Moved to Las Vegas, NM

We wanted to avoid driving in thunderstorms as much as possible, the forecast every day for the next week, every day, was thunderstorms.  We got everything under control in the RV so left a few days early and headed up Interstate 25.  First, we came through Hatch again, people were already lining up outside even though they had another hour before the restaurant opened.  It is amazing food.

Very lonesome road out of Deming to Hatch, NM

A number of solar panel farms had cropped up

Dropping down into Hatch Valley

If Sparky's was open, we would have stopped to get dinner to go

Wow 

Sunny, blue skies, warm, traveled north through Truth or Consequences and then to Socorro, and in the distance we saw a weather front.  We were hoping that we would miss it but we eventually caught up with rain and lightning east of Albuquerque on Interstate 40.  We turned north on Route 84 which runs all the way to Taos and Angel Fire, if we were so inclined, but that was not our destination.  When we got to within 10 miles of the turnoff for the campground, it had stopped raining - but.  There was snow on the side of the road.  Yes, snow.  We had left Deming in 82 degrees at 8:30am, only traveled north 360 miles, but still.  Snow.  Elevation - we are at 6200 feet.  Temp got down to 41 last night, we are not used to the cold!

Heading north on I25

Last time through this lake was dry, now it's quite full (near Truth or Consequences)

How quickly the clouds came up

Rio Grande River quite full and muddy

We are in a little town called Las Vegas, pronounced Loss Vay-hoss.  That's the correct way of saying it, the Spanish Way.  This town has been around way before the Santa Fe Trail came through.  It was settled by the Spanish in the 1600's.  You definitely see the Spanish heritage in the people who are native to this area.

Rut-roh - weather front ahead, could see lightning

Ugly, got caught in it for about an hour

Caught this out of corner of my eye - what the heck is that on the top? 

Hard to see but there is snow on top of Mt. Wheeler in the distance

We will stay a few short days here then head to Loveland, CO for a bit.  Loveland is near the eastern entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park, which we have not visited in 8 years.  We are connecting with family - Cody, Imana, and their mom Emily who came to visit us last summer and we did white water rafting with them, and also Emily's mom (niece Karen) and dad (nephew Scott).  Hopefully.  Would be awesome to catch up with all.  

And to visit the national park again, it's been too long since we have toured the park.