Escapees July-August 2023

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I watched Merle Paul put the last fi nishes on a woven shawl made on a triangle weaving loom. Soon it’s time for the “Back 20” tour. A friendly and knowledgeable guide takes me on the ‘farm animals and antique farm equipment’ tour with fi ve other visitors. We trundle along, crossing a bridge known as the Pecos River Bridge and the Rio Hondo Bridge, the state’s second-oldest highway bridge. It marks the gate way for visitors to cross the Tortugas Arroyo to reach outdoor exhibits, barns, fi elds, and livestock facilities. Although there is a vast display of farm implements of the past, my favorite feature of the tour is seeing the many animals raised in the state: Navajo Churro and Debouillet sheep and cattle, including Corrientes, Texas Longhorns, Herford, Black Angus, Brangus, American Brahman, Charolais and Holstein. My next adventure is nearby Mesilla, home to historical attractions like the San Albino Basilica. I am thrilled when I arrive and discover a festival, complete with traditional dancing. I watch children perform for more than an hour in the sunshine. The area is also known for its many gift shops, galleries, boutiques, and restaurants serving traditional Mexican cuisine. White Sands National Park I was also fortunate to visit White Sands National Park, less than an hour from the city. More than 10,000 years ago, the fi rst people came to the area in search of food, water and shelter. Spanish explorers and miners went to the basin to pursue salt, gypsum and other resources. Ranchers also took advantage of the expansive grasslands in the basin until the bombing of Pearl Harbor during World War II, when the military decided to use the area for scienti fi c research and technological development. The park covers 145,762 acres in the Tularosa Basin. It is composed of gypsum crystals — the whitest sand and the largest sand dune of its kind on Earth. Its depth is about 30 feet, with dunes as tall as 60 feet. Originally designated White Sands National Monu ment, in 1933, it was redesignated as a national park in 2019. The park features a drive from the visitor center to the heart of the dunes, picnic areas, a backcountry campground, marked hiking trails, and sledding on the dunes. You can rent or buy sleds at the visitors center. The white sand is mesmerizing. I drove until the road became only sand and really enjoyed its beauty. Las Cruces is a friendly, versatile, and multicultural community. There are many reasons to stop and stay on your next adventure to New Mexico, from the Market, galleries, and museums to Mesilla and White Sands. For more information: www.lascrucescvb.org. By Marilyn Jones, Guest Contributor

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ESCAPEES Magazine July/August 2023