I left camp in Silver City NM at about 7:30am. Stopped in for some coffee and pancakes at the Adobe Springs café. Easily the worst pancakes I’ve ever had. How exactly do you screw up pancakes?
Choked down what I could and took off. This part of the world is an interesting place. Vast expanses of flat land with sharp mountain ranges on the edges. The roads go straight forever which can lull you into just staring ahead and not thinking or seeing what’s around you. I’ve had to snap myself out of the haze a few times and each time, I see something I shouldn’t miss.
I made it to the Rio Grande and it wasn’t as grand as I was expecting. I’ve seen bigger…That’s what…oh never mind.
In Las Cruces I stopped in at the Harley dealership to cool down and to pick up a poker chip. They are stupid and easily collectable and so I try to pick them up. I’ll grab one in Roswell if I can.
I had no intention of stopping at the White Sands Missle Range but I’m glad I did. The civilian guard at the gate (it is a current Army base) on a whim began talking to me about my VA experience (I’d had to show two id’s). I turned off my bike and we talked for awhile. I can’t do much to help other vets but I can definitely talk. He was a great guy and I wish him the best. Having PTSD and getting the VA and DOD to take you seriously is an uphill battle. Vets with mental health issues aren’t missing a limb or have heinous scars to prove our wounds. It’s tough. His concerns revolved around whether or not they’d bar him from owning a gun. It’s a valid problem. He’s a cop so it’s very pertinent for him. All it takes for the VA to remove your second amendment right is for some bureaucrat to arbitrarily decide on whether they deem you competent. I experienced this myself. Not fun. Or cool. Sorry Curtis. Good luck.
I explored the outdoor park of missiles, the indoor museum was closed. It was actually really interesting and I geeked out for about an hour. I even found Roswell’s UFO. When I stop in there later, I’ll show them the picture and put this whole UFO nonsense to rest. You can thank me later.
I even stopped in at White Sands National Monument. I didn’t want to buy a sled in the gift shop so my options there were limited. Seriously. A sled. Yep.
I’m currently splurging on lunch at Carl’s Jr. in Alamogordo.
A quick aside, the Carl’s Jr. is doing a promotion where people can donate 1$ to help military families. I’ve heard them do their spiel a hundred times at the drive through. I think two people have taken them up on it.
I don’t care what your politics are or your feelings towards donating at a drive through. Do something to help military families. My family was in dire need for four months after I medically retired and we had zero income all of a sudden. If it wasn’t for military charities, we wouldn’t have eaten. The military doesn’t take as good of care of their vets as they’d like you to believe.
Have a great day. I am so far and that’s a good thing.
PTSD and a Motorcycle 