East of the Pecos

The picture to your left is part of the Pecos Wilderness in northern New Mexico. After 18 years we were fortunate enough to meet up with our girls and their families to revisit the region where they were raised. Las Vegas, New Mexico is a town about the size of Eufaula with a rich history of the American West. We stayed in a campground just south of town which served as our base of operations for day trips to the mountains, Taos and Santa Fe. We ate lots of tortillas and green chilies. The temperatures ranged from about 72 to 84 and most days had a brief afternoon shower. We explored the trail heads where Rick had taken guests llama trekking( that is hiking with llamas carrying the gear) and visited an alpaca ranch that we knew of from our time raising llamas.  At church we met up with some old friends and we made a few new ones on our trip as well. In the canyons there were people with strings of trout and we visited the fish hatchery where many of the fish were raised.  We understand New Mexico stalks some streams as often as once a week. There were high mountain campgrounds with very people and crowded streets full of tourists. I loved walking in the mountains as we enjoyed days with low humidity and mild temperatures.

As part of the trip we visited a number of different campgrounds in a variety of locations. On this trip we stayed at several campgrounds that were more like large parking lots designed for easy access to and from the freeway. It might be a good business model but they offer more of a travel experience than a camping experience. It was good to see how other parks are designed and as we got closer to home the " to do" list took shape with some new ideas and a refreshing perspective. As lovely as the western part of the United states is, we do enjoy being East of the Pecos.

Vacations are important not just for memories made and relaxation but also for new perspectives. The warm days of summer mean more hours spent by the pool and some midday adventures that include air conditioning. The campground is quite now waiting for weekend guests enjoying long summer days. Don't put off spending time away with family and friends- the rewards are well worth the journey.