Gadsden Who?

Every time we told someone we were going to Las Cruces and the adjacent old Spanish town of Mesilla, they would remark, “Oh, where the Gadsden Purchase was signed” and I would be a bit befuddled.  I’m a fairly decent student of American History but it rang only very faint bells, so clearly a refresher was in order.  (Larry Negri-I admit I should have known)  Google is our friend so if you’d like to read more about it, check https://history.state.gov/milestones/1830-1860/gadsden-purchase

Suitably educated, we set out to enjoy the area.  It’s a city of about 100,000, home to the state’s agricultural university and at least one UU church – both things close to my heart.  The Navigator turned Tour Guide and mapped out 2 days of eating and touring.  And best of all, we had a very level camping site and were able to put out our fourth (and largest) slide just about doubling our living space in the main area.  I was doing a dance.

Highlights of the tour included the small, free but very cool Zuhl Museum on the university campus, full of petrified wood, fossils and rocks and crystal.  

Fossilized dinosaur eggs in the nest.

Fossilized dinosaur foot next to mine.

Then off to the Ranch and Farm Heritage museum where we got a private golf cart tour of the working ranch part of the museum and followed it with wandering around the inside exhibits.  

Part of the living museum.  My goat pictures weren't any good.

The original Chucklewagon in the museum.  Even with our challenges, I prefer ours to this.

We ended the day with a drive up the foothills of the Organ Mountains (so named for their organ pipe shape I believe, not for liver or spleens) and Dripping Springs National Monument and more history involving cattlemen, failed businesses and sanitariums.  Look it up for more info.

Small section of the foothills of the Organ Moutains

No sightings yet but I'm still hoping.

Old Mesilla was only a mile or so from out campground and it is a traditional, historic town with adobe buildings surrounding a plaza with a bandshell in the middle.  A basilica anchors one end of the square and shops round out the other 3 sides, including the building where Billie the Kid was tried and hung.  There’s a fabulous bookstore with shelves overflowing with all sorts of books.  I restrained myself and bought only 5 or 6 books and got out for less than $100.

We had beautiful weather throughout, sunny, dry and in the 50’s during the day and below freezing at night which was OK with our little electric heaters going.  We ate our weight in New Mexican Green Chili dishes including enchiladas, burritos and eggs.  These roasted green chilies are a New Mexican signature product and I can see why.

The four days were going swimmingly.  Slides out, water in our tanks so freezing wasn’t an issue, it was all good….until…

Friday morning, our last full day, the little heater was running and I dropped toast into the toaster, all plugged into the same power strip.  After a minute or two – pop.  The raw toast popped up and the heater quit.  Neither would restart.  The nearby GFI outlet wouldn’t reset.  The circuit breaker in the back wouldn’t reset.  To make the story a bit shorter, after we bought more fuses, more tools, flipped a couple of breakers, scared ourselves by killing all the power to the rig and it not coming back on immediately, we conceded defeat.  The kitchen outlets are currently dead which prevents all cooking at the moment except for the microwave but the rest of the rig is OK and we have a mobile service tech coming tomorrow (Monday) afternoon to help us out.  As I commented to Robin as I hauled the now-heavier tool bag out to the bay, “the tool bag gets heavier but we don’t get any better”.  We have high hopes for the guy tomorrow.

So Saturday we left New Mexico but have very fond thoughts about it and will be back.  We made it to Bowie, AZ for one night and then came on to Tucson today (Sunday).  We have 7 nights here at the KOA and then another 7 nights at a little RV park in downtown Tucson.  The cats and I are excited about the long stays.  Merry Christmas to all!

Why I blog so slowly.