For now, let me take you back two months to our time in New Mexico where Steve continued his recovery. After a post-treatment follow-up with his oncologist, we were OK’d to finally get out of overheated Tucson. Steve wasn’t yet in top shape to drive Betsy, but we just had to move on. The city life with blaring sirens, traffic, train horns, dust, and impossible heat was getting old. We had to hit the road!
This post is a clipped version of the many fun things we did while in New Mexico:
Our escape to southwest New Mexico began at Silver City. Sitting at a cool 6142′ of elevation, it was perfect for a month of healing. Rose Valley RV Ranch was highly recommended by most of our RV friends who had stayed there. What a difference a change in elevation, scenery, temperature, and state made. To top it off, our next door neighbors were super quiet since they were all six feet below ground at Pioneer Cemetery, on Old Silver City Cemetery’s “Memory Lane!”
Steve had a complication resulting from his radiation treatments. The good doctor gave him a cocktail of medications to remedy a throat ulcer, in addition to painkillers for management of his unrelenting head and jaw pain. We took it easy for the first week as his body adjusted to the onslaught of drugs, but we did manage to maintain our daily morning walks by strolling around the neighboring cemetery on a little hill that pumped up our heart rates.
Silver City is a vibrant little artsy town that was our gateway to several explorations. When Steve was up for it we spent time walking the historic downtown and driving the scenic wide open space of the Gila wilderness. We also tackled a few “real” hiking trails, visited historical spots and attended events in town.
The Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument is just an hour’s drive from Silver City on a scenic and sometimes narrow road. It’s an interlinked dwelling built in alcoves within a remote canyon deep in the Gila wilderness. The dwellings were built in five cliff alcoves by Mogollon peoples between 1275 and 1300 A.D.
On another day we went to White Water Canyon, where we followed the easy Catwalk National Scenic Trail. The sheer cliff walls rise out of the stream bed, and metal walkways are supported on steel beams drilled into the rock 20′ above the water. It zigzags from cliff to cliff as it winds through the canyon.
The walkway was originally built by the Civilian Conservation Corps and was named The Catwalk, referring to the original plank-board walkway that was placed atop the steel pipe used to bring water to the ore processing plant downstream.
Just southeast of Silver City is the City of Rocks, consisting of rows of monolithic blocks formed by volcanic ash welded together 35 million years ago.
While roaming around the rocks, we imagined the various formations as a small city containing houses, chimneys, courtyards and streets.
Back in Old Silver City, we enjoyed seeing the Silver Steamroller Street Printing Event which was featured during the Southwest Print Fiesta. We watched as large-scale hand carved blocks were inked, placed on the street, and pressed onto paper by a 3,000-pound steamroller. Very cool!
While in southwest New Mexico previously, we experienced their unique cuisine, and one of the biggest questions here is, “red or green?” At the center of it all is the New Mexican hatch chile, in both red and green varieties, which is used in everything from enchiladas to ice cream. We tried it again this time, but Steve learned the hard way that it was too spicy in his current condition. Oh well, I still love the green ones!
After a month in Silver City we moved on to Elephant Butte Lake State Park. We had heard good things about this place, where the lake is the largest and most popular in New Mexico. Here we continued to chill and enjoy the view together in the peace and quiet of late-season camping.
I was looking forward to a visit to Bosque del Apache Wildlife National Refuge, but was disappointed to learn I was too early for the arrival of migratory birds. At least while driving the scenic road I was able to take in the sights of mountains and expansive meadows, and to enjoy some wildlife encounters:
Moving from nature to astronomy, the Very Large Array Radio Telescope located west of Socorro, NM was something to behold. It uses 27 dish antennas in a Y-shaped configuration, which work together as a single telescope system with an eye up to 22 miles across. It collects and processes into digital images the radio waves emitted by astronomical objects.
And then it was time for us to fly away for our long-awaited river cruise in Europe!
Before leaving, we secured Betsy at the home of our very gracious friends Hector and Brenda of Island Girl. They were kind enough to keep an eye on her while we were cruising around Europe. Hector is an accomplished professional photographer, and like us you may want to be wowed by his work at H.M. Lopez Photography.
Lowes Travels 
So happy to hear Steve is doing well enough for you to move on to New Mexico and enjoy all those wonderful places. Enjoy that river cruise!
So glad to hear from you Mona Lisa and to know that Steve is doing so well. We understand the need to take it slow in recovery but boy did you two do a lot. Fabulous pictures of places I’m longing to go. Just love the picture and the caption of you two at the picnic table at Elephant Butte. I think the rainbow over Betsy is such a wonderful symbol of how you have come through the storms.
