Watch for the signs, part 5. New Mexico warnings!

February and March 2016

Some of you may remember the "Don't mess with Texas" theme of the last Signs post.
Although the state of New Mexico proclaims it is:

 

If you thought Texas signs were scary, wait until you see the New Mexico signs! Yikes!  Not for the faint of heart!  The first sign sums up the general theme:

 

And then, 

FIRES

 

FLOODS

 

WOLVES

 

DON'T CAMP HERE...We did...

DON'T HIKE HERE...We didn't....

 

 WALK HERE, OR ...We foolishly did...Yikes!

 

 

 

 

And then, thank goodness, there are the more benevolent signs:

After all that scary stuff, a friendly bear is most welcome!

As are the mountain spirits...

 

City of Rocks State Park, Faywood, NM

March 2-4, 2016

Only half an hour South of Silver City, NM is a geological wonder of a state park.  In the middle of the Chihuahua desert, City of Rocks gets its name from the incredible volcanic rock formations found here. The park encompasses a one square mile area  at an elevation of 5,200 feet. The “city” is a geologic formation made up of large, sculptured rock columns, or pinnacles, rising as high as 40 feet and separated by paths or lanes resembling city streets. These rocks were formed about 34.9 million years ago when a very large volcano erupted. Then, erosion over millions of years slowly formed the sculptured columns seen today, creating a stunning, otherworldly landscape.

We spent two nights camped in the shadow of such a rock formation.

 Facilities are minimal at most of the 50 or so campsites, with no hookups.  However, at $10/night, and only 3/4 mile walk to washrooms and showers, and very clean pit toilets nearby, who could complain?  There are 10 sites with electrical hookups but they are all close together and in a rather exposed, less scenic location.  
 

Sunset ahead of us

Sunrise behind us

 
Our sunset view onto the desert.  Windmills are used to pump water into campground cisterns.

We enjoyed two days of hiking the rock formations and  deciding what they each most resembled!

 A raven landing on the dog's nose?

A family with mother holding the baby?

 

 Twins or kissing sweethearts ?

Well, that one speaks for itself?

A panther leaning on its catch ?

A most remarkable place indeed!

And dozens and dozens of desert bunnies! 

 

 

Hilltop Auto Service, Silver City, NM. An oil change interlude

March 2, 2016

While in Silver City, NM, we took advantage of the availability of mechanical services and had our oil changed and all systems checked!  We were referred to Hilltop by a fellow at O'Reilly Auto Parts.  We were welcomed by owner Mike Brown who, unable to fit us into his schedule that day, offered us free overnight parking and electricity!  Thank you Mike!!!  We were promptly looked after first thing the next morning and were on our way before 9:30AM...

 
 True to their motto, Hilltop indeed did "git-r-done"!

Mike's late father was a man of many talents, among which was welding.  His work is displayed in the waiting room and reception area.  Cool and imaginative stuff!

 

Silver City, NM, a grrrroooovy place!

March 1-2, 2016

Silver City, NM was named after silver was discovered in the area in the 1860s.  The bottom dropped out of the silver market only about 30 years later and, fortunately for the area, a branch of the university of New Mexico opened the same year!  Presently, there is an enormous open pit copper mine only a few miles from the city which provides employment for hundreds of people. 

However, the city of about 10,000 people seems to be quite renown as a "hippy haven" since the 1970s.  The vibe downtown certainly agrees with the following description from the website "Hippyland": "Silver City is a small hippy mecca. They have loads of herbal stores in the city with "classes" on locating and identifying local herbs. Their co-op bulletin board is loaded with new age info. The annual Blues Festival brings out the most hippies. They have drum circles and a number of communes within 25 miles of the city, some better than others. Don't forget to ask about the hot springs."  See for yourselves.

Mascot at the Javelina coffee shop

Love, love , love this storefront sign!!!  To bark or not to bark, that is, undoubtedly, the question...

Dave and I enjoyed walking downtown. 

There is a youth mural project, and several storefronts are painted in groovy colours!  Some trees were already in bloom, I stocked up on seldom found items at the local food coop, all in all, a fun day in the not so big city!

Gila Cliff Dwellings, a US National Monument, and camping in the Gila National Forest, NM

February 28-29, 2016

Getting to the Gila Cliff Dwellings takes a special effort.  This is not a destination you just happen to drop into on your way somewhere else.  Gila Cliff Dwellings are 45 miles North of Silver City, NM (no big deal right?).  BUT, the drive takes at least two hours, as you wind your way through the Mimbres and Mogollon mountains, which are actually the Southernmost part of the Rockies.  The snow-dusted peaks reach 9,000' to 10,000'.... thankfully, the road does not go to the top!

The Gila Cliff dwellings were built in the late 1200s and were inhabited by the Mogollon people between approximately 1270 and 1300.  They built their dwellings inside caves on cliffs about 200' high, which had been used by people for thousands of years, as evidenced by some old rock paintings.  For their building materials, they used rock, mortar and timbers, dated to have been cut between 1276 to 1287.  The Mogollon made their living by hunting, gathering and farming.  Their crops were what are known as the three sisters:  Beans, corn (little corn cobs are still found on the site almost daily!) and squash.

The Mogollon left the area by 1300. The reason for their departure from the area after such a short time is not definitely known.  However, it is believed that a drought was largely responsible. 

 Approximately 40 rooms were built inside seven caves.  The Mogollon cliff dwellers left behind evidence of ideas and artifacts from other cultures:  macaw feathers from South America and T-shaped doorways used by other indigenous groups (see below).

Small corn husks left behind 700 years ago!

Access to the caves is via a mile-long hiking trail and, in order to get inside or come out of one of the caves, one can use a steep ladder!

 Back down from the trail, and about a half-mile along the nearby river is another small dwelling, also built by the Mogollon....the story behind this one is unknown...but it is of the same era as the higher cliff dwellings.

At the Visitors center, one can view several artifacts which were found at the site.  My favourite was a small bone frog.

 Also at the Visitors center was the story of a pioneering ecologist, Aldo Leopold.  Among his writings from the early 1930s are words which resonate today.

There are two "campgrounds" at the Cliff Dwellings Monument, essentially parking lots with pit toilets.  The good news is that they are free!!!  This is one's reward for making the drive, I guess.  We spent one night at the "Upper Scorpion" campground, only a five minute walk form the trail head to the dwellings.   Our second night in the area was spent in the Gila Forest, by a river, at another free campground.  We were alone and enjoyed a campfire on the eve of our 33rd anniversary.