First thing we did upon arriving in the mountains, we ate at the Hideout. Then we went to check in at our hotel. We definitely have our priorities right. It rained before we could get the car unloaded, and that was fine with us. New Mexico rain is just pretty wonderful.
After we settled in, Toby and Jesse went for a hike, and I went to do some porch sitting with my cousins. 
If porch sitting was an Olympic sport, I'd be a gold medal winner. While sitting and visiting, lightning struck just across the road. A plume of smoke went up from a telephone pole. It sounded like an explosion and the flash was awesome - scared the be-jeebeeze out of me! I felt a tingle down through my body. I immediately sent a text to Jesse and Toby to get out of the trees. I don't think that has ever happened to me in the mountains. Bac, in the 70's, there was a family killed while out riding motorcycles in the mountains. It had started raining, and they got under a large tree. So, I knew lightning could be dangerous, but that flash made a believer out of me. Jesse and Toby were fine - other than a little mud and cold wet feet from the rain.
We went out to eat at Texas Red's and met up with old friends. The two ladies in this picture have been friends since we were very young kids. Cindy (on the left) and I used to play in our "fort" down on the river. She got grounded by her parents for burning matches down at the fort. I don't know how her parents knew about the matches, but Cindy did manage to singe off her eye-lashes. Kim (in the middle) was my best foxy friend's baby sister. We've got lots of history between us.
On Friday, while I did more visiting, they rented mountain bikes and rode the trails at the Enchanted Forest Cross-Country Ski Area. They had a great time. I need to get Jesse to share some photos of their ride - I stole this one from her FB.
On Saturday, Toby stayed behind with me while Jesse took the cousins for a hike up Wheeler Peak. It is about a 20 mile hike - round trip. We had the family gathering with lots of food when they got down from the mountain. They were pretty worn out, but Jesse managed to go dancing that evening - never miss a good party.
Here she is at the top. 
Here is the ridge going up to the peak. 
Here is the view from the peak including Horseshoe Lake below.
10 comments:
If porch sitting was an Olympic sport, I'd be a gold medal winner.
Ahem. That's MY gold medal you're on about, Darlin'. I train EVERY day, most often four to six hours.
Great pics, great place, great people. Red River is pretty magical; you were blessed to grow up there.
It was a magical place to live. Jesse says it was a great childhood. Sometimes I get pretty homesick for the mountains, but my life is in OK now. And it is a good life.
Sounds pretty fantastic!
Moogie, the mountains are magic.
Looks really nice in the pictures. Looks like someone messed-up the cannon since the 80's picture. I once drove from Los Alamos to Cuba, New Mexico as an alternate route for a trip to Washington state.
It was very scenic, and very lonely. I was the only car on the road, and every time I passed ranchers on horseback they looked at me like I was from New York city (in my Buick).
Sadly, that whole area caught on fire the next year (83 or so, my mind is gone). A good memory.
Ahhhh, nice trip to the mountains. It is great that you had such a good time with rain and cool weather, too. I saw on the news it was 113 in OK near you someplace day before yesterday. I didn't want to look too close as it was 104 here and I didn't want it getting hotter! We have been inside so not too bad. We have had a couple of mornings of 77 degrees so we could have coffee on the porch. I'm good for at least the bronze, just 'cause it is too hot to sit on the porch most of the time so we sit on the couch and recliners. Evil grin.....
That sounds like a wonderful vacation! Myself, I've been wanting to go down to Galveston. Maybe some day.
It could have been people or maybe the heavy snows that mess with the cannon. NM is a lonely, but beautiful area. Sometimes it is the lonely part that I love the best.
Morning sitting is only a bronze, although I'm sure you and Gene are pretty good at sittin'.
Galveston can be fun too. Although I would wait until school starts so as to thin the crowds.
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