Like most everyone else, we have been following risk reduction guidelines throughout the pandemic. But, our social distancing has allowed for some camping trips. Last week we did a short trip to Rockhound State Park, in the Florida Mountains just outside of Deming, NM. It's about an hour west of Las Cruces and we have been there for day trips and camping before.
The weather did not fully cooperate: It was windy; There was a major dust storm; We saw light rains; And there was snow on the mountains. So we adjusted our plans.
One adjustment was visiting the Deming Luna Mimbres Museum, a remarkably diverse and interesting museum of local collections of all sorts. (There were few other visitors and everyone was masked.) We were particularly taken by the Native American pottery from the Mogollon Culture - dating about 800 to 1200 years ago.
There were more modern tribes and artwork represented too: this is Hopi pottery from about 1750.
And these Kachina dolls are actually modern pieces made by a local Deming artist.
But we did get out-and-about elsewhere too.
These photos are from our visit to the Faywood Hot Springs.
And these are from a couple of hikes in the desert and mountains.
The Visitor Center at Rockhound State Park.
The desert as the sun sets.
