I left Santa Fe around 6:00am and headed south on I25. The first part of the journey was just a pleasant early morning drive since I wasn't going to stop until I reached Socorro. And thankfully I was early enough to get through Albuquerque before morning rush. I arrived in Socorro and made my way to New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology. I found my way to the Macey Conference Center and parked. With letterboxing things and clue in hand I headed out. I followed the clues easily enough at first but then things went all confusing. There was a pond and I was supposed to follow it around until I reached a golf cart path that ended abruptly and then find clusters of trees.
Follow the path towards the golf course but the golf course was all around. Found some trees that looked like they grew in clusters but wasn't sure, checked all of them - never found a box - things were all confused, so I gave up after about 25 minutes. Not a good way to start the day. All I could think about was that it had to get better. So I left Socorro and headed to San Antonio and the Bosque del Apache.Not much activity at the Bosque this morning, I only saw one other vehicle the entire time I was there. After paying (and reading the signs that were all over announcing not to hike alone since there had been multiple mountain lion sightings) I headed to the Rio Viejo Trail. Thankfully the box was right at the parking area and I didn't have to hike anywhere. But I did find myself looking all around for any movement before getting out of the car. I had also read the clues and pretty much figured out exactly where the box was. So I made a quick dash, grabbed the box and stamped in while in the safety of my car. After stamping in and rehiding the box I drove around the loop to check on my Alphabetical New Mexico: S (Sandhill Crane) box. It was right where it was supposed to be but it had a number written on it (3: FWS). I guess they found it and were okay with it and just marked it for their own records. Now it was time to continue on. I made my way back to I25 and continued south.
I drove until Exit 75 at which point I headed to Williamsburg. Back in March we had taken a trip to Tucson and on the way we had stopped and looked for two boxes there. We found one but couldn't find the second one. So I decided to give it another try since I was here. I still didn't find it so I am not sure what I was doing wrong. At this point I was 1 for 3. Next stop, Veterans Memorial Park in Truth or Consequences. There were two boxes here but one has been retired so I followed the clues and found Lest We Forget. I thought it was a great hide although the park seemed desolate - all concrete and gravel - very little green or any color. It seems that they could of done something to spruce it up since it is in honor of fallen soldiers. Oh well, time to move on. Just a short way up the road I stopped near an art gallery and what should have been an ice cream shop. The sign for the building next to the art gallery was gone and I didn't see any activity in the building and couldn't tell if that had been the ice cream shop or not.
But I followed the clues and found the letterbox without any problems. I walked to a bench and sat and stamped in. It was a little difficult stamping in since the wind had started to pick up. One that box was back in place I headed over to Ralph Edwards Park to find T or C. This was a quick and easy find in a very empty park. I had the place to myself which was nice - no need to be sneaky. I returned to my car to go and look for one last box before getting back on I25. I headed down Third St. to Elephant Butte near the dam. I got to the starting point and tried to follow the clues but I ended up with deja vu from this morning in Socorro. Nothing made sense, then it kind of made sense, then it didn't. I tried to make things work and looked for landmarks and checked near trees with rocks like the clue said but kept coming up empty handed. After twenty minutes I called it quits - without really feeling that I was looking in the right place. Time to leave this area and continue south.
Time to hide my first box of the trip. I took Exit 63 to NM152 and drove west for about 30 miles. When I reached Emory Pass in the Aldo Leopold Wilderness I stopped. Here you can find Alphabetical New Mexico: L (Aldo Leopold). At the Emory Pass Vista I enjoyed the views but not the wind. It was blowing so hard I had the eerie feeling that I was going to be picked up and thrown right off the cliff. After hiding the box I retraced my drive back to I25. I know this box is a little off the beaten path but the drive and views are worth it.Okay the day is going away fast but I wanted to make one more stop before reaching Las Cruces. I took Exit 50 and drove about a mile north on NM187 to Caballo Lake State Park. I didn't have to enter the park because the box was hidden at a pullout just past the entrance. This was a quick and easy find and I was glad to be able to sit in the car and stamp in since the wind seemed to be getting worse. I got the box back in its hiding spot and then gave Thomas a call. He had attended a meeting in Roswell and was making his way to Las Cruces and I wanted to check in to see where he was. It seemed that we would probably arrive at the hotel at the same time. And surprisingly we made it within minutes of each other. Once we had checked in we headed to Lorenzo's for some Italian food. I just had spaghetti and sausage which was really good. And once we were full we returned to the hotel. Resting and planning for tomorrow. I really do hope the wind settles down so I don't have to grip my clues for dear life.
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