Alamagordo, NM~Letterboxing

After leaving Fabens, TX, we traveled beside the Texas and Mexico border until we drove through the chaos of El Paso, TX. Wow! What a huge and crowded city filled with shopping, restaurants, factories, and pollution. We could see Juarez, Mexico on one side of the city and the Rio Grande River, too.

Also, there seemed to be alot of military activity in and around the city because of the bases nearby. Just about everywhere we were we saw military jeeps driving around filled with men in the back who would wave and smile at us as we drove by. Kind of a strange feeling in El Paso, so we were glad when we finally escaped the city and drove northward towards Alamagordo. Of course, we had to drive through a Border Patrol station first.

Once we arrived in Alamagordo, we started to feel at home. It just felt like the New Mexico we know and love. The mountains towering over the east of Alamagordo were rugged and beautiful. Since we arrived with plenty of daylight left, we checked into the Holiday Inn Express, ate some dinner nearby and then spent several hours swimming and playing in the indoor pool and jacuzzi before we got ready for bed around 10:30pm.

The next day, we drove into the Desert Foothills Park to search for 2 letterboxes. Jackson found the newest hidden letterbox and won the "First Finder's Certificate" inside! The Atari~E.T. letterbox and handcarved stamp is a part of the placer's "Random Wierdness Series" and is box #3. For more about the wierdness:Click here: Atari's E.T games in Alamogordo Landfill The instructions inside the letterbox say that after we contact the letterbox placer, they will be sending the First Finder a special prize by mail! Jackson is very exited! Wonder what the prize will be?!

The hand carved Atari E.T. stamp is very cool! This is the photo borrowed from the clue page at Letterboxing.org.