Today was a travel day. I’m on my way to New Mexico where I will spend a few days near the White Sands National Monument. I drove 360 miles today all on Interstate 10. It was through some of the most monotonous landscape I’ve encountered to date. The highway was long and straight with only a few dips in the road and no turns, no wildlife, and no livestock in sight, just miles and miles and miles of scrub brush across barren plains. Towards the end of the Dr I could see the Davis Mountains off to my left but they stayed well in the distance.

The Guadalupe Mountain Range rose up before me pointing the way to the little town of Van Horn. I spent the first part of my 8th grade school year here and Van Horn. My Dad moved us here from the Green Mountains of Vermont. It was quite a culture shock at the time and I hadn’t been back since. I have wanted to see the place again through adult eyes so I was glad to have this opportunity. The town was small when I was here but now it seems even smaller and much of it is rundown decrepit and abandoned . The weather has turned cold again. It was in the mid-forties most of the day and the wind has picked up considerably. It’s forecast to get into the lower twenties tonight with the possibility of some snow showers or ice overnight. I parked Wild Thing at the Desert Willow RV park (on my passport America discount $13.50 a night with full hookups in cable TV) and Dexter and I took a walk down the Old Town strip pn Broadway. Here’s a few photos to give you an idea of what I saw.

The Hotel El Capitan was still looking good so I walk down there for supper and had a nice steak. My waitress Nancy was wonderful and made me feel right at home.

Dexter and I are tucked in for the night and we’ll have a good rest snuggled in our nice warm camper. I have the heating pads on the water tank so I shouldn’t have to worry about freezing with the furnace on will stay nice and toasty. I’ll get a late start in the morning and watch the weather to avoid any snow or ice that may be on the way. We have a short drive up to Radium Springs, NM only about 180 miles, so no rush.