To learn more about the Valley of Fires,
Oscuro High Desert
Hostel Ranch
Carrizozo, New Mexico
May 5 & 6
Day 31 & 32
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Oscuro High Desert Hostel Ranch
PO Box 798 Oscuro, NM 88301
Tel # (505) 648-4007
E-mail:  oscuro@nm.net
Rates:  $12-$14/person
                    $26/private
Beds:  19
Office hrs.:  7am - 10 pm
240 acres of ranch land
          After Roswell I came here to the Oscuro Hostel.  Nice & quiet.  I'm sitting here under a tree in the back yard.  The sun has gone down and there's a cool breeze.  Right now I am the only hosteller here.
          The man who manages this hostel is Dirk Norris.  He has 2 dogs, a bunch of chickens (I know, "flock"), and a steer.  My chore tomorrow is to collect chicken eggs.
Above:  Dirk.  I snapped his photo as soon as I arrived at the hostel.  He's doing laundry.
          One of these days I'll learn how to lighten up these pictures.
Above:  The hostel is located 15 miles from the nearest town.  No neighbors in sight.  Not a car to be heard.   Silence!
Above:  Teager bringing me a stick to wrestle away from him.
I collected 82 eggs that morning.
          Dirk made bacon & eggs for breakfast.  We ate at the little round table outside.  After breakfast, one of the hens walked over to me.  I picked her up and held her on my lap.  She didn't struggle to get down.  So I asked Dirk, "Is that a sign that she likes me?"  He responded, "I think it's a sign that you've got a pretty good grip on her."
Above:  My bed right next to the big, open windows.  Pitch black nights.  Fantastic sunrises!
Sign says, "Town Pool". 
          Left:  During my stay at the hostel, I took a day trip to the Three Rivers Petroglyph site.  There are over 21,000 prehistoric rock drawing there.
          This is not a good place to wear sandals and shorts (like I did).  There are signs along the path warning of rattlesnakes.
          Above:  Later I drove to Carrizozo, NM to see the Valley of Fires.  That black stuff in the photo is lava that flowed 1500-2000 yrs. ago.  It covers 125 square miles.
To learn more about the Valley of Fires,
          After 3 days and 2 nights at the Oscuro High Desert Ranch Hostel, I was rested and ready to continue my journey! 

          In the evening, after my day trip, I bought a bag of carrots to feed the old white horse standing at the end of the road.
          The dirt road was longer than I thought.  The sun seems to set faster in the desert.  Well, you get the picture...
          Luckily, the road was straight and I could see the light from the hostel in the distance.  When I got there, Dirk had cooked some stir fried vegetable for supper.