Why I Love Sierra County!

Spaceport America - it's a reality

2010-05-27T20:06:00.000-06:00

Yesterday I took the New Mexico State Tourism Commission, Secretary of Tourism Mike Cerletti and several Tourism Department staff out to Spaceport America to give it a look to see how things are coming along. And, WOW. They are really coming along! This is a photo of the Terminal Hangar Facility, which will host Virgin Galactic operations. This side of the 3 story structure will have a glass front so that visitors can look out over the "apron" and watch the Virgin Spaceship Enterprise journey into sub-orbit.

The runway looks like it is almost complete. The Emergency services building - a giant dome - has taken shape. There is still a lot of work to be done, but there is already talk of a New Years Eve party at the site this year. I'll keep you posted.

It was inspiring to see how far this project has come in just a few months. I hope to get out there every couple of months for new photos. In the meantime, you can keep track of the goings on at www.spaceportamerica.com

An Embarrassment of Riches

2010-04-11T13:59:00.000-06:00

Now that the short & chilly days of winter are behind us, it's time to get out & play!

Seems like once April arrives, everything starts happening at once. Events are happening all over the County - artist receptions out in Hillsboro & Chloride, live music in Las Palomas Plaza in T or C, boating on the lake, kayaking down the Rio Grande...and Fiesta is in the air!

It's an embarrassment of riches when one can't decide what to do on a rare day off. Taking advantage of a gorgeous Spring day without the obligatory 40mph southwest winds, I opted for "do yardwork". My rose bushes are bushier than ever, there a few dozen baby sunflowers peeking out from the ground, and the honeysuckle is ready to burst into color.

Enjoy Spring, everyone! And we'll see you at the Fiesta Parade, Saturday May 1st in downtown Truth or Consequences!

Promoting Sierra County Tourism at the Tournament of Roses Parade Or “How I managed to jam broken walnut shells under my fingernails without really trying”

2010-01-14T12:57:00.000-07:00

By popular demand...following is the article that I wrote for the local newspapers on my Tournament of Roses Experience:

Ten observations on volunteering to work on the Grand Marshal's Award winning New Mexico Tourism Department “Enchantment Is In The Air” float at this years Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena. Hey, it takes a lot to build a winner!

1) Teenage Girl Scouts have absolutely no idea who Pepe LePew and Penelope Pussycat are, but they are incredibly useful when it comes to crawling across scaffolding to glue & apply massive amounts of onion seeds & dried coconut to those 10 foot replicas of the Warner Brothers cartoons. We had several different Girl Scout troops from throughout the LA area working with us on the float decoration. And yes, the coconut is edible.

2) The NM Tourism Dept “Land of Enchantment” logo signs have been used for all 4 of our floats, to cut down on costs. I repaired the walnut shell background & onion seed lettering two years ago...so guess what my first assignment was? “Hey look, Gina's here! Let's make HER fix this atrocity – again!”. Thanks guys! It only took me 5 hours to “fix” one sign.

3) There are about 6 different types of glue used to affix seeds, flowers, legumes, seaweed & corn husks to the float. And they all have their own distinctive, headache inspiring aroma.

4) There are too many chiefs involved when you have about 100 people crawling around a float. 'Tis far, far better to always check with the 24 year old kids in the red jackets than to listen to opinions from fellow volunteers that start with the words “I've been here all 4 times, and we should...” The 24 year old kids have been doing this since they were 10 or 11 years old, and have worked their way up the Fiesta Floats organization hierarchy. Don't mess with Ryan or Theresa or you may find yourself banned from the barn!

5) People don't realize that the base of the float gets covered with pine branches. Then huckleberry branches. Then juniper branches. THEN the roses, which are in vials of water, get jammed through those 3 layers of greenery & into a very thick layer of cardboard-ish material. Hence the blisters on our hands & stiff shoulders & biceps on New Years Day. All this, and you can't even see the greenery under the roses. Sheesh!

6) There were approximately 8,000 roses, 3,000 daisies and 1,000 orchids on our float. And those were just on the “deck”. The balloons were covered in coconut, mums, carnations, lentils, kidney beans, split peas, and in one case, pieces of celery (my suggestion that we use green chile instead was appreciated, but ignored).

7) 60 volunteers traveled from New Mexico to California at their own expense to work on the float. We worked from 8am Monday till 11pm on Wednesday.

8) Float judging takes place on the morning of December 31st. Evidently, you are supposed to cheer wildly when the judges reach your float, and cheer even more wildly when the mechanics of your float kick in. Some people think you earn extra points with the judges this way. I looked on in horror the first time Penelope's tail twitched, spraying coconut flakes across the float. But hey, they seemed to enjoy it.

