Day 3

Today was a day of great scenic riding and site seeing.  I left Roswell and headed west and drove the Billy the Kid scenic byway. I stopped at a small picnic area for a breakfast of a trail mix bar and coffee made using my little cook stove.

I drove past Capitan Gap, the place where Smokey the Bear was discovered as a cub after a fire.

  I then continued driving around in the Lincoln County area, famous for the Lincoln County War in the late 1870's between two factions, and Billy the Kid who lived and worked in the area and fought for one side.

I stopped to visit the Hubbard Museum of the American West in Ruidoso, NM. If you have any interest in the American West in the 18th and 19th centuries, then I highly recommend stopping in to see this museum, if you are ever in the area.

I also made a stop to see the Three Rivers Petroglyph site.  It was mildly interesting and it was nice to get off the bike and do a short hike to see some of the petroglyphs.  The petroglyphs are thought to be the product of the Jornada Mogollon people between about 1000 and 1400 AD.

Later in the afternoon, it looked like it might rain, so I decided to be proactive and get my rain suit on. I drove for a couple hours and of course, it didn't rain a drop and I ended up getting wet anyway by sweating my ass off in my rain suit. I did see some awesome dust devils in the distance though

My drive took me past the White Sands Missle site and the Valley of Fire.  The Valley of Fire is an old lava flow field. 

It was starting to get dark and the wind was picking up due to a storm brewing in the area so I decided to stop for the night in Magdalena, NM, a little town on highway 60.  I am really enjoying the trip so far. I can't describe how liberating and relaxing it feels to be on the motorcycle with just the sounds of the wind and motorcycle. To be on no ones schedule but my own and to stop when and where I want, and to let my mind wander as I am cruising down the road.  According to the motel manager, the drive tomorrow along highway 60 is supposed to be very beautiful. I plan on taking my time and just soak up all the scenery along the way. I should arrive in Tempe, AZ sometime tomorrow afternoon.