 1880, around the time the first railroad crossed the Southwest. The town was named for Mary Ann Deming, wife of Charles Crocker, one of four men who built the first rail line through Deming plus three other lines for the Southern Pacific Railroad. In the early days, Deming was called "the city of windmills," reflecting the community's use of wind energy to pump water from large aquifers. The aquifers were formed over time by streams which drained the mountains to the north and sank into the sandy fill of the desert basin. Wikipedia reports that Deming was also given the nickname "New Chicago" at the time of its founding as it was expected that with the surge in railroad usage, the city would grow to resemble the midwest Chicago.

In looking for pictures of Deming, I had found lots of really amazing pictures of the desert and the Florida Mountains that surround the valley where Deming is located. Unfortunately, I didn't find any that had copyright clearance to share. If interested, I recommend you google images of Deming and/or the Florida Mountains to see some of the beauty of this area. I did find and have included a picture from wikipedia of the towns old train depot.

Prior to the railroads, the lands around Deming were inhabited by the Mimbreno Indians who settled in the areas about 750-1250 AD. Today there are numerous Native American sites around Deming and the area is rich in native pottery artifacts, as well as beads stone implements, and stone carvings. Speaking of stones, there are two nearby state parks where visitors can see volcanic rock formations and collect minerals and rocks.

I think the highlight of my research on Deming is the fact that is the home of the Great American Duck Race. Here's what the free dictionary web site had to say about this event: "Held annually on the fourth weekend in August, this uniquely America event stared in 1980, just to make a little whoopee. Up to 80 live ducks race for cash prizes in an eight-lane chute. There are races that include politicians' heats and a media heat. Other events in the week preceding the duck races include a parade, a lawnmower race, dances, hot-air balloons, an arts and crafts exhibit, an outhouse race, a pageant of people dressed like ducks, and a duck contest in which ducks are dressed like people. Race participants come from several states; and spectators now number about 20,000, almost double the population of Deming. Because one duck race a year is not enough, organizers began holding Great American Duck Race II, the Winter Games, over the third weekend in February in 2011. This race is held indoors at the Southwestern New Mexico State Fairgrounds."

Review of the demingduckrace event website confirms that this is a ton of fun and an event not to be missed. They have local artists design a an event logo each year and I've included a picture of one here. I've also included a picture of an hombre from their tortilla toss event where special tortilla discs are made by Amigo's Mexican Foods for "contestants of all ages to hurl for the farthest distance."

I hope you've enjoyed this glimpse into this small town. I know I've said it before but I continue to be amazed and surprised by what I am learning about each of the places I am passing through on this journey. I hope you all have a great week!

God Bless,

Pat