Letter from the Road

On June 22, 2006 (at 05:57:40 PM MDT) I wrote, "thanks, sweetie,

not certain this was such a good idea but I'm certainly on the road.

I made it through the entire State (to Las Cruces). Las Cruces is among the finest towns/cities in the entire State but hot, hot, hot. It was 104 when I was there in this little community called Mesilla (just a few miles south of Las Cruces itself)) and a college town.

Today I made it as far north-east as Roswell. Well, I haven't met any aliens yet but judging from the terrain coming into town I can imagine Martians or crater-aliens landing. It is dry, flat, and somewhat strange. While traveling I thought of you often as I am certain you would have been so fascinated with the changing landscape and
vegetation. I saw some large cacti that looked like scarecrow in the Western desert, but here at the eastern end, fewer and very few with blooms of any kind. Somewhere before Ruidoso are White Sands, a military base, but actually large areas of sand, the first and last I've encountered. And no water, just dry, parched land, and green where there is heavy irrigation.

Ruidoso (yesterday) is in a huge forest, and coming into and out of it, I was surrounded by nearly lush green valleys. Ruidoso is the mildest of the three cities I've been in the last few days. However, when I visited the old cabin of an acquaintance the land around was patchy, and so dry I was afraid it would go up in smoke. All around me have been fires.

Last Saturday Lani and David couldn't come down to Taos (from Clayton) because they were having two terrible fires coming in two directions at them and the ranch. We missed them! :(

I've learned a lot about NM this week, not much good I am afraid. The North, Taos and Santa Fe are really the picture book towns of the State. Although I do admit (I say admit freely) that Las Cruces impressed me but not enough to stay because of the intolerable heat. I couldn't enjoy walking around, and seeing whether the surface beauty is more than surface.

I'm having dinner with an acquaintance I made today at the Roswell Chamber (my age, sex and a person who lived in Taos) at a recommended Italian cafe. Roswell is a flat piece of over-rated real estate, another tourist town, but not perty at all. Two museums tomorrow and then it's up North again.

I'll stay in touch but this was the first wireless internet cafe I've found.

All my love, and I sent the Bean her gifties from Alamagordo yesterday,
two day priority. Please let me know when it arrives. If the dress is too small, send it right back because the owner of the store said I can exchange it for the three. I thought it was so beautiful and it reminded me of YOU! :)

Kisses on your pillow,

Meme

>On Monday, June 19, 2006, at 06:07 PM, Marijke Hecht wrote:
>
>> glad to hear you are going to take a trip...paint some pictures for
>> me...let me know where you are at in general.
>> i love you
>> xox
>> m
>>
>> On 6/17/06, Zoe Hecht <parsifalssister@mac.com> wrote:
>>
>> Good talk; I'm going to take your suggestion and do a week or more trip
>> down South and see New Mexico. I called Bob (and his Leslie) and told
>> them I was 85% certain I'd do this. It gives them a little breathing
>> room, also, to keep the electricity off and see how to get this couple
>> out of the house.
>>
>> I love you and only wish life was simplier or I was younger!
>>
>> Give big knuffles to the Bean, Popi and Papa,
>>
>> Meme
>>
>>
>
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