Monday the sunny day beckoned and we headed to Organ Desert Peaks National Monument, 
a half-hour east of town. We chose a 3-mile hike called La Cueva (the cave) to see the home of inhabitants since 5000 BC. In the 1860s, the cave was reportedly inhabited by one of the more eccentric figures of New Mexico’s history, Giovanni Maria Agotini, known to local folks as “El Ermitano,” the Hermit. He traveled the world, walking and healing, although he belonged to no organized religious sect. When he settled in the cave, he lighted a fire in front of the cave each night and told villagers, “If you see the light, I’m alive. If not, I am dead.” The night no fire light appeared, el ermitano was found stabbed to death by an unknown assailant with a crucifix in his hand.
As we left the park, we drove over San Augustin pass where cowboy sheriff Pat Garrett had his ranch and the mountains where he was murdered. Down the pass, we could see White Sands Missile Range where for 76 years missiles of all types have been tested–42,000 of them, as a matter of fact, and a museum which will be for another trip. We ended up at a restaurant Bill chose called Delicioso, the name perfectly reflecting the day.
We left Las Cruces on Tuesday and drove into Arizona to Bisbee thru Rodeo, NM, landing at the historic Shady Dell motel, a stop since 1927 on major route 80. Shady Dell consists of vintage trailers and campers. We rented the 1955 Kenskill trailer, a tiny white and turquoise vehicle 
with pink and yellow metal lawn chairs just outside. Dot’s Diner next door wasn’t open for breakfast til the weekend, so we followed the sign across the road to find the Bisbee Breakfast Club. Little did we know, we were about to step back in time.
The small mining town of Lowell, AZ, was incorporated into Bisbee in the early 1900s, as the widening open pit copper mine took the residential area. The shops, hotel, theatre and police station–all empty–were fronted by 1950s cars and trucks, as if their owners had just gone inside. 
Very fun and nostalgic. We both remember those super-wide automobiles.
Heading west, we drove south of Tucson across the Tohono o’Odham Indian Reservation. The land was covered with desert vegetation, most notably the towering saguaro cacti, gesticulating in all directions, some quite rude to the imagination. It had just rained, so the mountains were glistening as the sun cast rays. The land felt so free and quiet. We continued to Why, AZ (don’t ask me) and north to Ajo, a copper mining town that nearly died in 1983 when the mines closed. The Marine Motel where we stayed must have seen guests in that era.
The next morning we struck out for the Mexican border at Lukeville, USA, and Sonoyta, MX, and crossed with a green light, never having to show our passports. The glory of the drive, though, was that every mile traversed the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. Organ pipe cacti 
resemble the saguaros, but look like they’ve been squeezed every few feet from top to bottom. Forests of organ pipe and saguaro so thick and bristly were such a joy to behold.
An hour later, we entered the town of Puerto Penasco, and found our little white concrete hotelito, trimmed in turquoise. What a home after from….
Needless to say, guacamole and shrimp were at the top of our menu. And we looked forward to visiting our friends from Santa Fe who are spending their first “winter” here.
We wish you a lively and safe New Years’ celebration. May 2023 bring you and yours wonderful surprises.
Love,
Nancy & Bill
Travelers