AZ and NM Headin' to the Ranch

Shey loves it when I mess with him until he wakes up.

Quick morning fire to warm us.  Then we smother it

and say goodbye to Luna Lake

Back onto 180 and we pass through one tiny town/village after another.  All of which, I would love to live in, but would  most likely be too isolated for my coffee shop loving partner-in-life.

We aren't particularly hungry, yet, but we happen across the Adobe Cafe and Bakery in Reserve, NM and stop in for coffee and brunch.  It's homey and has a selection of local game on their menu.  You can tell, this is the place the hunters from out of town come to when it's hunting season.  Next door is a cool little shop, where I pick up some more mexican blankets, because I use them for everything and 10 just isn't enough.......

Elk patty, eggs, sausage and gravy, potatoes and veggies.  All very good.

We jump back in the car and head toward Gila, NM.  Shey reaches toward the dashboard and pushes "search" to scroll through the radio stations.  Static, static, static, static, native american chanting.....we look at each other and smile.......static, static, static, static.   So, there is one station and it is indigenous music.  We enjoy listening for a few minutes then turn it off and point out natural interests as we pass by.

Gila, NM.  Is a cool little "town" with a couple buildings and the Gila river running through it.  Love it.  A couple turns and we arrive at Kenneth and Kristina's adobe schoolhouse that was renovated into a home.  Rhea greets us.

Kristina loads us in the truck we take a drive around the ranch.

Healthy livestock chillin' in the shade.

Lots of these little guys around.

Lotta Bull.

The view isn't too shabby, either!

Then we ran across this guy.  

Zip the wonder dog and Kenneth. (twins)

After the tour we scooted back to the house to hang with the rest of the gang.

Beagle.

Pepper

Kristina made us a wonderful meal of chicken, famous hatch peppers and rice.  It was pretty amazing!

We enjoyed catching up and visiting on the front porch.  K and K are a pretty great couple and it is always nice to hang out with them.  They have a very cool place in Comfort, TX, but we were happy to get a chance to see their spread in NM this time around.  We told stories and listened to all the cool info about the surrounding area, people and irrigation system.  Late in the evening, we headed to our sleeping accommodations, under a lit up, star filled sky.   A cozy trailer with stellar AC!