Go West Young Man (6)

     The lessons of life are always very educational, particularly when one has not taken the time to do the homework or study ahead of the "test", this became very apparent on this particular day.
     We began the day early, having the usual "free" Continental Breakfast consisting of hard boiled eggs (it is a good thing we were rather active on this trip or our cholesterol levels would have skyrocketed), coffee, orange juice, bagels sans lox but with cream cheese, waffles. Then off to Mass at 7 AM at Saint Pius X Catholic Church which we found close to the hotel the evening before. Being the skeptic of the day, and seeing the name of the church I was wondering it this was a church of the Society of Pius X, in other words, not in communion with the See of Peter. My skepticism was unfounded as in small letters on the marquis it stated "Diocese of El Paso". The presider at Mass was an Columban priest from Australia, who is current a parish priest across the river in Ciudad Juarez, in Mexico. It was rather interesting to hear the bilingual Mass being said in Spanish and English - both with an Australian accent.
    After Mass we had the intention of taking the tram up to the Franklin mountain trail, and this is where the part of doing the homework comes in. We get to the gate and see a sign that the tram is closed for the day, and we are not aware of any other way of getting up there. There are actually several other ways, but we didn't know that (homework or the lack thereof).
    It is an area that should be explored if the opportunity presents itself, but first do the homework. Here are some links to the Franklin Mountains park area and trail. http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/findadest/parks/franklin/
http://www.localhikes.com/Hikes/N_Franklin_Mountain_2320.asp
http://www.trails.com/tcatalog_trail.aspx?trailid=BGS133-001
http://texastrails.org/traildetail.cfm?id=513
     As a result of this oversight on our part we decided to continue the journey rather than wait until tomorrow. We are still on the mission trail pursuit and so we pack up and leave El Paso heading west into New Mexico. But here is an important side note - somewhere along the way while looking at the map of New Mexico Norma notices the city of Roswell. Since she likes science fiction and stuff of that sort, all sorts of bells go off, "area 51", "aliens", "UFO's", and all of this in Roswell. Our itinerary is changed a bit to spend the night in Roswell so we can see all the strange things that are there. She is so lucky to have a husband that doesn't mind, even if he is not much into this kind of "stuff".
     We enter New Mexico, the "Land of Enchantment" just after 10 AM (MST) and stop at the "Welcome Center" and pick up some information and take a few picks.

At the State of New Mexico Welcome Center just off of Highway 10

The State of New Mexico Welcome Center - note mesquite fence and old wagon in the back, as well as adobe building.

     Shortly after leaving the Welcome Center we turned off of Hwy 10 and onto NM hwy 28 toward the town of Mesilla. On the way there we drive through an area full of Pecan plantation, and come to a sign that states this is one of the largest pecan plantations in the world. We stopped and took some pictures driving through this tunnel of trees, but somehow I must have deleted them, because they are not in the file of the trip. The plantation is Stahlmann's somewhere between Las Cruces and Mesilla.  Here are some links to Mesilla.
http://www.oldmesilla.org/
http://www.oldmesilla.org/html/history_of_mesilla.html
http://www.oldmesilla.org/html/events_calendar.html
http://www.mesilla.com/
http://newmexico.org/explore/regions/southwest/mesilla.php
     Mesilla's claim to fame is a young man generally known as "Billy the Kid", and here are some links to information about the Kid.
http://www.aboutbillythekid.com/fact_vs_myth.htm
http://www.aboutbillythekid.com/
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/WWbonney.htm
     There were also some rather heavy "range wars" between various cattle baron factions.
      Here are some of our photos from Mesilla.

Just a street view

As said previously, I am fascinated by interesting gates and doors. This one to a private yard.

We are now in the "Wild West", the side walk.

This building housed the courtroom where Billy the Kid was sentenced.

A wanten poster of Billy the Kid.

Another street view.

Good looking really Western "flavor" building.

    Future posts will have the remainder of this interesting day.