Friday's Adventures (?)

We covered 220 miles today. I wanted an interesting title for the 220 miles, but after looking at the definition of adventure and using the thesaurus, adventure is not what Friday was. No daring, no hazard, not overly exciting, no risk, thrill, danger or excitement...just unusual for us as we stopped at places Hubby would NEVER have stopped had it not been for geocaching. And he never complained about stopping at the unusual (for us) places. 

So our Friday adventures in the spirit of the unusual on our trip of 220 miles along Highway 60 from Show Low AZ to Socorro NM, a road we have traveled at least four times...

Madonna of the Trail

in Springerville AZ

The monument says it all.

Historical Marker View

Hubby crawling through barb wire fences...

all in the name of geocaching!

The Historical Marker

NOTE especially for MY KIDS: remember that trip from SD to CA and back in 1987 when YOU accused me of stopping at EVERY historical marker along the way??? My reply to your angst was there was something to learn about the area by reading those signs. It might be important to our understanding of what we were seeing. Well, guess what? We are doing it again because there is usually something really important on the sign that is needed to solve the geocache. What goes around, comes around.

Next to the grocery store in Quemado NM

Many antlers

Pie Town NM

Our stop for lunch & pie

There are two cafes advertising pie

Based on the number of vehicles, both local & out-of-state,

 parked at each, we choose Pie-O-Neer.

It was busy the entire time we were there;

people coming and going, travelers and locals.

It was a very good choice

When we asked if there was a burger on the menu,

we were told, they were a "Pie Shop" and offered a

few lunch selections (total of 5), but their speciality

was pie. Hubby chose cherry and I had coconut cream.

YUM!

There were more pie choices than choices on the menu for lunch!

Kathy asked us to sign her guest book. She said she plans to write

a book about the people who have stopped for pie.

The "Pie Shop" was as interestingly decorated inside

as it was outside.

Another roadside marker near Datil NM

Two very interesting women

Baldwin Cabin, now a Public Library

In the middle of nowhere

OK, near Datil NM

But had a reason for our little side-trip

Small fenced corral

Yes, another roadside marker

At the VLA (Very Large Array)

I was so sure we would be visiting the Visitor's Center

today, but NOT; no geocache there!

I take photos of this scientific phenom every time we drive by.

Magdalena NM

The old train depot houses the city's library and I think a museum.

Not sure about the story behind the bronze statue of Albert.

One of several very large empty building in the dying community.

Yet another historic marker

And directions to Riley

There was also a historical sign for Kelly, 

but I didn't get that one. I think it was another long-gone 

community south of Magdalena.

I did learn Magdalena was a booming town for cattle drives.

In the late 1800s cattle would be driven 120 miles from 

Springerville AZ to Magdalena NM.

Magdalena was also a railroad hub, back in its 'hay-day'.

The Magdalena Fault

I skipped the roadside sign for this post!

Hubby taking an elevation reading along the Rio Grande

Yes, the Rio Grand in Socorro NM

So, Friday's drive was not really an adventure in the true spirit of the word ADVENTURE. It was more of a leisurely drive on a road traveled several times before. But this time, we actually paid attention to the places we passed through or by. We learned about the history and geology in the area. We took the time to stop and smell the roses...Hubby's words. Well said dear!