In October 2019, my daughter Jill and I spent a four-day weekend in Ruidoso New Mexico. We went sightseeing in and around the town and took a day trip to White Sand National Monument. Click HERE to read a short introduction about our awesome trip.
This story, which is part of a series, is about our first day in Roswell.
This story, which is part of a series, is about our first day in Roswell.
Ruidoso, New Mexico (October 19, 2019) Jill and I said a quiet “thank you” to President Teddy Roosevelt as we got ready for this morning’s adventure in the Smokey Bear District of Lincoln National Forest. You see, he had the foresight, at the turn of the 20th century, to start the national park system to protect wildlife and public lands. During his presidency, Roosevelt used his authority to establish 150 national forests, 51 federal bird reserves, 18 national monuments, and five national parks. Roosevelt established Lincoln National Forest by Presidential Proclamation in 1902. Over the years, this wooded preserve doubled in size to more than 1.1 million acres.
Be Fearless
Lincoln National Forest was an outdoor paradise – varied vegetation from semi-desert plants to high-elevation firs and year-round recreation that included hiking, horseback riding, camping, hunting, and skiing. There were also miles and miles of trails to ride an Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) on, and this is what Jill and I did this morning courtesy of Backcountry Attitudes.
Be Fearless
Lincoln National Forest was an outdoor paradise – varied vegetation from semi-desert plants to high-elevation firs and year-round recreation that included hiking, horseback riding, camping, hunting, and skiing. There were also miles and miles of trails to ride an Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) on, and this is what Jill and I did this morning courtesy of Backcountry Attitudes.
BE FEARLESS IN THE PURSUIT OF ADVENTURE!
~ Lance Roe, Owner of Backcountry Attitudes
~ Lance Roe, Owner of Backcountry Attitudes
Backcountry Attitudes is owned by Ruidoso natives Jazmin and Lance Roe, who greeted us when we entered their store, just a 10-minute drive from our condo. Ruidoso's office of tourism had booked a two-hour off-road adventure for Jill and me, and the only decision we had to make was whether to ride as passengers or drive an OHV. I may have drooled when I passed the line-up of Can-Am Maverick X3s that were parked outside the front door of Backcountry Attitudes. So, there really was no decision in the end – I was driving, not riding!
Inside the store we were schooled on the mechanics of operating the Maverick. I must admit that the instructions intimidated me a bit. Soon, though, Jill and I stood next to “our” OHV as an employee reviewed the driving basics with me. I quickly realized that driving a Maverick was really quite simple. I hopped in the driver’s seat while Jill slid into the passenger seat. We buckled up and roared off with Lance as our guide. We were joined by four other adventurists in two vehicles.
Jill had the foresight to buy tube masks ahead of our trip - an important aid to screen the cloud of dirt we kicked up when we drove the trails. What do you think? Apropos, I’d say, with Halloween around the corner!
Jill had the foresight to buy tube masks ahead of our trip - an important aid to screen the cloud of dirt we kicked up when we drove the trails. What do you think? Apropos, I’d say, with Halloween around the corner!
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We drove north of the village on paved roads for about 15 minutes, to a point near Alto Lake. There we entered Lincoln National Forest through an access gate. We were now on Forest Service Road 120, where we made our way up gently sloping hills on mostly dirt paths – an opportunity to get a "feel" for driving the Maverick.
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Soon the trail plateaued. We stopped to stretch our legs as well as our eyeballs, as the panoramic view was beautiful. The fellow in the middle photo with Jill and me is Lance.
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Back in our Maverick, we were ready for the “real fun” to begin, and it didn’t take long. We quickly reached a narrow, winding trail with a steeper slope. I loved to gun the engine as we approached a curve - the front tires bit while the rear skidded with the momentum of the Maverick. It was exhilarating! We bounced over rocks and small boulders as we continued to climb the mountain. The shocks on the Maverick were amazing. No, the ride wasn't smooth, but I navigated this terrain without a hitch. I even managed to take a couple of photos while driving!
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We reached another plateau at 7,500 feet. There we parked near a small windmill, surrounded by tree-lined hills. Lance told us that he would like to purchase nearby land as a possible campsite for a future overnight OHV adventure. Now wouldn’t that be fun!
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After a short rest, we followed a different set of trails down the mountain. I found that driving down was a different experience compared to driving up – the paths down were steeper with more ruts, and the rocks and boulders seemed bigger. While I gunned the engine going up, I lightened up on the gas pedal going down and braked more often. Lance's words kept running through my mind: "Be fearless in the pursuit of adventure!" (From time to time, I also heard my wife's admonition from last evening: "Hurt our daughter and I'll kill you." Just kidding!!) The trail leveled off as the rocks and boulders gave way to a hard-packed dirt path that meandered over rolling hills.
Soon we were back on blacktop and in 15 minutes we arrived at the shop. There one of the employees used a high-pressure air hose to blow the dust off our clothes and backpacks. We had no idea how dirty we were until we saw the trail dust and dirt fly from our clothes.
