Matt's New Mexico (Formerly Airstream) Adventure

[Matt]

It’s my pleasure.  Being so far from home during the pandemic is pretty isolating.  Having my forum family along for the ride on a a huge bonus for me.

[Palmer]

Those landscapes make me think of Blood Meridian. Perfect time of the year to be exploring in the Southwest!

[Matt]

Love Blood Meridian.  Fortunately it’s more like All The Pretty Horses, kind of boring.  Moved onto Alpine and Ft Davis…

[Matt]

Panther tracks…

[A Former User]

Can’t find that inside a “school” building.

[Matt]

Nope…

[Matt]

Getting ready for Xmas…

[Matt]

We’ve moved in to Hueco Tanks St Pk in El Paso and this place is nuts.  If you live near or are passing through I highly recommend it.  We had to participate in a special orientation upon check in to ensure we understood just how special this place is.  They go to great lengths to protect the artifacts and pictographs here, many of which are prehistoric. It’s also a rock climbing destination apparently.  Wikipedia this place if you’re interested.  We just got here.  This is all just from the campsite…

[Matt]

On the drive up the speed limit reached utter ridiculousness.  If I had a Delorean I could have time travelled…

[Matt]

Worlds smallest Prada.  I snapped this one while driving.  Katie was in charge of getting the shot of the smallest Target but let’s just say I’m in charge of photos while driving now…

[Appfaff]

I always wondered if they actually sell things there or if it’s really just a spot for wives to take photos…

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[Matt]

It’s a spot for wives to fail to take photos apparently because they don’t know how to use their phones.  In real life it and the Target are art installations.

Tons of 1000 year old pictographs and some awesome rock scrambling today.  A hueco in case I neglected to mention it is like a crater in the rock face that collects water, which in the desert is a pretty big deal.  The water is what attracts animals and plant life and is what attracted native people for thousands of years.  It also attracted tourists for hundreds of years so along the pictographs are “historic graffiti” that’s also protected.  The newer graffiti is removed and the perpetrators go straight to hell.

Here’s some huecos.  They are everywhere and are home to 3 types of shrimp that only exist here…

[Matt]

The rocks here were formed underground and pushed up by magma where they fused with limestone.  Many of the pictographs are in caves have been visited so frequently the ground is smooth and shiny… and slippery.  Getting the kids in and out of these things was a real adventure.  The first one we saw had a special map with directions like “Find the rock that looks like a duck then walk up the mountain 100’ until you get to a rock that looks like a crocodile.  Stand under the nose of the crocodile and go over the rocks to a cave with a bush on its left.”  I can’t believe we found it...

[Matt]

[Matt]

[Matt]

I’m lying on my back in a cave about 3’ tall taking pictures of the ceiling.

[Matt]

This climb was super sketchy.  Very nerve wracking with small children.  My wife was concerned for her safety…

[Clint_D]

@Matt While you're in the area, you should really check out McDonald Observatory near Fort Davis!  They've got a really great program and is definitely worth a visit.  There should be some clear, cool nights this time of year with plenty of visibility.

[Matt]

We just left Davis Mnt St Pk @Clint_D and unfortunately it was closed for Covid.

[zhivago]

Very cool stuff @Matt!!!