🇺🇸 NYE 2024 - Truth or Consequences to Silver City, NM

I have a general statement about relationships, ‘we are medicine for someone.’ I will revise that; we should be ‘medicine for each other.’ The holidays are not a focus for me… my family is not present and I am busy enough in life… but I found myself sitting alone in a sketchy shit airport hotel in Denver on a very cold Christmas night… and that sucks. So… enough of that misery! Time for adventure.

A quick round in Southern New Mexico to celebrate the closing of a year and usher in the new. I made this trek almost exactly 2 years ago. It’s an ideal time to be in the South of the State. The light of the low southern sun, warm days, cold nights… not many travelers.

Truth or Consequences is one of the quirkiest places I’ve ever been. Named after a 50s radio game show, it has excessively wide streets for a small town… AND… it sits on a massive thermal aquifer next to the Rio Grande. It pumps out 2.5 million gallons of heated mineral water a day… and that’s a whole bunch of hot springs sitting.

The town is full of hot springs offerings… and RV sites. Riverbend is the place to visit if you ask me - private pools with a gorgeous river view. The RV-camp zones are a little… a little awkward I guess. Full time RV folks that stare at you a little too long… with wide eyes that don’t blink… creepy grins… while they set out their pink flamingos and pineapple deco. Everybody has a thing I suppose… but some things need shots of penicillin to go with. 😬

West is the Gila National Forest and Silver City. The Gila is very much like the Colorado mountains and brings fond memories to the heart and soul. 🥹

I had planned on exploring the area a little more but I ran over something in the road that punctured my tire in the backwoods. And you can’t call AAA when there’s no cell service. So… we should all know how to change a tire and that’s what I did. I’ve been doing a lot of yoga for increased mobility… AND quite proud of myself for doing so… until I had to break the lug nuts with a 6” tire iron. Who feels gordo y viejo now? My back now makes crunking sounds. Crunk!

So… the people of Silver City are extremely courteous and kind. It’s an eclectic town with art and food… students… ranchers… and hosts one of the worlds largest open pit copper mines.

Now… I’m a city boy… and I don’t necessarily align with the rancher peep politics… but in Silver City… they are theeee nicest people. When I was changing my tire in the sticks… the only folks that stopped to check if I was alright… a rancher… with his big ass hat… duster coat… and rancher kids sitting in the front seat of his big ass Rancher truck. There’s more examples of the courteous people of SC… but check it out for yourself… nice vibe.

Random acts of kindness is a thing people… live it… love it… rinse and repeat.

More ‘mark-makers of the past’ hikes. Gila Cliff dwellings. Faywood Hot Springs. City of Rocks Park. Surreal sunsets. Aldo Leopold dedicated room… don’t know Mr Leopold? Look him up. He’s worth a tip of the hat.

It’s a complete haul to explore the southern regions of New Mexico… but if you get the chance… it’s dreamy stuff.

#newmexicolife 💙🙏