Yes, Sherry that rainbow portends great things to come. Now STeve is getting better and better everyday. When there is a day that he is pain free, that is when we take the opportunity to explore and it helped his body and mind too.
When he feels pain free, that is when we grab that window and explore. Fortunately New Mexico has a lot of fascinating and interesting places to explore.
White Water Canyon looks fantastic. I would be a bit afraid of the walkway but the beauty might take my fear away.
Gorgeous photo in Elephant Butte Lake State Park. We had a beautiful photo there too. The full moon was reflecting off the Lake.
Paul loved seeing the Very Large Array. A very interesting stop for sure.
Glad Steve is feeling much better. Prayers that his follow up goes well.
Thank you Marsha, Steve feel he is past his dark days and just looking forward to better days. I think the cruise did him well, too.
It’s wonderful to “hear” from you two. What beautiful images and a great tour you gave us. Can’t wait for the River Cruise post(S?)!!!
Prayers continue for complete healing!
Thank you Debbie, Steve is slowly but surely getting better day by day. I think the river cruise helped him a lot and you will read about it soon.
Great wrap up of your time in NM. It sounds like a change of scenery did you both some good. Fingers crossed Steve’s recovery is smooth and continuous.
Day by day, Steve is getting better, thank you for your thoughts and prayers. Hope to catch up with you and Hans in San Diego this winter.
New Mexico has so many treasures to visit. The sounds of the city can wear on a nomad.
Agree, so many fascinating places to explore in NM and we are glad we chose it as Steve’s recovery place.
Beautiful scenery in NM! Steve, one day soon you will be able to enjoy those hatch chiles. Thankfully, Tucson will start to envelop you with its beautiful winter weather. xo Len and Carla B.
So glad to hear from you Carla and Len. When are you visiting Arizona again.
Wow, you two have been through so much. Now it is take to enjoy smooth sailing. Our thoughts and prayers are with you both.
Thank you Luann, looking back at those dark days make my tummy churn. We dont want to go through that again, God willing.
We understand all too well. Big hugs to you both.
You’ve had a busy couple of months! So glad to see Steve feeling up to traveling, even if he had to pass on the hatch chiles. Looking forward to your post about the river cruise, as that is something we would like to do one day.
When pain eases up that is when he feels like going out, so we take that window of being pain free and explore.
Getting away into nature is one of the best ways to heal. I hope it’s helping physically because I can see it’s helping mentally. We enjoyed our time at that campground and in the Silver City area also. We never made it to the catwalk because I was worried about the height, but your pictures didn’t look too scary so perhaps next time! We look forward to seeing you in Tucson (or anywhere for that matter) this winter. You have our best thoughts and love.
You are absolutely right Sue, nature is truly the best healer. For sure we will be meeting up with you in Tucson sometime in February.
I was so happy to see your post when I opened up my computer! What a perfect place you chose for healing body and spirit — southwestern New Mexico is one of our favorite areas. Very cool that they’ve rebuilt the catwalk, and the Steamroller Printing Event looks like fun! Your photos are wonderful, and as always, you’ve added to our list of places that we want to visit. It’s a joy to see you two back out doing what you love.
Hugs to you both, Laurel & Eric
Yes, Laurel, we checked your post about your stay in Silver City and so glad we choose it to be his recovery city, a perfect place.
Elevation is wonderful thing in the west…instant cool weather. So glad you were finally able to get out of Tucson and that unrelenting heat. A very nice area for Steve to continue his recovery:)
Change in scenery surrounded by lush greenery helped a lot in his slow recovery.
I am very happy to hear that things have continued to improve and you’ve been able to return to traveling. I can’t even imagine how hard it must have been to be stuck in Tucson over the summer, but it sounds like you all have taken full advantage of your new freedom and are back to doing what you love. I definitely want to go check out those antennas. Such a cool thing to see and your photos are awesome. I’m also looking forward to hearing about your cruise. You guys always find the best stuff to do!
His doctor kept reminding him that healing takes time. And we are glad to hear that since it seems he was not getting any better. I could tell he is slowly getting better, because he started to plan our outings.
Nice to see your name at the top of our blogger feed and that you two are moving again. Sounds like everything is heading in the right direction and glad to hear that none of your neighbors at the Rose Valley RV Ranch stopped over for a visit.
We were glad none of them stood up to silence us. Yes Steve is recovering beautifully, slowly but surely.
Nice pics! New Mexico is definitely a place we want to go visit. The food must be amazing!