3 Days Late....Deming, City of the Rocks and Silver City

Well....its been 3 days since my last post....mostly my fault for not getting to it...but last evening I had the project about 90% complete...was working on the last 10% earlier this evening and this little net book just couldn't take it anymore.......the pressure got to it and "Bam"...deleted the entire blog entry, photo's and all....so its time for a "do over"......where do I start....

Got up on the 17th to go see Shakespeare Ghost down...about 55 miles back west of my camp......had my morning Java...read the brochure on the town...and headed on the dreaded washboard road for the next 8 plus miles.....after an hour on I-10 I got off and another 10 miles or so was at the Ghost town.....do you see any photo's posted.....no...well there is a reason.....Shakespeare is taking a break after the summer session....and only does guided tours certain times of the month....the brochure I read made NO mention of that SMALL detail......I guess I should have spent more time reading his "sonnets"....so that was a 110 mile ride just for grins......

amount of beer Horst can consume on 110 mile wasted trip 

Got back to Deming and really didn't feel like doing much....rode around town, not much to see so I went back to my little slice of heaven and cleaned vacuumed and did minor maintenance on the camper...by the time I was finished it was time to eat dinner and kick back and watch the stars dance in the heavens....tomorrow will be another day to behold.......Got up around 0500 the next day...full of energy, feeling full of my self...today I was 'Bullet proof'" sat outside and watched the sun rise...took a shower without hot water....damn...I am bullet proof......today I was "Red Ryder"...now that dates me......my Agenda says City of the Rock and Silver City, both are North of here by about 30-50 miles....

City of the Rocks Horst Kelly photographer

Got to the City of the Rocks about 0930...entrance was a do it your self type of arrangement...so correct change was the drill for the day...it was five dollars...about the time I was finished filling out the paper work and stuffing the envelope with 5 dollars worth of pennies..another person pulls up and is beside himself....alas...he doesn't have the correct change.. is also a photographer...from Arkansas and really wants to photograph this place....all he has is a twenty and 2 one dollar bills...is willing to give me his 20 for five dollars......but I have 3 ones to go along with his two singles... and hand them to him...he says..."you would do that for a stranger"..so I introduced myself and then we talked for 10 or so minutes....and stranger we weren't anymore.....we set up our stuff.....and ventured our own way...another life long friend...

City of the Rocks Horst Kelly Photographer

To me this place was a cross between Stonehenge and Jurassic Park...it is very difficult to photograph with a 35mm..one needs a large format camera to capture the personality of this place....my humble thoughts...not an excuse for poor photos....I enjoyed hiking around among these odd structures..then I heard a voice say..if we where in Mexico.....the people would say...this is where God stood.....

City of the Rocks Horst Kelly Photography

There was this guy about my age staring at a huge rock being held up, or so it appeared... by a small pebble.....the light wasn't right so I couldn't photograph it...though I shot it.....we introduced ourselves and talked for 30 or so minutes....subject of campers came up....and I said I had a Casita....and he also had one...camped right here...he has been full-timing for several years and loves it.....what I small world.....and this is the second time on this trip....reference Monument Valley for those of you just landing on my journal....we parted and
went our separate ways and tonite I wonder how he is getting along.....Next stop...Silver City...it was about 25 miles up the road....to me it was a "Tale of Two Cities".....How did Shakspeare back up into my mind...oh bother, back to Silver City...it is two towns ...to me...when you drive in you see Walmart, Fast food chains, and all those modern neon light things...at the north end you find the old Silver City....

Silver City Horst Kelly Photographer

it was a rather sad place...more shops had a "for sale" on them.... the shops that were still in business.....some open only 2 or 3 days a week....and the town has a "personality"...if only.......but the odds are not in her favor.....I spent a couple of hours walking the old streets, wondering how things where 50 to 100 life times ago......but its a reality check...and one can only hope that the Country can get back on its feet....

Mural..Silver City Horst Kelly Photographer

The afternoon sun was fast approaching evening so I headed back to the Ranch for some chow and a quite evening of star gazing....tomorrow on to White Sands and a new adventure.....Happy Trails...Horst sends.....

Photo of the day...Horst Kelly Photographer