9) Over 1 million people line Colorado Blvd in Pasadena for the Parade. Over 40 million Americans watch it on TV. The Tourism Dept estimates that for New Mexico to pay for a TV ad with that kind of coverage would run about $4 million.

10) After the parade ends, the floats are all driven to a park in Pasadena where the public can view them up close. The New Mexico Tourism Dept drove their mobile visitor information center - “Moby VIC” - to the park where several of us distributed visitor information to the crowd. It was 4 ½ hours of non-stop guerrilla marketing. Unbelievably, we are the only destination with the common sense to use this as a marketing opportunity. At times, visitors to our VIC were 4 deep. I spoke with hundreds of people & thankfully, I had only one person ask me if you “still need a passport to visit New Mexico”. And, I had only one person ask “New Mexico? There's a “new” one?” and look at me skeptically when I told her that we are located between Texas & Arizona. “Since WHEN???”

Surprisingly, I discovered that lots of New Mexicans travel to New Mexico to attend the parade. Many of those folks sought us out to thank us for the beautiful float, to thank us for working to promote the state at the “post parade float park” and volunteered to help us next year.

Thank you Mark Trujillo and everyone at the New Mexico Tourism Department for such a great experience!

2010-01-03T11:32:00.000-07:00

I've spent the past week in Southern California with the New Mexico Tourism Department working on our entry in the 2010 Tournament of Roses Parade, "Enchantment Is In The Air". 60 volunteers from New Mexico made the trip to Pasadena to work on the float, which featured Warner Brothers cartoon character Pepe LePew courting Penelope Pussycat, who was making her getaway on a hot air balloon.

Our float was awarded the Grand Marshal's Award for excellence in creative concept and design. We won this award two years ago with our "alien" float; last year we were awarded the Bob Hope Humor Award for our entry featuring Wile E. Coyote chasing the Roadrunner across the desert on an ACME rocket.

After the parade ends, the floats are all moved to Victory Park in Pasadena where the public can get an up close look. The New Mexico float attracted a lot of attention, and thousands of people visited our mobile Visitor Information Center (lovingly referred to as "Moby VIC") to learn more about New Mexico and the visitor attractions that we have to offer.

It was an overwhelming, delightful experience and hopefully we will have funding available to enter a float again in 2011. I can't think of a more unique and memorable way to promote New Mexico to the world!

2009-12-25T16:01:00.000-07:00

Merry Christmas!

I still get excited when it snows in Southern New Mexico, I like to sit in my nice warm house & watch the snow fall. So I was dismayed when it began to snow just as I was getting in the car to take a road trip to Southern California to spend Christmas with my family! As you can see, it came down pretty heavy between Deming & Lordsburg, right at the Continental Divide.

In a few days I will journey to Pasadena where I will be helping the New Mexico Tourism Department decorate our entry in the Tournament of Roses Parade. This year our float will feature Pepe Le Pew & his girlfriend Penelope Pussycat in hot air balloons. Sounds like another winner!

Here's wishing everyone a safe & happy holiday season!!!

Gina

Merry Christmas from Sierra County

2009-12-20T20:47:00.000-07:00

I've become so used to winter in southern New Mexico that I find that I now dread leaving my cozy little home in Truth or Consequences to head off to Southern California for the Holidays. Granted, the nights are cold...but the daytime temps are in the mid to high 50's, the sky is blue and cloudless.

Things have slowed down a bit, giving me time to reflect on how lucky I am to be in a small town with good friends, working for great people. Sometimes it's a challenge - my friend Jen with the Tourism Department always says "the smaller the town, the bigger the drama" - but hey! Never a dull moment!

I'm getting ready to drive off to Oceanside, CA to spend Christmas with my family, then up to Pasadena to work on the New Mexico float in the Tournament of Roses Parade. Viva Pepe le Pew! Merry Christmas everyone, and I'll see you in the New Year!

Hard Hat Tours of Spaceport America Start December 5th!

2009-11-28T12:47:00.001-07:00

Recently I had the opportunity to visit the construction site at Spaceport America. Frankly, I was prepared to be unimpressed - how impressive could the construction of a 10,000 foot runway be, right?

Wrong. It is one thing to know that construction has started. It is quite another to actually stand on the runway and look down the length of it. In Hawai'i, we call it "chicken skin". You stand there and think "oh my...it's REALLY happening".

