No Russian Cannons, But Plenty of Desert Heat
Okay, so maybe this isn’t the Crimean War, and I’m not dodging Russian cannon fire, but let me tell you—the American Southwest desert can be just as intense.
This time of year, the desert comes alive—briefly—before slipping back into its usual deception. It flaunts bursts of color, teases with cool mornings, and then—BAM!—it reminds you who's boss with blistering heat and endless dust.
As always, I did my best to avoid the interstates, and while stopped on a remote, dusty road just west of Glenrio, NM, a car pulled up.
And out popped a Tig.
No, not Tigger from Winnie the Pooh—but Tig, from Hartlepool, England. Which, last time I checked, is a long way from New Mexico.
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| Don't try and pick these buds or you will get more than you bargained for. |
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| Shortly the greenery and flowers will be gone. |
Meet Tig: The Ultimate Tourist
Turns out, Tig is an adventurer through and through. With a full month to explore, he’s on a mission to see every legendary Wild West site he’s ever heard of.
He whipped out a list and started rattling off names:
- Billy the Kid's birthplace and hideouts
- John Dillinger’s stomping grounds (though I had to inform him that Dillinger was from Illinois, not the Wild West)
- Buffalo Bill, Wyatt Earp, and just about every other gunslinger he could think of
Honestly, if some random sign in the middle of nowhere claimed "General Custer Fought Here," I’m convinced Tig would drive 500 miles to see it.
At this point, he had already racked up 3,000 miles—and still had most of the month left. Chatty, hilarious, and determined, he was even on a mission to track down a mythical Texas town called "Monkey Hanger." (Google "Monkey Hanger" + "Hartlepool"—trust me, it’s a story.)
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| The "Tig" looking for Monkey Hanger. |
A Quick Stop in CuervoAfter parting ways with Tig, I made a quick revisit to Cuervo, NM. Cuervo is one of those forgotten places, locked in time, where you can return again and again and always find something new. Unlike Tig, Cuervo isn’t in a hurry to go anywhere.  | ||
| Alone with just a sliver of light under the door, Glenrio, NM |
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| Too often we only look into the ruins and don't try to see what the owners must have seen. |
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| a relic of Cuervo |
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