Kay's Photo Journal - December 2019
12/1/2019 Artesian, NM - Miles of oil and gas fields surrounding in this town, must be a rich town. There are a few large size metal sculptures on the corners of town. It is beautifully done beautiful sculptures.
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12/2/2019 Fox Cave, NM - Highway #70 road side attraction. It is more like alcove, rather than the cave, and closed opening by rock wall. It is a gift shop, there are many items inside the store.
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12/2/2019 Petroglyph Rock, Rio Bonito, NM - I found couple boulders that petroglyphs are on it by the Rio Bonito. The sign was very nice, I thought there are many petroglyph rocks, but that not the case.
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12/4/2019 Valley of Fire National Recreation Area, NM - I was expected like Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada, which is very colorful beautiful area. However this place is all black lava field nothing like the fire, but they told me it was fire when lava flow at that time.
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12/5/2019 Three River Petroglyph National Recreation Area, NM - This is my 2nd visit here, so that try to not duplicate photos with last time. After 1.5 miles of hike, I hit a jack pot, a means there are petroglyphs all over, and many more below, and more below that. I had a good time with sea of petroglyphs and took over 370 photos, I'll post it at RA section.
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12/6/2019 McGinn’s Pistachioland, NM - The World’s Largest Pistachio is here. I join the tour, here is the summary: 95 acres of pistachio land, first grow the native mosquito tree for 3 years and cut it about 1 ft to the bottom then add pistachio branch, then 25 yrs to tree to become a mature, 1 male and 18 female ration, 5 gal of water per week, they produce 130,000 lb of pistachio each year.
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12/6/2019 Bridal Veil Falls, NM - Very difficult to find this place because sign is so tiny, and easy to miss it. Not enough water at this time to see the full bridal veil falls. But I saw tiny portion of the falls.
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12/7/2019 Oliver Lee Memorial State Park, NM - This is a beautiful area, located little higher side below the gorgeous rock cliff walls. Cacti, desert plants and bushes are nicely growing, there is no large trees to block the wide open view.
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12/7/2019 Oliver Lee’s Dog Canyon Ranch, NM - I join the tour that offered by the State Park. Re-created ranch but adobe inside and cement outside house. There is detached school room and care takes room under the same roof. Disney movie used this place and left the adobe fence, which still some of are visible.
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12/7/2019 Frenchy’s Cabin, Oliver Lee memorial SP, NM - He from France, and Frenchy’s ruin is located just west of the state park visitor center. 8 years of solitary like he had here, current state park area. He built stone wall by hand, which is still visible. Someone murdered him when he was 51 years old.
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12/8/2019 Riparian Natural Trail, Oliver Lee Memorial SP, NM - Short hike from the visitor center and main attraction is the Oliver Lee’s irrigation water from the Dog Canyon transfer to the 100,000 sq ft ranch reservoir near his ranch by gravity.
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12/10/2019 Alamogordo, NM - It was in the cloud all early morning, visibility was very bad and tons of moisture in the air. But sooner aftr sun got up, all clouds/foggs were disappeared. It was a magical moment.
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12/11/2019 White Sands National Monument, NM - White sands are gypsum sands in 275 acres. Hiked sandy Alkali Flat Trail for while to get to white wave like area, not many people come to this area. There are layer of beautiful white dunes.
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12/12/2019 Pine Tree Trail, Organ Mountains Desert Peaks National Monument, NM - The loop trail runs northeash of below the Organ Mountains. Its beautiful and nice over view trail. There are many rocks/boulders but found no RA.
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12/13/2019 Leasburg Dam State Park, NM - Diversion dam built in 1908 that supply water from the Rio Grande for irrigation use. I was not expected that the campground is full and tent campers are using the electric sites and use a space heater to warm them up.
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12/14/2019 Fort Selden, NM - It is located in so called the Chihuahuan Desert. The Robledo Mountains are west and the Rio Grande is near by. Currently there are same ruins remind. Douglas MacArthur family was use to live here during 1883-1886.
