Roswell: Highway 285 to Berrendo Road

 This is my home territory now 

All that sky! All that land!

Roswell, New Mexico is situated in the northern Chihuahuan desert.

I make a couple of supply runs to the Walmart 1.7 miles away down a rural desert road. It's a new experience. 

I occasionally walk north on Main Street to the Tractor Supply Company (they stock good candy) and the Allsup's convenience store near highway 285.

Everyone I have known before moving here that has been here has only been to Allsup's. They're all truck drivers.

And on my recent 15 mile hike following Berrendo Creek, I covered the eastern part of this section of town. 

The main geological feature of this area is Berrendo Creek, which is dry for a long stretch.

The ground here is hardpan, alluvial deposits baked hard by the sun.

The vegetation is tough.... tumbleweeds and cactus. These gourds are common:

And, of course, the New Mexico state plant, of which I was surprised to find several species here ....yucca.

This is my home territory. 

I'll take this opportunity to talk about what I've learned about it to date. There will be several blogs in the series.

Bitter Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, 7 miles from Main Street is in this slice of town but I'll save it for it's own blog.

I've met two of my neighbors. Walking into town before a predicted wind storm, I saw her clearing tumbleweeds from her fence (I'll have to address tumbleweeds in a later blog). Later I met her husband on a tractor clearing the margin of the road. Friendly folks, like most of the people I've encountered here.

I've mentioned my enjoyment of diversity and this place is satisfyingly different from other places I have lived. I've experienced the desert winter and spring, wind storms, dust storms, a very little rain, and, now, a heat wave.

Anyone in the desert out there reading my blog? You're welcome, you're all welcome, to accompany me on this new journey.