On Friday, 7/29/16, Sheila and I did something that we haven't done for a long time. We went on a road trip. We had been kicking it around a few weeks before it happened because we weren't sure that it would happen at all. Life complications have been rising up it seems, like it's some sort of whack-a-mole game, except that the moles were popping up just as a weekend was about to get underway.
There was something that needed taking care of that morning, and we knew that was coming so our appointment to take care of that was at 9:00 AM. Once that was done, we packed for a long weekend, and then it was off to Deming, New Mexico.
One reason why we went there was because it was Sheila's choice. Another was that we hadn't yet gone out that way together. And one reason why I was pleased with the choice was that it was a chance to see if that New Mexico style of cuisine was the same as what I can get here in Tucson at Poco & Mom's.
Our intention going out there was to stay in Deming for one night, and make it up as we went along from there. I wanted to fit in City of Rocks State Park and Silver City, but Silver City was at first uncertain since they were getting slammed by afternoon thunderstorms; courtesy of the 2016 Monsoon Season. We rolled into Deming on Friday afternoon, and after a one hour rest we walked over to a Mexican restaurant that was nearby.
The food there was good, but the booth was a little on the cramped side. We both ordered a combo plate, and true to New Mexico style, we were asked the State Question, which is "red or green?" That's referring to the color of salsa that you want. I think they consider one of them to be "mild" (I can't remember which one) and the other to be "hot". I think most folks not familiar with New Mexico style would consider one to be "hot" and the other to be "rocket fuel". I went green for my choice as did Sheila.
The next morning we had the lodging-provided complimentary breakfast, after which we checked out and then pointed my truck in the direction of Silver City. We knew that City of Rocks State Park would be on the way via a ten mile detour down a state highway, and when we found that road we turned.
I had known of City of Rocks via a friend of mine who once camped there. I had seen some pictures of it, but with a place like that the pictures don't do it justice. It's best appreciated by being there and wandering around. We were there for an hour or so before we left for Silver City, passing throuh Hurley and Bayard on the way.
We arrived around lunchtime, and per a recommendation from a co-worker we looked for Jalisco's Cafe and found it downtown. Again, it was that New Mexico style, which is my favorite, and this time I had the meat enchilada plate. Per local custom enchiladas in New Mexico are served with a fried egg on top of them and it's over easy unless you tell them you want it scrambled or you don't want it at all. I personally think eggs are best scrambled, which is how I make mine when I make them, but quando in Roma you do what the Romans do and I had it over easy.
The food at this place was absolutely delicious, and better than what we had in Deming. I came away glad that Poco & Mom's here in Tucson was equal to Jalisco's. After lunch we walked around downtown Silver City, which is a neat place to walk around in, and after that we searched for lodging.
Had we done our due diligence we would have stayed downtown. I instead checked out the places we saw on our way in, and as the saying goes, they were very proud of their lodging. Both places, owned by the same outfit and next to each other, had some remodeling going on, and if anything they should have not allowed themselves to suffer from the amount of greed that they do. As it was, a nasty thunderstorm was on the way, and I figured we would drive down to Lordsburg and spend the night there.
Now if you go back and read my previous posts, you'll know that Lordsburg has come up before here. I've done lots of fireworks runs to that place over the years, and I even dream about the place on occasion. I wouldn't call it the crown jewel of New Mexico but I wouldn't call it an armpit or a trashcan either. The town has been losing people over the decades. That said, you won't see any grafitti there, and you can walk around to your heart's content and not be hassled by panhandlers.
After a night there, we drove around it some, and again, if I had done my due diligence, I would have had us eat at this place called Ramona's Cafe which along the old US 70 when it was the main drag. What used to be the main drag of Lordsburg fell into abandonment long ago, when I-10 was built roughly a mile south of where US 70 used to be.
We left Lordsburg in midmorning and took I-10 on the way home, though maybe next time we'll take that active part of US 70 on up to Safford and then US 191 back to I-10. Who knows, we tend to make up our trips as we go along, since it's more fun doing it that way.
As for The Land of Enchantment, Sheila wants to go back in a few weeks. I'm game, but there's possible overtime at work for the next few weeks so I don't know if I'll have my off Fridays off. Perhaps the next visit to our neighboring state will take us to Las Cruces, or Hatch.
We'll figure something out the next time we're there.
