FTJ, Entry 76: UFOs and the Treacherous Guadalupe Mountains

Beau always teases me that I was dropped here by aliens. So it seemed appropriate we visit Roswell, New Mexico, home of UFO experiences and the mysterious Area 51. Was a bit of a disappointment, in that we saw no aliens ourselves, other than the tourist trap lures that Roswell has perfected. Every store seems to carry a UFO theme, with flying saucers sticking out of buildings and inflatable green men beckoning us to visit kitschy souvenir shops.  

LOVED IT!

UFO Museum

Note the saucer in the building wall.

Beau says this is one of my relatives.

Him, too.

Portraits of my ancestors?

Joyce was a good sport about the Roswell visit.

The fast food places get into the act -- above,  Arbys welcomes "ET," and
down the street, McDonald's is shaped like a saucer. (Apparently, aliens enjoy beef products.)

Note the resemblance.

Believe it or not, the guys just happened to wear the same shirts from Key West's Schooner Wharf Bar.
Once they realized it, they donned their hats and the rest is silly history.

The Thrill Ride that Is the Guadalupe Mountains

Okay, it was bad enough we had to go south and back through Texas to then go north to get to Las Cruces, New Mexico. But making it worse were the VERY high winds and a scary highway with sharp turns and challenging grades.

It was one of the most frightening rides yet, with Beau having to concentrate every second to ensure we did not get blown off the road, and me freaking out about our going 50 mph down a twisty mountain road with the wind buffeting us to the point I thought we would end up on two wheels. Or no wheels.

At one point, a tandem tractor trailer nearly pushed our RV off the road/hit us, coming within a foot (or less) of our side mirror.

Still, the views were spectacular, so I tried to take photos to get my mind off my terror. But by the time we got to Las Cruces, Beau was super stressed and we were barely speaking (I kept yelling at him to slow down, which he did not appreciate!)

These roads were MUCH more frightening than they look. I was too scared to take photos of the worst sections.

This road looks harmless -- but it's NOT!

Damned Guadalupe Mountains -- stark, harsh, beautiful, dangerous.

Beau during the stressful trip to Las Cruces.

At least the trip was broken up a bit by a surprise border patrol check. We thought for sure they would pull us over (the RV could have been filled with illegals!), but they just waved us through.

He's REALLY Retired!

I happened to notice Beau's bluetooth, covered with dust. He has no need for it these days!

 

I will end this entry with photos of other weird stuff we have seen lately.

And this odd image:

Wow - what a long blog. Sorry, but I am trying to catch up. I still need to post something on Las Cruces and then on the gorgeous Santa Fe (where we are now).

If only these gale force winds would abate. Tomorrow we are expecting another typhoon.

Tanks, Panky