Beautifully lost on back roads

Went out to see some Ghost Towns this morning, a long winding road out to Winston and Chloride. Saw lots of old buildings from the Silver rush days and even saw a famous "hanging tree."

Not a whole lot to see but interesting history, pretty 'deliverance' out there so I didn't linger. 

I'd read that there was a town called Monticello that had some vineyards and a winery and looking at my map I saw I could go back the way I came OR continue on Hwy 52 which does become a dirt road and turn off on 142 to Monticello. Did that. Never found the turn off. Drove an hour on that dirt road and finally, FINALLY, came a junction that made me realize I was waaaaaay past the road I'd been looking for! No use turning back so I kept going! The topography was stunning and I saw a few herds of some kind of deer or antelope.

I saw these huge satellites, tons of them, I'd come to the VLA: Very Large Array. The dishes gather invisible light, radio waves, that come from space.

They are able to learn about star birth, Galaxy growth, black holes... and photograph them with radio waves! Amazing.

Finally came to a T and a paved road which led me to a sweet small artsy town called Magdalena. Pulled into a Bear Mountain gallery/cafe and met the owner who used to live in Oakland! She made me a latte and told me about an art exhibit that was coming down today that I should go see.

GREAT gallery space, beautiful luminous and organic oil paintings over vinyl. (Artist:Mery Godigna Collet) Such a find!

I was now way north up near Socorro. I visited a co-op gallery and had a LENGTHY chat with one of the artists, a sweet older woman and terrific pastel artist named Skeeter. How awesome is that name?!

Made it back to Truth or Consequences and settled into a painting spot I found the other day. Love this arched gate, very Santa Fe.

Wrapped up the mega day with a hot spring soak at Palomas. Ahhhhh

No luck. No way. Score.

Up and out pretty early to head south to check out Caballo Lake, New Mexico's largest lake. Thought it might have something to paint with good morning light... No luck. Nothing there but fisherman and jack rabbits.

My back up plan was to head north and go to the top of Elephant Butte where the Rio Grande feeds into the lake. I have a map and it has names for the exits to take and the roads to follow. 

Exit 100 to Catfish Camp ended up as 20 ft of pavement with some garbage before becoming a gravel road. Ummm, no.

Headed south. Exit 92 to Rock House took me to a frontage road that after 2 miles looped under the Highway and became a gravel road. Uhh, no.

Now I was headed back to the Highway but instead of getting on it I went over it and followed a sign to Monticello Point. Paved! No one around but there was a sign that showed there was a boat ramp ahead. That sounded great!

Nope. Boat ramp yes, people yes, but view - not so much. 

Frustrated, I followed what was now a lake frontage road and began seeing little hand made posted signs that read: 'Three Sisters' and 'Highlands South.'

I turned down Highlands South, a dirt road which very soon had posted another sign 'caution soft sand.' Great. I decided to go for it... It wasn't bad and the view was terrific. But I was ALONE. Some beer bottles and a broken chair and a view. But VERY ISOLATED. No way.

Continuing down the lake frontage I came across another handmade sign that said 'Lost Canyon.' As I'd pretty much lost my early start to the day I thought this must be the spot! YES!

Lost Canyon was perfect. Sandy dirt road dropping down to the lake edge, some campers and families around one side and me alone on the other. Happy! Score.

The sun by now was blasting and blazing and provided neither shade for me nor much shadow on the hills for forms, but I was happy to break out the paints and get something down. The sun comes up on the other side of these hills/mesas/buttes so they're in shadow in the morning, flat in the day or orange at 7:45pm when the wind gusts are up. Not ideal. Boo hoo right? I'm in New Mexico, painting!!

Here are a few photos of the view, my set-up and my study propped up indoors where I'm deciding if I got the values and feeling the way I want...

After a break for lunch and a little relaxing, I'm back out trying to find a high point to view Turtle Rock, which overlooks the town of Truth or Consequences. The sun set SHOULD provide some great shadows and bright colors, fingers crossed.