SW USA 2024: The Canadian Coddiwomplers*

*Coddiwomple: “to travel in a purposeful manner towards a vague destination."

Rock Hound State Park, White Sands National Monument, nuts and a labyrinth.

We traveled east from Gilbert Ray to New Mexico because we were heading towards our Night Light Rally in Sulphur Springs, Texas – to see the total eclipse on April 8th.

Our first stop was at Rockhound State Park.

There are only about 30 ish sites here...

Amazing views from our site in Rock Hound State Park

Our approach to this campground was through a lot of empty desert. We were leery of what we would find there; but, it was an amazing vista. The sites were terraced up the side of a mountain. We stumbled on another “secret” spot … we had an incredible site. If we had known what it was like, we would have stayed longer. It is the only state park where you are allowed to collect/hunt and take a couple of rocks with you! We only stayed one night but it was such a beautiful spot. The New Mexico State Parks are quite nice and our site was only $14 with full hook ups!

As we drove through a U.S. military missile test range, it was kind of eerie. You could see for miles and it is still an active test range…look out!

At the edge of the range is White Sands National Monument. You can drive the loop and they have a nice visitors center. We were glad we took time to drive the loop as it is like you are in a different world! Brilliant white, fine Gypsum sand. It was like driving after a brand new snow fall - so bright, it was hard to see even with sunglasses. We saw people who had rented saucers to slide down the dunes – like tobogganing.

Someone really doesn't want to be here!

Repeat...I don't like it!

These kids were having fun...

This was a busy day for us because we also stopped at PistachioLand, a farm/market close to our boondocking site in Alamogordo.

I met this Alien near the coffee

McGinn’s PistachioLand/farm was started by Tom McGinn in 1980. He purchased rootstock from UC Berkley. The farm and market are still family owned and run. His son Tim built the World’s Largest Pistachio to honour his father. Tim remembered travelling the country with his father to visit many of the “World’s Largest …” items. His Dad loved these attractions. Presently, PistachioLand has 12,300 pistachio trees growing over 90 acres. It is also a winery.

The world's biggest nuts.

(I mean biggest Pistachios nut.)

Pistachios are not native to North America but the trees like the Arizona and New Mexico arid climate. The history of the development of pistachio farming is quite interesting. Pistachios originated in Persia and have been a popular treat for most middle eastern people since Biblical times. In the 1880s imported pistachio nuts were very popular in the US – they are not technically a nut but a seed. In 1930, an American botanist brought seeds from Persia (Iran) to the US to grow in California.

Our guide told us of many problems with developing a commercial industry and of the research done by the UC Berkley to increase production levels. While the climate was good for the trees, many things affected their growth like elevation, humidity and in particular the soil. The soil at PistachioLand was clay-like so it was necessary to break that up. At first, the trees did not root well and research at UC Berkley discovered a rootstock fusion. Today, pistachio trees are grafted to rootstock UCB-1 – our guide said it was an American Oak and Mesquite fusion. Pistachios are not pollinated by insects but by wind so it is necessary to have both male and female trees … only females produce the seed.

We learned that the pistachio nut does not break open during roasting but actually on the trees! As harvesting time gets closer, the trees are watered more frequently with about 5-6 gallons of water. The root stock absorbs water from the surface and the increased water pops the nuts open.

The commentary and tour was really worth the $6. We bought some nuts, of course, and some pistachio ice cream made on site, brittle and pistachio flavoured coffee…yum.

Of course Jerry had to try some local coffee.

From PistachioLand we took a short drive to the Trinity Turtle Healing Labyrinth Park, our Harvest Host for the night. This is a Tularosa Valley community health building project of CAPPED, an organization to assist people diagnosed with major health problems. The project is huge in scope. At the time we stayed there, only the head of the turtle was complete, the body and tail are under construction. The plan is to have it completed by Dec 25, 2025.

So far this concrete labyrinth has the head ready to walk and the body is close to pouring. It is a HUGE undertaking.

There is a lovely woman who stays at the site and she guided us to our site – one of 12 located within walking distance of the Labyrinth.

There are 12 RV sites.

This is a Harvest Host listed camp site. That means it is free, though a purchase/donation is always appreciated. We pay a yearly membership and we have stayed at several Harvest Hosts. They are always interesting. (Wait for the Texas Prison Museum Blog which is also a Harvest Host).

After a good night’s sleep, we walked the labyrinth in the morning. The concrete outlining the path has been made to look like tiles laid in the red earth. Many were painted by children – hand prints turned into animals.

It is an ambitious project, I hope they meet their completion goal.