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12/15/2019 Summerford Mountains Area RA, NM - The mountains are higher side of the Lucero Canyon, I was expected there are some RA, because many RA in the Lucero Canyon. I was lucky to found it today. Rocks/boulders are everywhere but RA is located one small area.
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12/17/2019 Dona Ana Arch (Kay Named), Dona Ana Mountains, NM - I don’t know the exact name of those arch. I found two, one is located at the slope side and another one is located higher upper side and like a rainbow shape.
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12/17/2019 Dona Peak (Kay Named), Dona Ana Mountains, NM - Very nice 360° view from atop that include the Dona Ana Peak, Organ Mountains range, Summerford Mountains range and town of Las Cruces. Beautiful area, sad thing was too many trash all over on the trail, I’ve picked up one bagful, but need many more bags.
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12/19/2019 Robledo Loop, Prehistoric Trackways National Monument, NM - This place became the National Monument in 2009, new National Monument. Currently process of developing in this place, a means no hiking trails and no facilities, yet. I’ve hiked on the Robledo Loop of OHV trail but I didn’t see any trackways.
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12/20/2019 Ridgeline Trail, Prehistoric Trackways National Monument, NM - I follow the trail that climb up two mountains then down into the dry creek, in this creek there are dinosaur foot prints, which I couldn’t find it, but I saw many facils.
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12/21/2019 Rincon RA Site, NM - I found a RA site that not far from where I’ve parked and not far from I-25. It is in the dry canyon, RA located both sides of the canyon walls, and some of are on the floor/ground rock surface.
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12/23/2019 Organ Mountains Desert Parks National Monument, NM - West side of the Organ Mountains Desert Peaks range is one of the most beautiful view of the rock formations. I had a chance to see close it up view today.
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12/23/2019 Dripping Springs, Organ Mountains Desert Peaks National Monument, NM - Not much water at the Dripping Springs that was disappointed. However this area has so much to offer, like the Boyd Sanatorium and Van Patten Mountain Camp, there are the ruins and near the Dripping Springs. Also I enjoyed the Crawford Trail and La Cueva (The Cave) with faded picto.
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12/25/2019 Dona Ana Mountains, NM - Wanted to see this mountains range from east side because easy to approach the peaks by hike. There are few peaks, all those are beautiful. The large rock surface area called the Checkboad that just north of the Dona Ana Peak.
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12/25/2019 Chihuahuan Desert Natural Park, NM - It was surprise to find this park here. Its located east side of between Dona Ana Mountains range and Summerford Mountains. Hiked up to the Vista Hill that located just east of the Volcanic Dike.
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12/26/2019 Percha Dam State Park, NM - Man-made dam stops the running water in the Rio Grande for the winter. A local told me that the Rio Grande is full of water after winter. I saw many group of birds fly around the park, it was fun to watch.
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12/28/2019 Caballo Mountains, NM - It is beautiful mountain range that located east side of both I-25 and Caballo Reservoir. Seems to not easy to reach the summit, but I am sure there are ways.
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12/29/2019 Caballo Lake State Park, NM - It is a large state park and Caballo Reservoir is large in size. During winter season, the dam is closed, which means water is not running below the dam. However other than winter, 5-6 ft high of water is running in the Rio Grande.
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12/30/2019 Lake Valley, NM - This is a ghost town. However it was a booming silver mine town until silver price plunged overnight, and population reached to 4,000. There was railroad and many stores. The main street business district burned to the ground in 1895, and never rebuilt nor replaced, that was the end of the Lake Valley as a town.
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12/30/2019 Fort Cummings, NM - Rough road to get there. Fort is a ruin now, two different kind structures remind, one is an adobe, other one is stack up rocks. This area is hiding area by surrounding of many small mountains.
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12/30/2019 Cookes Spring House, NM - It is located near the Fort Cummings. The spring house is large empty inside but springs water is under ground. Using solar power to send water to the water tank that one mile away, then use solar power again to pump up water to atop of the mountain for drinking water for the cattle.
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12/31/2019 Flying Pan Canyon RA, NM - This site is 2nd time for me, but first time for this route to get here, from east side at this time and from west at last time. I enjoyed walking in/around the petroglyphs site.
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