Monday, November 20, 2006

I Love This State!

Despite the windy nature of the state, I still love living here in New Mexico. It is so diverse both in topography and in people. Work took me North last week to Wagon Mound of all places. I spent Thursday night in Las Vegas and headed up the road to Wagon Mound the next morning. Drove home that afternoon. I was by myself so I was able to look out my windows instead of looking towards the backseat (where the little ones are strapped in). I love that area up there - rolling, grassy hills with he Rocky Mountains in view towards the west. I love how you go from grasslands, to cedar covered relief, to grassy plains with Cholla interspersed, to mesquite and yucca covered dessert. I've traveled the central to eastern side of the state quite a bit in my lifetime, I've been to the southwest portion a couple of times, and the northwest a couple of times and would like to explore more of the west side some day. Each region is so different from the others - makes traveling more interesting.

In addition to enjoying the terrain during my trip, I also noticed that I view things with a triathlon eye as well. Driving between Romeroville and Pastura along U.S. 84 pre-1937 Rt. 66, there are signs pointing to Anton Chico and Pintada. My thoughts as I passed these little turnoffs like these used to be - I'd like to drive that road someday to I'd like to ride down that road sometime. Also all my planning and packing ideas/attitudes have changed as well. Pre-triathlon me would have looked forward to sleeping in and dining well during my overnight stay at the Historic Plaza Hotel in Downtown Las Vegas. Instead I packed my running gear, planned my morning so that I could get a 48 minute run in before I had to leave for my meeting in Wagon Mound. I was on the streets of Las Vegas at 6am Friday morning, enjoying the change of scenery as well as the fact that it was no cooler than my normal morning runs have been. The change in altitude (+3000 ft) didn't seem to bother me, but it was a hard run do to the numerous elevation changes, ie hills a lot of them.

1 comment:

Herself, the GeekGirl said...

Well, hey, miss thang - you should join us at Show Low for the Deuceman festival in June. It will give you a chance to travel through the western part of the state!