Southwest AdVANtures: Day 5

Day 5, Wednesday, March 2nd

photo cred: Frank

photo cred: Frank

If you want to start back at Day 1, click here.

Although it can be dangerous navigating new lands at night, there is something kind of cool about arriving in darkness then waiting until morning for the site to be fully revealed. This site in Cloudcroft, New Mexico, was AMAZING. It was a dirt pullout within the Lincoln National Forest, situated in the Sacramento Ranger District, near the Sleepy Grass Picnic Area, just off Apache Canyon Road. In the light of day, we could see the mountain ranges along the horizon, and realize just how high up we were (something like 8,500 feet). Upon getting the full scope of this landscape, we knew this would be another few-night spot. If you'd have told me our first stop in New Mexico would be snowy, mountainous, and covered in Juniper and Pine, I wouldn't have believed it. This was far from the barren, flat, dusty, monotone desertland I had imagined, and I Loved it.

The morning birdsong was bustling, revealing a few more life birds: Pygmy Nuthatch, Mountain Chickadee, and the stellar Steller's Jay - what a beautiful bird (though, true to jay form, a raucous, talkative sort). We took a few short hikes and a bit of stationary birding, to which Frank was quite dedicated, and I was quite impressed! More bird discoveries included the dapper Williamson's Sapsucker, Red-naped Sapsucker, a heard-only Northern Pygmy-Owl, and, not a lifer, but still cool, a single Red Crossbill. We also saw some sort of cat we first misidentified as a bobcat, but then, realizing it had a longer tail, wondered if it could've been a mountain lion. We settled on "I don't know," because it was dark in color and seemingly smaller than a mountain lion, but much larger than the average house cat. I believe it's alright to let some things remain mysteries. On a more certain note, we watched wild horses and groups of Mule Deer roaming through our campsite. It was another amazing day feeling relaxed, connected, and full of wonder.

Mountain Chickadee

Steller's Jay

Williamson's Sapsucker

Red-naped Sapsucker

Sleeping Spot: Near Sleepy Grass Picnic Area, off Apache Canyon Road, Sacramento Ranger District of the Lincoln National Forest, Cloudcroft, New Mexico

New Birds: Pygmy Nuthatch, Mountain Chickadee, Steller's Jay, Williamson's Sapsucker, Red-naped Sapsucker, Northern Pygmy-Owl

Other Notable Wildlife: Red Crossbill, wild horses

Southwest AdVANtures: Day 4

Day 4, Tuesday, March 1st

photo cred: Frankie

If you want to start from Day 1, click here.

After two nights in Oklahoma, we were ready to hit the road again. We took one last peaceful sit on the rocks along the river, then spotted a few more birds, including vultures, Kestrels, and Eastern Meadowlarks.

Black Vultures

Eastern Meadowlark

Today's plan was to exit Oklahoma, enter Texas, and end up in the Lincoln National Forest in New Mexico. The drive through Oklahoma and Texas brought flat, mostly-brown farmland, tons of cows, and a prolific amount of roadside raptors perched atop fenceposts and trees. During one stretch, Loggerhead Shrikes seemed to decorate the telephone wires, each bird evenly spaced a few minutes' drive past the last. As we were almost through Texas, the scenery started to change again, gaining color and texture. Some of those browns gave way to washed-out greens, paving the way for rock formations that grew steadily taller. This visual shift recharged us.

the drive

Texas doodles

Once we entered New Mexico, "The Land of Enchantment", we stopped at a second Planet Fitness for another workout and shower. Next, we visited a grocery store to stock up on food and water. We drove another few hours, where we spotted our lifer (first-ever sighting) White-winged Doves and a dead hog of some kind (possibly a Peccary/Javelina?). Unfortunately, dead things don't really count as "lifers". RIP, pig.

photo cred: Frank

As the sun faded and more mountains loomed into view, we realized the Lincoln National Forest was going to be set within and atop those mountains, a fact we hadn't thought to consider when choosing our camping spots. Undeterred, though slightly nervous about the conditions (darkness, ice, snow, deer, and whether camping was even accessible this time of year), we forged on. This was a slightly treacherous drive, though in retrospect, an exciting one. We saw Mule Deer and a female Elk, HUGE, bearded, and so close to my side of the car I could've reached out and touched her. Apparently, when it comes to deerlike animals, Elk are only second in size to Moose.

We continued to creep up the mountainside, following my lonely GPS pin. The closer we got, the more unsure we became about the passability of those snowy, narrow roads. Just about half a mile shy of our marker, we abandoned the plan, turned around, and settled for a safer area close by. When my nerves settled and we got out of the car, we realized this was an epic spot. Yes, we were probably the only ones camping up here. Yes, there was still snow on the ground. However, much of that snow had begun to melt; the mountainous landscape and towering conifers were absolutely gorgeous; and the starry sky was breathtaking.

When we set up our Stargazer chairs and looked up, I realized it was the quietest place I'd ever been, as quiet as that cave in Missouri had been dark. I had to fight to keep my tongue, teeth, breath, and heart from making sounds, so as not to break the vastness of that silence. It came to me then that all those bodily sounds are things we usually never hear in our noisy home lives. I thought to myself, "Sometimes, you have to get away from the noise of the world in order to hear yourself again."

Sleeping Spot: Near Sleepy Grass Picnic Area off Apache Canyon Road, Sacramento Ranger District of the Lincoln National Forest, Cloudcroft, New Mexico

New Birds: White-winged Dove

Other Notable Wildlife: Mule Deer, Elk