Montana Trip - Day 19

[finally figured out what time zone I'm in (Pacific) - so, ended up waking up at 0600L - my car cleaned off my big storm last night - had breakfast in the lobby and chatted with the owner - he bought a deserted motel last year and is renovating it room by room (who said the American Dream is dead ?) - on the road by 0730L - east on I-40 to Sanders - got gas - continued south on US-191 - lots of evidence of the rain: mud across the road, water actually flowing through (the usually dry) washes - through St. John's and into Springerville (pleasant little towns) - mailed post cards - lots of volcanic rock - cool (I'm still at high altitude!) - east on US-60 - long constuction delays near AZ-NM border - time change (again!) - drove (sprinkles and muddy truck water...) until I saw signs for Pie Town - decided to stop to see what the hubub was about (1230L) - while I was eating their famous "New Mexico Apple Pie" (with green chilies and [pine nuts], the lady behind the counter told me how ladies in the vicinity used to make been pies and dried apple pies for the ranchers (before there was a highway there) - the place only has 35 residents and got its start with the little pie shops (1920s/1930s) - I just missed the annual festival - continued east until I found the Very Large Array (VLA), just east of Datil - I'd been wanting to see this place for years, especially after the visit to Greenbank in West Virginia (see AUG 2007) - it was a lot different than I expected - to start, there are 27 radio telescopes - they can be arranged in several configurations, so depending on the camera angle, it looks like there are many more - when I drove up, I only saw a few (turns out, they are spread out over miles and miles of the area) - nice little visitor center (very informative) - ominous weather in the distance, but still took a self guided tour (walk) of the grounds - got very close to one of the units (big!) - saw the "High Plains Lifter" (train that moves the telescopes into position) - drove east towards Socorro (rain all the way) - on I-25 and drove to the south (windy!!!) - got away from the rain - decided to stop at the El Camino Real State Museum (exit 115) - had to drive through back country to get to it (it was, luckily, open on Wednesdays) - very interesting displays, told of the history of the trail from Mexico to New Mexico in the Seventeenth Century - it was an International Heritage Center, after all, so it had a definite slant against the Mexican War - still, it was worth the stop - could see some of the trail in the distance - drove back towards the interstate and figured out I'd need to drive a good distance to get back on it - used NM-1 through canyons and valleys until I could re-enter I-25 (1700L) - drove south for a while - got gas in Hatch - had been researching the location of Spaceport America - no signs about it AT ALL (despite reports that it was finished) - I read you would need to go to Truth or Consequences and ride a tram to the site - screw that! I got off at exit 32 (there was actually a sign there, saying "Home of Spaceport America") and started off on a dirt road that followed El Camino Real (two birds with one stone!) - very remote - sun setting / double rainbow - after about 15 miles off the pavement, I made it to a hiking trail area - climbed to the top of a ridge and could see... NOTHING... - I think I needed to go about 20 more miles on the increasingly poor road - by now, the sun was setting - so, I'll have to come back... - drive back to the highway took a good bit - on I-25 when it was completely dark - south to Las Cruces - got dinner at Arbys (to go) - after entering Texas (wow, it has been a while!), drove through crazy-driver-land (El Paso) until I was in the desert - speed limits picked up to 80 (!!) - made it to Fort Hancock (and a motel) at 2145L - it was good to stop...]