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The infamous Congo Cactus Joe, Doctor of Botany, Opuntiad Scholar and the World’s only winner of the Happy Prick Award decides to further his studies by attending a science writers’ workshop in Santa Fe, NM.
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YIPPEE! CC Joe and I, the Pod-Picking Ají Queen, find this to be the perfect opportunity for our annual Cactus Questing Journey for 2006.
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CC Joe makes arrangements for a rental unit similar to the below, although a bit updated to the times, with a powerful AC, 4-wheel drive and plenty of room for Beth’s Stoof and the Loot.
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And so the Journey begins.....we have color-coded the travels of each day. About 800 miles on the Journey. Please link below to the photo galleries for the day by day travels.
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Day 1, Thursday May 25, 2006: Beth travels to ABQ and shuttles up to Santa Fe to meet up with CC Joe, still in his workshop at the Ghost Ranch. We dine with Joe’s brother, Sam, tour Sam’s rain collection system, reforestation project and rest for the journey ahead.
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Day 2, Friday May 26, 2006: Joe attends his AM class, Beth prepares postcards and with the itch to hit the road, Joe elects to ditch afternoon class and the Road Warrior Duo head out to Cochiti Indian Reservation, Dam and Reservoir and take a mystery road the takes them to Santa Fe National Forest. The Duo are pumped and primed now!
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Day 3, Saturday May 27, 2006: With hats, sun block, fuel, eye drops and fluids on the ready, the Road Warriors head South to once again cross the Rio Grande and head East to thru the Valley of Fires. With Beth in dire need of a bit more vegetation and hopes to pass thru Lincoln, Joe is easily persuaded to make the pass thru Lincoln National Forest where they meet up with Smokey the Bear, can’t find Billy the Kid but did find some cool cacti. A very long day, ending in the very strange town of Roswell. We are still wondering where that Mexican Food Restaurant is. Pizza Hut made for great leftovers at a “picnic” at Carlsbad the next day. The only way to travel!
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Day 4, Sunday May 28, 2006: Not so many miles this day but some really great collection at a wonderful “ledge”. An excellent surprise for Beth at Rattlesnake Springs, WATER and a wish to play with the really cool irrigation system, not to mention the fisherboyz! A leftover pizza picnic lunch at Carlsbad Caverns Tourist Area, where the Duo had to turn back around to bunk out at the Ocotilla Inn that was quite the hoot. Sport Lounge & Pinball for Beth but we missed $4 Steak Day, bummer. It would be another long day ahead so refueled with Chicken Fried Steak! It felt like Texas!
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Day 5, Monday May 29, 2006, Memorial Day: This was a very long day, many miles to make planned stops and Las Cruces. We tripped down into Texas at the Guadalupe Mountains, hit the Hybrid Swarm and we forced a detour back up to Alamogordo due to some wreck at El Paso and a funny old man that must have escaped from Roswell that was destined to give us direction. YIKES! but all was good.
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Day 6, Tuesday May 30, 2006: Our last full day on the road and there is a sense of intensity to see and do all that is planned. First stop, with parking pass in hand, The Chile Pepper Institute! Danise was a fine hostess as she allowed Joe an interview, noting their latest activities, including grants for education. We ventured over to the gardens at NMSU. While Dr. Paul Bosland was not to be found, we got a glimpse of his greenhouse. From there, it was the final cactus day. Mesilla, Dona Ana County & Dripping Springs. This day brought the Ferocactus wislizenii, Fishook Barrel Cactus. WOW! Joe had a final stop to make, no species left unphotographed, while Beth went back to the very friendly Ramada Inn with shipping supplies and started the dangerous task of packing...Cactus Joe still had the TONGS but Beth had the Vodka! Big YIKES and YIPPEEE!!
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Day 7, Wednesday May 31, 2006: Our final day and the return to Houston IAH (where we heard rumors it was raining. What!? we missed the rain while in the desert.) First stop Hatch, NM for breakfast. We cross the Rio Grande once again, found a super fine burrito cafe and a roadside vendor where we purchases ground Hatch chile, comino and Mexican oregano. I wish I had purchased more! Time was running short and CC Joe had one more stop in ABQ but did not want me to stress the Airport. He dropped me off and went on his to return just in time. Cactus Joe is just the darlin’! At this point, I must thank Congo Cactus Joe for a fabulous Journey....this is the only day I had to drive for only about 30 minutes. I will be your Willing Passenger anytime and your friend forever! I guess it will be my turn to drive next Journey.
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