One of the reasons that we moved to Las Cruces was the wide range of camping opportunities: We are about 600 miles from Austin, TX; 600 miles from Denver, Co; and 600 miles from San Diego, CA.

We really needed a beach day (or 2, or 3) so we went to San Diego.

Picacho Peak State Park, Arizona

Sunset

And Sunrise

And, we need to build a bigger wall to keep out the illegal aliens

Ocotillo, California

San Diego, California

Imperial Beach

"I wish they all could be California gulls"

Imperial Beach Pier

Surfer running along the beach

San Diego skyline, as seen from Imperial Beach

View of Point Loma and Cabrillo National Monument from Coronado Beach

He'll save your life and be your best friend

Ice Plant

California Poppy

California Tesla

Dennis at Cabrillo National Monument

We arrived just as the fleet was heading out

Cabrillo National Monument

Whale watching from Cabrillo

Mike and the old stone house

Stairwell in the old lighthouse

Egret in tidal pools

A very small portion of the enormous cemetery at the Point Loma Naval Base: It was truly moving to drive through

Mike - Back at Imperial Beach for sunset

(Old surfers never die)

 Hoping to enjoy and encourage Mike's continuing recovery from his surgery, we grabbed a few days of increased strength and vitality and ran off to Big Bend National Park. It was a very nice getaway, and we completely forgot about everything else for the whole time. 

Of course, we had to stop at the Prada store in Marfa: 

It was closed. 

I don't know how those people ever make any money. 

West Texas highway with blimp. 

Bee Mountain in Study Butte, TX.

Mountains along the road.

We ran into a couple of ravens.

Mike and the view from Sotol Vista Overlook.

Vermillion flycatcher.

Tuff Mountains near Castolon.

The winged boot at sunrise.

Dennis in the desert below the Window in the Chisos Mountains.

Cactus thorns.

Dugout Wells windmill.

Mike, with the Mule Ears and Chisos Mountains behind him.

Dennis in the desert.

The Rio Grande. 

The left side of the river is the US, while the right side is Mexico. 

The white buildings toward the center of this photo are the village of Boquillas del Carmen, MX, with the Sierra del Carmen behind them. 

Mike is a snake whisperer. 

Phoebe.

Road Runner.

Mike overlooking the desert.

Along the Dog Canyon trail.

Sierra del Carmen.

Stopped for a walk.

Rio Grande Village.

Mules.

Castolon.

Gate work at the Boquillas border crossing.

Sunset.

Dinner in Valentine, TX was not all that tempting.