On to Las Cruces…

We wanted to stay warm so we headed south…

This should get us to February 25th.

Travelling - Entering New Mexico

Leaving Arizona was hard…but New Mexico is warm and beautiful too….

Las Cruces - KOA spot

We tried a different KOA this time…The KOA at Las Cruces and we were able to get one of the last sites. That worked out well as this is a small RV park with many of the big rig full service sites packed in together…we took a water and electric site for truck campers and we had a beautiful view…we ended up staying longer than anticipated.

Las Cruces - La Mesilla sign

One of the KOA hosts suggested La Mesilla as an attraction as it was where the town started.

Las Cruces - La Mesilla Billy the kid poster

I didn’t know that, but it is in Wikipedia…

Las Cruces - Billy the Kid gift store

Now a gift shop.

Las Cruces - La Mesilla artwork

Native art at the plaza.

Las Cruces - La Mesilla Overland Trail sign

The Butterfield Overland Trail came though here too…

Las Cruces - La Mesilla bandstand and cathedral

The Gazebo was busy with a wedding, but I managed to get an unobstructed photo.

Las Cruces - La Mesilla cathedral

Basilica of San Albino…we couldn’t get in though.

Las Cruces - Yet another trail to do

Then off to go hiking.

Las Cruces - Organ Mountains -Desert Peak National Monument

The KOA host also suggested this place.

Las Cruces - Organ Mountains trail

Lots of hike to do and we did the Dripping Springs trail.

Las Cruces - Organ Peak Mountains trail

A fairly easy trail to get to the livery of the resort that was there in the 1920s.

Las Cruces - Organ Peaks Livery

This is where the stagecoach livery was.

Las Cruces - Organ Mountains Resort

Part of the multi-roomed resort.

Las Cruces - Organ Mountain resort Linda

Linda on the hike.

Las Cruces - Oran Mountian resort remains

Some of the rooms of the resort.

Las Cruces - Organ Mountains linda on the edge

An overview from a more difficult trail.

Las Cruces - Organ Mountains panorama

A Panorama from one of the higher points.

Las Cruces - Organ Peak resort overview

This was also used as a sanitarium and hospital for tuberculosis patients at one time in its life.

Las Cruces - Organ Peak Selfie

Our shameless selfie …the beard is getting long and annoying.

Las Cruces - Organ Peak Mountains far trail

Someone mentioned that there is a higher trail and we went to the beginning of that trail…all you have to do is keep going.

Las Cruces - Organ Mountains resort water

This was a big cistern. I thought it was to supply the hotel with water.

Las Cruces - Organ Peak linda

Linda standing on a big rock.

Las Cruces - Organ Peak Mountian Pierre

Lots of climbing from the high point to the easy trail.

Las Cruces - the road runner

We stopped at the big road runner. The Bayfield Bunch had camped at this rest stop a few weeks before and it’s just outside Las Cruces…this is NOT Pisano Pete who is in Fort Stockton…it is the Recycled Roadrunner.

Las Cruces - Linda at teh road runner

If you look closely the legs are tire rubber, the white underbelly are white running shoes, there are keyboards, vacuum parts and all sorts of strange objects that make up this largest of Roadrunners….

Fort Stockton Chicken Fried Steak

Off to Fort Stockton next … and our first Chicken Fried Steak!