The world is truly crazy.....

 We had a really fun and relaxing 3 day getaway, but before I get into that, I need to express the anger and fear we experienced when driving home.  Disclaimer: we live in New Mexico, where there are lots of horrible drivers that take way too many chances with their own lives, along with everyone around them.

We drove the route in our maps that stated "shortest route".  Unfortunately it failed to point out that right in the middle of nowhere the state decided to repave.  Definitely needed it, the roads in our state suck!  It's probably been several decades since those roads have had improvements.  This created red lights and wait times from 10-20 minutes.  Needless to say, some people really lost their nut...and there were three of these delays on our drive home.  

While driving on these 2 lane highways, there are areas where they provide passing lanes for a half a mile or so.  Very handy if you've been stuck behind a semi for miles.  But add road rage to that equation!  I was doing my usual 5 mph over the limit.  I failed to move into the slow lane.  There were 4 vehicles that were all following one another that became very enraged that I didn't immediately move over so that they could blow past at probably 15 or more mph over the speed limit.  They flashed their lights, and blew past us so fast it buffeted the car.   One vehicle, the last one, came so close to our back bumper, that had I tapped my brakes, we would likely experience a horrific crash.  Then he/she came around and pulled right in front before hitting the gas again.  It was bad enough to cause me to have a nightmare about it.  

I have since decided that no matter what, I am moving into the "slow" lane to avoid it in the future.  I am so angry that these people would put our lives in danger like that.  It all happened so fast, we had no time to grab our phone and make a video of it, although I know the police won't do anything based on it.....

**********************

Just outside the very tiny hamlet of Cloudcroft, New Mexico, there is this restored trestle bridge.  Originally part of the Sacramento and Alamogordo Mountain Railway...built in 1899.  It was so cool to see!  

 

Golden Aspen leaves....they always look like gold coins to me....

There were plenty of deer in Cloudcroft, and the dogs went crazy!  I told them they were just big ugly dogs, and to get over it, haha.

There was a great park just a smidge outside the front door of the cabin we stayed at.  

There are probably 40+ cabins built in the area where we stayed.  Most built in the early 1950s.  It did the job, but boy was it tiny.  Plus it had too much furniture in it.  It is "pet friendly", sure, but they still ask for you to pay an extra $25 for each dog.  You could try to cheat and tell them there is only one, but there's a camera mounted on the upper left eave of the cabin.  I get it.  Some people do all kinds of things that cost the owners.  

 

We also visited White Sands National Park.  That white strip is part of a 275 square mile deposit of gypsum.  Gypsum is similar to sand, but has properties that sand does not.  I will not bore those who don't have any interest!  

 

If you ever have an opportunity to go, it is very beautiful and unique.  I had to wear a ton of sunscreen and wear a hat, because like snow, the sun reflects off of the gypsum.  

Haha

 

No matter how enjoyable, it is always great to be home again.  We both slept all night, without the metal expansion/contraction of the wall heater.  Yeah, I bet that wall heater was installed in the 1950s too :-)

Love, 365