The Honey Doo Inn was attractive just because of the sign. Okay, that’s not 100% truthful, as the price is always a factor. If we are going to travel once or twice a month, we need to do so with the minimum of expenses. Staying in places like Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, off the beaten path is one way to combat high lodging prices, and so that’s part of the attraction that brought us here.

Digging the Native American motifs on the old water tower.

And the funky display of thousands of CDs on the facade of this building.

While I’ve heard the joke about chickens crossing the road to get to the other side, I’ve not caught the one about the turkeys crossing the road. A rafter of turkeys had already crossed while this lone wolf stayed behind, keeping its eye on me, probably as a protection against me making predatory moves on his women.

We’ve reached the Bosque Del Apache Wildlife Refuge outside of Socorro, New Mexico. Turns out there are not a lot of birds here right now, as their favorite time of year is mid-November through the end of January. It’s still beautiful out here along the Rio Grande River.

Giant red ants, obviously a giant-sized mutant that was caused by nuclear fallout from the nearby Trinity test site where the world’s first nuclear weapon was detonated back on July 16, 1945. What else lurks below the surface of the desert, waiting to emerge as monsters ready to devour humankind?

Nope, no birds here nor giant sandworms.

Snow geese awaiting our arrival. Little did we know on this visit that we were supposed to show up at daybreak for the giant fly-out or an hour earlier than this when they begin the fly-in. Hopefully, on a subsequent visit, we’ll be able to witness these spectacles.

Socorro is a relatively nice little place, though there’s not a lot left of this mile-long town that runs along the highway connecting Albuquerque, New Mexico, and El Paso, Texas.

Luna, New Mexico: population one wooden cowboy and a mailbox. Next stop: Phoenix, Arizona.