The Valley of Fires is a recreational area that provides access to the Carrizozo Malpais, a large lava flow.  The most recent information gathered suggests that the eruption date is 5200 +/- 700 years ago.  The area containing the flow is about 2 miles wide and 20 miles long.  It is maintained by the Bureau of Land Management and a clearly marked and easily navigated walk about 1.5 miles long was created for visitors to get up close to the formations. One of the many interesting views here was the lava structure referred to as “ropey”.  It was formed whenRead More

It is rare that I have an experience that I absolutely cannot describe…well, this was one of them.  I’ve been referred to as a ‘free spirit’ over the years, but this place was beyond even anything I could relate to!  It seems that I need some direction when I visit a very large exhibit venue…at the very least some clue as to where to begin, where to end, and some sense of whether or not I have seen everything!  NOT HERE!  The creative endeavor displayed was tremendous, but it just about made me crazy to be let loose with noRead More

When Tracy and I heard about this amazing event, we knew we had to participate!  Hundreds of families and friends showed up to get their personal over-sized paper lantern and s/mores kit!  People gathered around fire pits and made new friends.  It was fabulous!   Before the sun went down and the inflating of the lanterns began, there were crafts, music and time to write or draw your intention or something you were grateful for on your lantern.  We also got crayons..woohoo!  Just hanging out in great weather with awesome people would have been enough, but the music was great, weRead More