We left out of Amarillo this morning for the final leg of our journey to Artesia, NM. We will be performing in Artesia on Thursday evening. As we crossed into New Mexico, I pulled into the Port of Entry to buy my trip permit – that $100 piece of paper that allows me to drive in the state. As I charted my course for the DOT Officer, she informed me of the HUGE mountain between Artesia and Alamogordo – our next two performances with no time in between. There is a grade – a steep grade – that descends 5,000 feet in 16 miles! After Death Valley, I HATE these grades!!
We left the border town and continued toward Artesia. We decided to make a stop along the way in Roswell, NM – the place where, in 1947, the UFO crashed into the New Mexico desert. There are numerous museums, research centers, and souvenier shops in the downtown area. If you’re passing through, it’s a fun stop with some interesting things to see. I got to watch an alien autopsy and we all got our picture taken next to the dead alien (I’ll post that one later)!
We finished up the trip into Artesia, checked into our hotel, and are getting some rest before the show tomorrow. We are looking forward to a good day!