D Roger and Mrs Dear Leader: On the Road Again

 Viva Las Cruces

The Organ Mountains from our condo

Well, the gods of weather apparently decided that we shouldn't miss out on the recent Big Freeze hitting the country so here we were, all bundled up, 25 degrees outside and got an 1/8 of an inch of snow - that qualifies as Snowpocalypse here. It's bad to have crappy weather when you left home to escape crappy weather but life is full of troubles. On a positive note, at least it gives me a break from bad golf and a chance to share what we’ve learned from our totally new winter escape.

Mrs Dear Leader and I, having been home bound like everyone else for two years, decided we needed to get out of town again this winter. We have been going to FL for several years but decided we needed a break from the overcrowded, goof-filled looney bin that is FL for a change.

Aside from FL there are only so many places you can go for guaranteed nice weather in the US: Southern Texas, southern Arizona, southern California and . . .  well, that’s about it. (Of course, it has to be some place we can drive to  because of . . .

                        
                                                 Princess Prudie

So if FL is out because of goofs then Texas and Arizona are out as well. In fact, they may be worse – totally nuts state governments in both: voter suppression and fake “fraud audit" anyone? 

(As an aside, a dear friend of many years who moved to AZ 14 years ago is moving back to MN. No raging liberal is he but he’s had enough of their nonsense as have several other folks he knows there. You don’t read much about this reverse migration but it is happening.)

                                            Said friend who flew down from AZ to visit,                                                                                                                                             We bought him a taco and he gave me a ride around.

So anyway, LA and San Diego are nice but yowser, are they expensive! Thus, we decided on the poor man’s Las Vegas - Las Cruces, New Mexico. I had bumped into a few guys over the years golfing that had been here or knew of people who had and enjoyed it.

No, we didn’t really know where it is either but we didn’t let that stop us. We just knew that it is as far south as you can go (excluding El Paso, 40 miles away and which, of course, is in Texas - next stop, Juarez, Mexico.) So, after an extremely boring 21-hour drive with stops in the Greater Topeka Metroplex and the Cattle Stockyard Capital of the World, Amarillo TX, we arrived in Las Cruces on New Year’s day.

Las Cruces is the second largest city in New Mexico after Albuquerque with about 110,000 people in the city and maybe couple hundred thousand in the metro area. So, a nice size with plenty of amenities but not so large as to be swamped in traffic, overpriced housing and food (or over stuffed rich people.) 

                                                      

        

We're staying near Mesilla                                                                                                                                                                                the original old town, now a suburb 

                                                                   Basilica San Albino - Mesilla                    

                                

Jail where Billy the kid was awaiting hanging - until he killed two guards and escaped, only to be shot by Pat Garrett not far from here. Now a gift shop - how apropos!

Note: There should be a picture of the Rio Grande River here too, it flows by just outside Mesilla. It was one of the things I was really looking forward to seeing but a picture of an empty river bed is not too impressive. It's usually bone dry this time of year, I guess, but the experts say it is also going the way of Colorado too. Wow, that will sure help the migrant problem.

Generally, I would call Las Cruces pretty much a blue collar town with nothing in common with Vegas except the desert and weather. They do have a major college, New Mexico State University, so there are an almost endless bunch of bars, bistro’s, libraries and museums. The restaurant scene, as you can imagine, is filled with fabulous Mex and Tex-Mex places that are inexpensive and you can get in without sacrificing a kidney. 

    

             

           White Sands is about 60 miles east of LC 

   

                                                                                                               Very cool - 270 Sq Mi of  golfer's nighmare

                                 

I was going to try this but "certain people" stopped me. . . 

That and the thought of a lot of sand in my undies!

     

The population is about 65% Hispanic, 30% Anglo and the rest Native American, Asian and Other. We have found the people here to be uncommonly friendly. Best of all, they’re not nuts. We were shocked the first time we went into the grocery store and Every. Single. Person. was wearing a mask. That is true wherever you go here. Sure they have a mandate but so do we at home but here there's no whining, wheedling or threatening - what’s the matter with these people, don’t they know it’s un-American to give a rat’s ass about your fellow citizens?! (I will say I’ve never seen this many people driving around in their car by themselves wearing a mask but we're all allowed some eccentricities - thank God!)

One of the finest Veteran's Memorial Parks I have ever seen with all our stinking wars represented with individual memorials to each.

Memorial to all the New Mexicans who gave the last full measure in every war we have fought (now multiply by 50)

                  

Vietnam Memorials  

Women at war

Of course, there are a few loonies here too – this is still part of the US you know. One guy near us has a large “F%$! Biden” flag proudly flying over his house. (He did put the US flag above it - quite the patriot.) Overall, though, the folks here just seem to be like the Americans we used to know and love before we turned into whatever it is we have turned into; they are a pleasure to be around.

The Organ Mountains Overlook the Mesilla Valley

               They  are endlessly fascinating . . .                                                                                                                                      

        Constantly changing with the sun - that's not snow        

                      

                                                 The Organs up close - very unique geology                                                                                                                                     (I didn't include sign seen everywhere "Beware of rattlesnakes" Ugh!)

How’s the weather you may well ask. Well, it’s not Florida but then where else is? (And why do those doofus’ get to have that weather?!) Nonetheless, it is overall pretty delightful (Apparently with the exception of this very rare recent event.) Virtually every day is bright, clear sunshine (300 days per year.) It is brisk every morning high 20’s-low 30’s - Las Cruces is the high desert at 4000’ elevation so that’s to be expected. It warms up to high 50’s, low 60’s everyday with NO WIND! Which brings us to the most important thing, Golf!

  Due to the weather I quickly determined that               late tee times are necessary for a mature                     golfer like myself. Sadly, there are only three               public courses but still tee times are pretty easy         to get. Luckily, I like desert golf and the courses         are above average in quality. And the price? It’s           so cheap I (almost) feel guilty. They have senior         discounts, military discounts – it’s paradise!

So, as I was saying . . . Hey look, squirrel! 

I gotta go, the sun is out again and temp is rising - I got important things to do!

Hey, Mrs Dear Leader, our ride is here!

I have just one request: please don’t tell anyone what I’ve posted here about Las Cruces. In fact, forget everything I said. 

Everyone stay away, we don’t want to turn this into another Vegas or Scottsdale!

Hasta la Vista - Baby