Clayton...

Where dinosaurs once roamed, cattle drive cowboy dances,
this was a shipping point for Pecos River ranches;
located on the Santa Fe trail cutoff of the Cimarron trail,
the town is friendly and the folks here have never gotten frail.

There are still ranchers and cowboys out here,
but you can come and visit there is nothing to fear;
we're very close to Oklahoma, the pan-handle anyway,
we'll be in with the Okies, in just another day.

Top:  The Clayton mesas
Middle: Storm rolling in from the eastern edge of the Rockies
Bottom: The old railyard, no longer in use.

Raton....

...New Mexico, the name is Spanish for little rat,
and there's the Capulin Volcano and all that,
the town is historic, it's been well preserved,
it sits in place with a station that Wells Fargo served.   (stagecoach)

There were no badmen or desperados here,
to incite the population with fear,
this town was quiet like it should be,
after all it's named "mouse" you see.

Top:  Capulin Volcano, you can drive around the outside and walk down in the cone.
Middle:  Portion of the historic downtown.
Bottom:  Storm coming in from the Rocky Mountains.

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Cimarron....

"Everything is quiet at Cimarron.  Nobody has been killed in three days."
 - The Las Vegas Gazette in the late 1870's

A real wild west town, that's what we have here,
there was a time, long ago, when you could live in fear!
On the mountain end of the Santa Fe trail,
many a cowboy wished he'd turned tail.

The visitors that came to town included deperados too
including Davy Crockett, the real Davy's nephew,
along with Kit Carson and Buffalo Bill,
law was restored, and they filled up Boot Hill!

Top: Buffalo roaming (no roaming charges)
Middle: Cowboys at work - actually these two are of a vacation spot.
Bottom:  A town road

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Taos....

....New Mexico, famous for art and ski slopes too,
and we dropped in for a look or maybe two,
in the land of the Pueblo the days are nice;
and the mountains in winter are just like ice.

Top:  A view from the Rio Grande Bridge, long way down
Middle:  Waiting for a skier
Middle:  Taos at sunrise
Bottom:  It's fall and the snow is on the peaks

Shiprock...

....New Mexico, poking up out of the ground,
the curious rock, under-earth found;
there's not a lot like it, try to understand,
look at the following - it's a lesson plan.

You see the piece called volcanic neck?
that's what we have now, volcano blown to heck,
wait until you see the 'trail' left by the eruption then,
what's left now is a large crack, filled in - not by men.

The bottom two photos show the 'trail' from different angles.  The 'trail' was made by a type of lava blown out by small eruptions, the bottom photo shows how high they are.  So very interesting!
go to -  www.emporia.edu/earthsci/student/kuss1/shiprock.html for more info.  I really like this place.

Gallup...

...New Mexico! We're in a different state. Look at these cabins, back before motels,

built on the 'mother road', US66, back when things were slower, now time sells;

so we have the interstate, 40 goes through here,

I yearn for the past some times, things were more clear.

But today in Gallup, it's still an active place,

probably there are days when they'd like a slower pace.

Now the city hosts a balloon fest every year,

it's some thing people travel to see and to cheer.

Top:  Tourist Cabins - before motels, there were a lot of 'different' designs

Middle:  Red sandstone cliffs line US6

Bottom:  Part of the flying during baloon fest.

Aztec….

…New Mexico, quiet and nice little town, which makes us glad,
We needed some quiet, alone time together, which now we have had;
Interesting place here in the New Mexico mountains the view,
Of a civilization long gone from the earth, built to last too.

We did some touring of the Nation Monument park,
But we were glad to turn in soon after dark,
On our way back to her new Tehachapi home,
Home for a couple of day rest, before we continue our roam.

http://www.nps.gov/azru/index.htm good place to see the ruins, with a full
Explanation. The ruin in the photo was built in the 1200's!