After only two nights in Texas I was ready to get the hell out! Even Brian complains about it and he's from Texas! He can't stand the humidity but I can't stand everything being spread out and all the Republican-ness, as in seeing a Mitt Romney bumper sticker on the back of a pickup truck. We said goodbye to Brian's friends and we were off toward the New Mexico border (not the Mexico border, it's the other direction). The drive toward the panhandle, just like a drive through most of Texas, is very boring and can really kill your driving stamina. Today would be six hours of driving versus only three hours yesterday. I was up for eating lunch in Roswell, a 4-hour drive away but Brian wanted to eat sooner. I can go for longer periods without eating than he; he gets a headache if he doesn't eat. Brian's car is small and goes fast but he doesn't have cruise control, therefore he always has to keep his foot on the gas pedal. All right, so there isn't much to talk about driving through Texas. Other than stopping for a quick lunch at Wendy's we made a B-line for New Mexico. As big as Texas is, if you blink you'll miss the border of New Mexico. Two hours later we stopped in Roswell. Synonymous with aliens and UFOs the sign at the entrance to town advertises Roswell as the "dairy capital of the Southwest." After a break for lunch we drove to the Roswell UFO Museum. With little money to spare, and a $5 admission we didn't go inside but we got some cool photos out front with some aliens.
A UFO allegedly crashed near Roswell in 1947, and there are many theories as to what it might've been: if not a UFO, possibly a weather balloon or an experimental military aircraft. Ufology has always been a fascinating subject for me. Did a UFO really crash near Roswell? And were the bodies of extraterrestrials really found? Or is it simply a fanciful myth? Personally, I believe in UFOs and I feel that the wreckage of a UFO was found. Perhaps the funniest thing I saw in the window of the museum gift shop was "alien toilet paper."
Leaving aliens and mysteries behind we were off to great heights in Ruidoso. Situated at almost 7,000 feet, it's a mountain town. I'd never even heard of Ruidoso before Brian told me about it. After several hours through the monotonous plains of the Texas Panhandle and Eastern New Mexico we suddenly had mountains, pine trees, and a cool mountain air. It seemed a bit difficult finding Kaitlyn's house but we found it and she greeted both of us with open arms! She's the cutest thing, with pretty red hair and a fantastic personality. Stretching my legs after six hours of driving, I wanted some photos. There is a fantastic view of Ruidoso from their baby blue home but we walked a few metres down the road to a vacant home for even better views and playtime on a wagon and in a giant claypot.
The gorgeous view!
Kaitlyn totally tells me to "be myself" when I asked her to let me know if I'm being overfriendly. As I've mentioned before I'm considered socially awkward and I must work on these things. Kaitlyn is like "there's nothing wrong with being too nice." The three of us all chatted as I made some tea. Kaitlyn lives with her parents, three dogs and two cats, and has a 3-year-old son named Jayden, and she and Brian have been friends for nearly 10 years. She seems bored here in Ruidoso and wants to move to Vegas or someplace more exciting where she can work on her career. Kaitlyn and I look some absolutely gorgeous photos. These are platinum, eHarmony style!
Please note though she's not my girlfriend; we were just being silly and taking nice photos. They're some of the best photos I've ever taken with any girl. Kaitlyn is a sweetheart, a real joy! Tonight it was time to don my "modified Spurs jersey" as the NBA Finals were on tonight. It's ironic that my first basketball punchline was "Spur-fry the Spurs" but now I'm cheering for them. It was a blowout by the Miami Heat but what was even more fun tonight was chatting with Brian and Kaitlyn. He likes to quiz me on math but everyone knows I'm even better at geography. New Mexico is one of only four states whose official nickname doesn't include "State" in it. New Mexico is the "Land of Enchantment" and the other three are Alaska (The Last Frontier), Rhode Island (Little Rhody), and Virginia (The Old Dominion). The Land of Enchantment sure is enchanting, and there are many places in the state I'd love to see. I've even considered Santa Fe as a place to live. We all ended up having too much fun tonight and staying up well beyond what we should've, and I had too many 151's (Bacardi that is). This has been a really great road trip so far! Brian has introduced me to his mother and brother and some of his friends who've all treated me extremely well. Now here I am at Kaitlyn and family's beautiful home with a beautiful view! The Land of Enchantment, Kaitlyn's way.
