It seems like every time we pass through New Mexico we end up in Deming. It is probably one of the least attractive places we have come across in our travels. It’s brown, it’s flat, it’s VERY dusty, there is not a lot of commerce in the area, and as far as attractions the only one worth mentioning is the museum. The pizza is terrible, the burgers so-so, and the Mexican cuisine tolerable. Yet here we are again, year after year.
So why do we keep coming back? The rockhounding is some of the best. The off-road trails are so numerous Jeepers could spend a lifetime and not traverse them all. It is also centrally located to a lot of historic towns and attractions, but mostly, the absolutely nicest people live here.
We are staying at Hidden Valley Ranch RV Resort. It is 10 miles out a dirt road right in the middle of some great rockhounding.
According to the hostess who checked us in, it has been raining for the last couple of days. That is very exciting for a rockhound because that means not only is the dust washed off the rocks, but more has washed down from the mountains and because of erosion, new rocks are brought to the surface.
The next day we went right out to see what we could find. Obviously, we found some great rocks. And we found a lot of mud. If a dirty Jeep is a happy Jeep then our girl should be beside herself with joy. It took John two trips to the car wash and he still didn’t get all the mud off of her.
We have been rockhounding almost everyday and have found some cool stuff. This isn’t all of it, and it is hard to see the appeal in the rough rock but after John applies his artistic magic they will become beautiful works of art.
I had a lot of fun finding carnelian once we located just the the right spot. Carnelian is fun to hunt because it lays on the surface of the ground and has such a distinct color and reflection that it stands out like a beacon. It doesn’t look like much but once it is tumbled and set, it will be beautiful.
Sunsets in the desert are interesting and a lot has to do with the distance you can see. Also cloud cover and the amount of dust in the air create interesting effects. This one looks like a rainbow. Sorry its a little blurry, I took the picture through the Jeep window while we were moving.
This weekend we are heading to Silver City and out to see the Gila Cliff Dwellings.
The reason you always end up in Deming is that it is the best second day stop between Dallas/San Antonio and Phoenix. We always spend the night at the Dream Catcher, the Escapees Rainbow Park. The folks are fun and Taco Tuesday is a blast at the Quality Inn next door.