Roswell to Flagstaff- Road Trip Day 4
Early this morning we left Roswell. Actually we couldn't wait to get out of there. Mostly because you know that no matter which way you go it is so far from anything, and will be hours before you are anywhere. Also of note- in the outskirts of Roswell, the farmers grow their crops in huge circles, not the huge rectangular fields we are so used to seeing. We all saw this at the same time and in unison exclaimed "Crop Circles!"
We set off toward Albuquerque, and it was a little over 85 miles until we came to the next town, or what was left of it anyway. A tiny near ghost town called Vaughn. Incorporated in 1919 it was at its heyday in 1920 with appx 888 residents. In the 2000 census it had 539! Most of the things along the main drag were closed down, I guess we were lucky to find a little store and a flush privy!
Just when we thought that was bad we went through Encino, New Mexico. Population- 94. If you sneezed you would have missed it. Finally we arrived in the big city! Albuquerque! It was like any other city, but has something called Taco Bueno that we don't have in California. My daughter insisted that it was a must try ( she has had it before) So we had lunch there. It was so so to me, but not bad. Then it was off to visit Mount Cavalry Cemetery. This cemetery was the annex when the original Catholic cemetery became too full. In 1869 most of the bodies from the original were moved here.
Our journey out of New Mexico and toward Flagstaff continued and in the hour before sunset we were driving through the painted desert. The sunset was magnificent and really brought out the reds and golds in the rocks. It was after dark when finally, we found ourselves 'standin on a corner in Winslow Arizona". Actually it was not that simple. When it is dark out here in these rural areas it is really dark as in, you can't see a damn thing! Not like at home where there are so many street lights. Anyway we finally found the spot you see in the photo below, even though it was already dark out. Once we performed the necessary standin on the corner, we skeedaddled for Flagstaff and our hotel. Its been a really long day. tomorrow we head for home. We do plan on a stop in the ghost town of Ludlow California because last time we were there we missed the cemetery, so we will get it this time.
