In case you're wondering, it's really quite difficult to take an in-focus picture of the sunrise in your side mirror while still driving, haha. It's also difficult to stay focused on a 15-hour drive all by yourself. I listened to a lot of knitting podcasts, and took lots of pictures of the scenery. West Texas and Eastern New Mexico are pretty boring, but occasionally there are some neat things to look at, like this lonesome tree:
(If you remove the tree, that's what most of the drive looks like! I told you it was boring!)
Or all the old-fashioned windmills that run well pumps to provide water for livestock:
(See that snow on the side of the road?!? Snow!!!)
Or the way that the colors of the landscape change when the sun starts to set:
(Please forgive the dust/dead bugs on my windshield, which are also illuminated by the setting sun...)
But the best thing to see is this sign, signaling my entrance into Colfax County:
Shortly after that sign, and conveniently right as I was waiting to turn onto a different road (so I could actually stop and take some better pics), the sun dipped behind the mountains:
Gorgeous!
See the plane streak up in the top left? I thought about editing it out, but decided to leave it. I think it gives the photo character. What do you think?
I finally made it to Philmont, stayed a few days, rang in the New Year at the good ol' St. James, and took about a zillion pictures of the mountains. Don't worry, you don't have to see all of them. ;) Here's Tooth Ridge:
(I know Montana likes to claim they are Big Sky Country, but I really think New Mexico could give them a run for their money!)
Last but not least, my heart belongs to tall, steep, cold, rocky, dear, sweet Baldy Mountain:
(Hi Mountain! I miss you!)
Happy 2008 y'all! I hope it is a wonderful new year! =)
