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Terrific advice and we'll probably be checking those out this next week. We went to Holy Ghost Canyon (about 17 miles from Pecos) this past week for about three days. Beautiful, warm days, COLD (26 degree) nights!!! I used to camp up there with my parents when I was a kid, its been about 17 years since I've been up there. WOW has it changed! Still had lots of color so that was great to see. We forgot to keep checking our battery in the camper and drained it using the heater at night... ooops. I bet we don't do that again - we drained it enough that even the drive home (80 miles) wasn't enough to fully recharge it. Drats.
We drove down to the Pecos National Monument and tried to see the Glorieta Battlefield but it was closed to the public - I think ziaAirmac said we could get a private tour???? And then we drove down to Villanueva SP to check it out. So exciting to have so much so close and to be able to go and it not rain you out! You have no idea!
Today we day-tripped to Jemez Dam (hmmm), Cochiti Lake (smaller than we were expecting but still very nice) and the Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument (awesome, well worth the drive).
eeewwwww Pintada... Have you had experience biting into a deer dropping instead of a pinon??? YUCK!!!!!!!!!!!
We didn't pick any pinons (not knowing exactly what we were looking for) but we did by a very small bag for $1.99 unshelled (I'm assuming raw???). Very tasty (well they were tasty after we figured out that they weren't shelled - the shell isn't all that good. haha), these had a very mild taste. Yummy... we may be hooked.
Pecos and Las Vegas are having a good pinon crop. Yes Soggy I have bitten into Deer turds a few times. I think everyone whose eaten plenty of pinon have had this problem. You eat pinon like Sunflower seeds and when you eat pinon from someone who can Roast and salt it right it is delicious. I hate already shelled pinon. Pick your own its the best and biggest and try roasting it on a cast iron pan and keep turning it until you hear that first Pop then you know its close to being made. el pintada kid
Check out the Whittington Center, they have everything from primimitive camps with no service to full service, toilets and wonderful showers, ranges for shotgun, rifle and pistol. The wildlife is profuse, and you will almost always have deer in your camp, sometimes elk, bear, big cat, and turkey.
There is also housing that ranges from basic cabins to competitor housing which is hotel grade. Support freedom and stop by and see the good folks there.
JW -you are absolutely right about the wildlife here. I woke up this morning and heard the Elk bugeling, deer in my 'backyard' and lots of Antelope around. DH was lucky enough to see 2 bull Elk charging each other today. They are all breathtaking. It is a perfect time to visit, usually warm during the day, cold at night and the Elk are generally pretty easy to see. Last week the Sandhill Cranes were migrating, Wow is all I can say about that. Thank you for your support, it truly is a beautiful place.
OK - we headed south instead of north... but it was great camping weather (after we almost blew away on Wednesday). We stayed at the Valley of Fires campground - very nice, large sites, great views & the stars... WOW the stars!!!
Visited most of the surrounding area - although we did miss White Oaks - next time! We saw the Three Rivers Petroglyphs, drove thru the Three Rivers campground, went as far as White Sands (still as cool as I remember) & the Eagle Ranch Pistachio farm. Then to Capitan, Lincoln, Fort Stanton, Ruidoso & Cloudcroft... All spectacular, but I do believe that Ruidoso & Cloudcroft have grown significantly in the last oh, 30 years or so since I was there last! hee hee I think I prefer the 'old' Ruidoso & Cloudcroft.
Hopefully we'll get to go back and do some hiking in the area. And of course, make it up to Whittington Center!!
Thanks for you tips! We had a wonderful time and look forward to our continued exploration of our new homestate.
Did I mention the stars?!?!?! It's been AGES since we've seen the Milky Way!
This looks like great info! I hope that it is still as relevant today (4 ys later) as it was in 2008. And, we've got a small reflector telescope that we will now probably take along to enjoy God's wonders of astrophysical creations!
This looks like great info! I hope that it is still as relevant today (4 ys later) as it was in 2008. And, we've got a small reflector telescope that we will now probably take along to enjoy God's wonders of astrophysical creations!
Yup. The Milky Way is still there.
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Pinon Time
