Pre Judging - Travel Day in New Mexico

Today began at 3:00 a.m. with the blaring alarm clock and a deadline of being at the airport by 4:15 a.m. Oh, did I mention I still had to finish packing and I hit the snooze button?

Luckily this weekend's judging assignment only required repacking last weekend's summer clothing (yes, it was washed) and we were out the door by 4 and at the airport by 4:30 (for a 5:30 a.m. flight). With no checked luggage and only 6 people in the security line ahead of me I had more than enough time to wait around at the gate to board my flight. By the way, I don't recommend this time-frame for any flight departing after 6 a.m. since your security lines won't be nearly as short.

After a connection through Denver, I arrived in Albuquerque around 12:45 in the afternoon. I collected my car and immediately headed to my favorite jewelry making store, New Mexico Beads and Fetish in Old Town. Made a few purchases and headed out on the highway for the 3.5 hour drive to Clovis, NM.

* My first surprise was that a portion of my trip included the historic Route 66!
* My next surprise was The Monument of Perpetual Tears, which I never knew existed. It is a National monument for those victims of DWI (driving while impaired).

Next I visited Fort Sumner, a historical site and last, but certainly not least...

I stopped and visited Billy the Kid's grave and tombstone (see picture below).

The tombstone has been stolen several times over the last 75 years (see picture below with details on the tombstone's history) and so now they have it shackled in concrete and surrounded by a metal cage.

Billy the Kid is a legend in the old west and it was a fun place to stop and photograph. It also made the 3.5 hour drive more memorable!

I'm off to bed now as it's been a long day and I'm going to be a busy judge tomorrow.

Night everyone.