Today was a long but fun day. I slept late and strolled around Tombstone before starting out for New Mexico. Tombstone is all about tourists — there’s a stage coach, a wild west show and at least a dozen shops selling cowboy wear, turquoise jewelry and other western stuff. I did buy a small cactus but resisted moccasins, a cowboy hat and jewelry. I drove to Bisbee and stopped for 15 minutes before deciding there was nothing worth seeing and I really needed to get on the road.
I knew that I’d be cutting it close and might arrive at White Sands National Monument too late, but decided if I drove 9 miles over the limit the whole way I might make it before they closed. My alternative plan was to drive straight to El Paso if I got to Las Cruces too late. But my timing was good, and as I approached the turn to El Paso I decided to head to White Sands instead. And I made it 10 minutes before the visitor center closed. And then, got to the starting point for the Guided Sunset walk just as they were starting. Perfect! The park is amazing! Imagine Sleeping Bear dunes, but all white, with occasional brush and yucca plants. And the sunset was gorgeous!
Leaving the park at 6 pm, I finally reached El Paso for the night, stopping first to make a hotel reservation via the Travelocity phone help, and running into the grocery store to buy a sandwich for dinner for the road.
A word about tonight’s lodging. I’ve got a suite at the Ramada, with a king size bed, full kitchen, couch, etc. And with the $50 credit I got from Travelocity for their screwing up the Blythe hotel, it cost me about $20. Much nicer than in Tombstone — with a footnote to last night’s blog entry — as I was sitting typing in my room, I saw a mouse run from the bedroom into the bathroom. Needless to say, I didn’t sleep too soundly last night.
What I learned today: 1. My travel instincts are good. I really wanted to see White Sands, and I did. And, I saw the sun set over the mountains and it was magnificent; and 2. El Paso is a huge city.
