Getting Back to the things that Matter

Yesterday I drove away from the Walmart in Belen, NM, a place I had reluctantly stayed for the past 2 days. I had signed up to work on an organic farm (WWOOF - World Wide Organization of Organic Farms) for the next 7 days and was waiting at the Walmart for a call from the farm. The call never came, even after I left several messages and an email. Very odd since I had arranged everything with the farm previously. Well, as it turns out, the woman that runs the farm had become ill and was at the hospital. Thus, my first WWOOF-ing experience was foiled. Things happen for a reason, I suppose...

After several phone calls to the Public Lands Office, I was told about some BLM land 70 miles west of Roswell (Alien Capital of the world! Or would it be Universe?) where I could camp for FREE!! And I do love free. It was called Fort Stanton ACEC (Area of Critical Environmental Concern). It sounded perfect!

I arrived and found some gorgeous countryside to camp. I was the only one camping, but there was the camp host, a nice gentleman named Jerry. He told me some trails that I could check out and areas to explore. With a few hours of sunlight left, I decided to just relax and read by my pseudo-bay-window, which happens to face west towards the sunset...because I parked it that way. It's a

beautiful thing. And that is when I realized/remembered what this whole adventure is all about. Taking time to do whatever is

most important to me. I lost sight of that during my 12 days in

Albuquerque, where I was sequestered to parking lots, which do not rate high for "scenery" scores. While I originally I thought to only spend a few days here, I think I will extend that time-frame. It's beautiful and there are miles upon miles of trails to explore. Not a bad place to be...