This was the first time I went off-roading, and I have to say, IT WAS A BLAST!
Stay Tranquil
Jill and I had a 5:30 dinner reservation at Wendell's, the signature restaurant at Inn of the Mountain Gods, a casino resort owned by the Mescalero Apache Tribe. The restaurant, by the way, was named for Wendell Chino, the late Mescalero Apache president whose vision became this casino resort. We wanted to "save ourselves" for what would be a multi-course meal, so we opted for a light lunch at the nearby Cornerstone Bakery & Café after we left Backcountry Attitudes. Then we headed back to the condo to clean up and rest.
We arrived at the casino at a quarter to four. Most people were there to gamble, but not Jill and me. Instead, we looked upon the casino as an "island of tranquility" - a calm place surrounded by a noisy environment. For us, the "calm place" started at the casino's spa, where the the Village's office of tourism booked a 50-minute “peace and harmony” massage for both of us. "What is that," you ask? It's a traditional Swedish massage that used light to medium pressure in a peaceful and serene environment - a heated table, light music, a bit of incense, low lights, and a massage specialist who relieved the stress and worked out the kinks in our muscles from our feet to our neck. It was just what the doctor ordered to release the tension from our earlier adventure. The massage was marvelous!
We had a half hour before dinner to explore the grounds of the resort. We started in front, where there was a large bronze sculpture, The Dance of the Mountain Gods, created by Mescalero Apache artist Frederick Peso. This sculpture celebrated the legend of the mountain gods, five ghostly figures who danced and chanted around a fire to “drive away sickness and evil and bring good health and good fortune” to Mescalero Apaches. As we walked around the sculpture, Jill and I could feel the quiet energy of the five figures and the fire that "burned" between them.
Soon we were back on blacktop and in 15 minutes we arrived at the shop. There one of the employees used a high-pressure air hose to blow the dust off our clothes and backpacks. We had no idea how dirty we were until we saw the trail dust and dirt fly from our clothes.
This was the first time I went off-roading, and I have to say, IT WAS A BLAST!
Stay Tranquil
Jill and I had a 5:30 dinner reservation at Wendell's, the signature restaurant at Inn of the Mountain Gods, a casino resort owned by the Mescalero Apache Tribe. The restaurant, by the way, was named for Wendell Chino, the late Mescalero Apache president whose vision became this casino resort. We wanted to "save ourselves" for what would be a multi-course meal, so we opted for a light lunch at the nearby Cornerstone Bakery & Café after we left Backcountry Attitudes. Then we headed back to the condo to clean up and rest.
We arrived at the casino at a quarter to four. Most people were there to gamble, but not Jill and me. Instead, we looked upon the casino as an "island of tranquility" - a calm place surrounded by a noisy environment. For us, the "calm place" started at the casino's spa, where the the Village's office of tourism booked a 50-minute “peace and harmony” massage for both of us. "What is that," you ask? It's a traditional Swedish massage that used light to medium pressure in a peaceful and serene environment - a heated table, light music, a bit of incense, low lights, and a massage specialist who relieved the stress and worked out the kinks in our muscles from our feet to our neck. It was just what the doctor ordered to release the tension from our earlier adventure. The massage was marvelous!
We had a half hour before dinner to explore the grounds of the resort. We started in front, where there was a large bronze sculpture, The Dance of the Mountain Gods, created by Mescalero Apache artist Frederick Peso. This sculpture celebrated the legend of the mountain gods, five ghostly figures who danced and chanted around a fire to “drive away sickness and evil and bring good health and good fortune” to Mescalero Apaches. As we walked around the sculpture, Jill and I could feel the quiet energy of the five figures and the fire that "burned" between them.
Behind the resort we strolled along the shore of scenic Mescalero Lake, set against a backdrop of hills dense with trees. The Sierra Blanca mountain range was visible in the distance. There was a fellow at the shoreline reeling in his fishing line, and on the lake we spotted a raft of ducks calmly paddling across the water. It was a peaceful setting, to be sure.
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Now we were ready for dinner. We started with crab cakes as our appetizer and followed up with chopped salads. The waiter made a couple of recommendations for our entrees. His description of the rib eye steak made our mouths water - so rib eye steaks it was, with potatoes on the side. As we ate, a musician softly played melodic pop songs from the 70s and 80s on his guitar – Jimmy Buffet, James Taylor, Simon and Garfunkel, and more. He was quite good. The steaks were, too! For dessert we had vanilla bean gelato.
We headed back to the condo feeling quite content - our muscles were relaxed, our minds were clear and untroubled, and our stomachs were full!
We headed back to the condo feeling quite content - our muscles were relaxed, our minds were clear and untroubled, and our stomachs were full!
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This was a day of contrasts – an energetic and noisy adventure in the great outdoors to start our day and rejuvenating activities to end it. It was a yin-yang of experiences!