A Saturday Drive

We went for a long drive yesterday exploring some of the towns South of us.  We packed a picnic lunch and headed out. We passed Fence Lake, which has no lake, then went to Quemado. It was a small little town. With a cafe, motel, gas station, and a hair shop. We learned that it means "burnt" in Spanish and was a thriving town in the late 1800s with ranchers and Rodeo Celebrities. 

From there we went another 14 miles South and turned in to see Quemado Lake. It was really beautiful. It was frames in pine trees with several people fishing from the shore and small boats. We decide this would be a good place for a picnic. 

Then we explored the shore a little bit. Anabelle and I took off our shoes and dipped our toes in. It was shallow and warm. The water level was definitely low but there was still plenty of water. And based on the cranes and hawks diving, there must still be plenty of fish. We drove up the road and previewed the two campgrounds. Maybe we will be back with a tent and some bathing suits next time. 

After Quemado Lake we headed East to Pie Town , NM. We stopped at a Pie Shop, of course, and I had a piece of Pecan Oatmeal Pie. It was delicious!  Anabelle opted for vanilla ice cream with chocolate sauce. 

Next we continued East to Datil. We passed through beautiful green country side all day. And this was perhaps the most beautiful with a mix of green meadows, pine trees, and moss rock formations. Datil as a town was even smaller than Quemado. Datil was a strategic stop along the livestock drives back in the day. It is part of a series of wells developed to sustain the traveling cowboys and their livestock. 

After Datil we turned back North and made our way home. It was a beautiful drive and a beautiful day.