To Lordsburg, NM

Sometime last week...two weeks ago?...seriously, time has no meaning anymore...I made it to Lordsburg, NM.  And by "made it" I mean I walked a total of 174 miles in my backyard, which technically speaking is the equivalent of walking from my house to Lordsburg on my way to NYC.

Along the way Google took me through Saguaro National Park (East) through the Rincon Mountains.  I've always been interested in hiking the Rincons and it's definitely on my list, but I'm afraid inertia has gotten the better of me.  So no posts about that part of my walk to NYC.

Lordsburg is a town I've been through multiple times, usually on I-10 as I pass through.  One time many years ago I needed to spend the night, and, while I try to give every town the benefit of the doubt, that particular night does not shine well in my memory.

But now having "walked" through Lordsburg and Googled the town to learn more of its history, I've come to find out there's a lot I missed.

For instance, it's the birthplace of New Mexico's state song, O Fair New Mexico.

It held as many as 1,500 Japanese Americans in a Japanese American internment camp operated by the U.S. Army during World War II.

It had one of the few motels in the Southwest that would accept Black guests in the mid-20th century during the end of legal segregation.

And it's the final destination in the movie Stagecoach, starring John Wayne in his breakthrough role as the Ringo Kid.

Basically, it's complicated, like so many things are.  So I'll try to give it the benefit of the doubt again when I next pass through, although at this point I'm not sure when that'll happen.

Along the way, I happened to see this handsome guy giving me the eye...

Hey...hey you.  Yeah, I'm looking at you...

Right, so the sights I see in my backyard will soon be diverging drastically from what I'd see if I were actually walking to NYC.  I'm choosing to let that go and enjoy the view.