Day 45 - 8/29/2004 - On to Wheeler Peak, NM

Still a little tired after the hike(s) yesterday, we got up, packed, and headed off to points north.  Specifically, we wanted to head through Roswell and end up somewhere for the night that would allow us to be ready to hike Wheeler Peak (the highest point in NM) in the morning.  

We reached Roswell about noon and thoroughly enjoyed the "campy" atmosphere of the city.  Roswell was much bigger than we had expected, and had a fair amount to offer.  Most noticeable was the  self-indulgence that the townsfolk had for the UFO craze.  Downtown has a plethora of shops offering alien souvenirs - from the sublime to the ridiculous.  The streetlights are painted with "alien" eyes, and the mall at the edge of town is "The Landing at Roswell".  You have appreciate a good sense of humor - especially when it pays the bills.  The ancient wood tablet below is at the Roswell UFO Museum ("Free, but we ask for donations").  It was created between 400-600AD.

After spending part of the afternoon at Roswell, it was up the road through Santa Fe.  Hunter really liked the "mud" houses and the Santa Fe architecture.  We continued north and ended up in Taos, NM for the night.  Right as we were pulling in, storms were pounding some of the nearby mountains.  This made for a beautiful but concerning sunset.  I say concerning since the hike up Wheeler is about 3000 vertical feet to an elevation of just over 13,000 feet over 3.5 miles.  A thunderstorm on a steep slope above the treeline is not a pleasant experience (read: you can easily die).  We will see in the morning how the weather looks.