Traveling through New Mexico. 4 comments.
Where can I stay cheaply or for free in New Mexico? Keeping in mind that I try never to drive more than 200 miles a day, and I prefer much less than that. Remember, I'm not on vacation, and I'm in no hurry to get anywhere; I'm just trying to enjoy my life while living as cheaply as possible so I can extend this full- timing life I enjoy as long as I can.
1....When I first get to New Mexico, I usually stay in Las Vegas, New Mexico, at Storrie Lake State Park. But I think Storrie Lake State Park is $15 a night for a nonresident, but there is a Walmart 3 miles from the park, and I've stayed there a couple of times, so that would get me one night in New Mexico for free.
2....Next, I would head South to Carrizozo, New Mexico. Carrizozo is home to a lava flow where there's a Federal Park called the Valley of Fires, where I can boondock for eight dollars a night with my Federal Park pass.
3....After that, it's only a short drive to the tiny town of San Antonio, New Mexico, where there is free boondocking, and the Bosque Del Apache is only about 4 miles away. That would give me a chance to stay someplace for a week or two for free, with easy access to the Bosque and the Sandhill Cranes. The downside is, it's 25 or 30 miles to Socorro, New Mexico, and the nearest Walmart.
4....Then, heading south on I-25, for the real reason I'm coming here, is a quick hop to Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, and Elephant Butte State Park. I really want to see the lake's condition and I wonder if it will ever be the same. I've spent many a night here over the years, boondocking next to and near the reservoir that is formed by the Rio Grande, a river almost as famous as the Colorado River. Staying at the park would be expensive, but about 3 miles away on the Rio Grande, I can boondock for $10 a night, and a few miles down the road is the town of Truth or Consequences, which has a Walmart where I can stay.
Now that gets me to Elephant Butte, which I'm coming to New Mexico to see; once I've done that, I need to get out of New Mexico as cheaply as I went in, and I will talk about that tomorrow.
Theboondork
This girl seemed happy to be at the powwow.
This girl was happy also, but I killed the mood by telling her I had those exact same earrings.
Many of the dance participants at the powwow wore these kinds of headbands. I don't know what they mean, but it seems like they went to a lot of trouble just to look kind of silly.
Here’s another example of a brave warrior being reduced to babysitting his son. This obviously confuses the child, so now the kid doesn't know whether he wants to be a cowboy or an Indian.