On the way to Elephant Butte.

We arrive.

View from our place.

Andre talks to the host.

We drive to the lake, created by a dam built in 1916.

Elephant Butte Lake—the biggest in New Mexico.

Andre takes pictures.

A tree I loved in Truth or Consequences, NM, by the Rio Grande River.

Elephant Butte is a town of boat and RV storage buildings and parking lot storage, with a restaurant or two, post office, church (SBC), gas station, more storage buildings for RVs and boats. In summer, the lake must be full and crazy with activity.

At the Lakeside RV Park, everyone was friendly. In all the years of RV travel, I have never spent time in the lounge or activity building. In this one, I exchanged books 3 times, listened to 2 guys play guitar and sing—a gentle jam, and spent time talking with a native Hawaiian about the life of a "Full-timer", among other things. The park had 2 levels, so I walked, gawked at license plates and RVs, and virtuously climbed uphill. You don't need to know that I could have left the park, walked a short distance uphill, and along an asphalt path to town, with the lake in site in the distance, behind buildings and homes.



Truth or Consequences is a few miles from Elephant Butte. Truth or Consequences has hot springs bath houses, many very old, all over town. I wanted to get in that water, but never did. It was intimidating to think of calling to find out about private baths in different motels and bath houses. I know, Google it! Once, in Canada, I soaked in an outdoor hot springs with the extra titillation of the possibility of bears on the prowl. Deadly bears, actually. I wanted to soak outside in Truth or Consequences, rather than in a bathroom/spa room.

Truth or Consequences used to be called Hot Springs. Somehow, with the involvement of Ralph Edwards and his tv show of the same name, the townspeople voted to change the name. I never reached the exhibit in the museum to learn the full story. I know, Google it!

We did find the Rio Grande, a much-needed hardware store that materialized suddenly out from town, a bar-b-que restaurant, and an organic store where I found handmade turtles (chocolate-caramel-pecan) for $1.99, affordable organic vegetable, and fresh juices. And a souvenir or two.


As in many of these small New Mexico towns, there are beautiful old buildings in a state of decay, with comfortable proportions, Southwest architecture and earthy materials. Again, sadness and longing. I realize that part of the longing is my desire to inhabit a building like so many of those I see, and maybe stay awhile. I've quit even trying to take pictures of them. There are so many, each one powerfully evocative to me.