Now the general public has the opportunity to visit the construction site, via a Spaceport Hard Hat Tour. Tours, currently scheduled for the weekends of December 5-6 and 19-20, depart the Sierra Grande Lodge in Truth or Consequences at 8am & 1pm on Saturday, and 1pm on Sunday. Tours last about 4 hours; cost is $59 per person. Sign up on the Spaceport America website! Here is a great description of the tour courtesy of the Las Cruces Sun News: http://www.lcsun-news.com/las_cruces-news/ci_13870855

Never Too Hot To Soak!

2009-07-10T20:37:00.003-06:00

OK, so here's an observation I've made during the past 4 years I've lived in Truth or Consequences. It's 97 degrees, admittedly it's a tad warm for some people...but not oppressively so (think the Eastern seaboard when it's 95% humidity and 95 degrees. Blech!).

And I hear people whimper..."it's too hot to soak!"

Ha! Say I. It's never too hot to soak. In fact, soaking during the summer months when the mercury rises is my favorite time to soak. "she's crazy" say you. But here's the thing. The water is about 110+ degrees. You get out of the water, you sit outside with that breeze coming off the of the river, and suddenly, that 97 degrees feels downright comfortable. For that matter, you don't have to be anywhere NEAR the river - you still feel refreshed when you hit that dry 97 degrees after simmering your cares away in the hot mineral waters.

Fast forward to winter, when the faint-hearted think this is the best time to soak. Yes, I admit - it feels pretty darn great to float in the hot water when it's 40 degrees outside (our version of winter). BUT - you leave your bath warm & toasty...and get cold again within short order.

Maybe I'm wrong. Check back with me in December. Or better yet, come for a visit during all 4 seasons & pick your favorite. I suppose that actually...given that we have 10 different mineral bath establishments, you could pick your favorite based upon the time of year. Further research is required. These decisions can't be made lightly, you know.

A hui hou!
Gina

To The Bat Cave!

2009-05-25T17:35:00.010-06:00

Holy Bat Fest Batman! Saturday June 13 is the date of the Sierra County Historical Society's popular Bat Cave fund raising tour of the Armendaris Ranch!

If you've never participated in this tour, you can't begin to imagine the sound created by thousands of tiny bat wings fluttering en masse. it sounds like...water. Rushing water. It builds to the crescendo of a very large waterfall.

To watch tens of thousands of bats take to the sky, joined by birds of prey who descend into their midst for their own evening meal...it is an awe-inspiring natural phenomenon that should not be missed. Swainson's Hawk ... meet Mexican Bat. Can you say "dinner!!"???

The tour will reach the bat caves just before dusk, prime time for observing thousands of bats exiting their caves below the lava beds. En route, we have seen antelope, oryx, bison, tortoises and a variety of birds, including the rare Aplomado Falcon.

Depending on conditions, the tour may also stop at the pens where the bison are vaccinated, tested, and examined. Return time is approximately 10pm. The $150 cost includes a meal, soft drinks, and plenty of water. All proceeds of this tour go directly to the museum. We are thankful for the ongoing support of Ted Turner and Tom Waddell at the Armendaris Ranch for our fund raising efforts. To participate in this tour, 4WD/high clearance vehicles are required and carpooling will be utilized. This trip is limited to 6 vehicles.

Please contact LaRena Miller for more info at 894-6600 or by e-mail at larena@geronimotrail.com

Happy New Year !

2008-12-31T18:52:00.004-07:00

Hauoli Makahiki Hou from Sierra County!

I'm a beach kid. What do I know from “winter”? In California it gets colder but by and large, the leaves stay on the trees, right where they're intended to stay. How can you tell winter has come to the beach? The storms come in & wash out the sand, leaving the coastline, well, beach-less. That and there's no fog in the mornings, unlike the Spring, Summer & Fall where you're pretty much socked in from sun up till noon.

In Hawai'i, you know winter has arrived when you feel the need to put a blanket on your bed or wear long pants in the mornings when the temperature dips to a chilly 70 degrees. And if that system of seasonal reckoning fails, just look to the ocean. The surfers wear wet suits, which is mighty confusing to a shark seeing as how if they see something black & sleek moving through the surf really fast, that means “dinner”. Seriously. Most of the shark attacks in Hawai'i take place in the winter, on surfers wearing wet suits. Can't blame the sharks, they have the perfect defense: “well officer, it's like this. I thought Keoki there was a seal. Sorry about the leg, dude! My bad!”

Given this life experience, winter in New Mexico was something of a shock. This said, winter is something I've grown to love. On January 22, 2007, it snowed about 8-10 inches in Truth or Consequences. Not being clued in on the concept of “snow days”, I went to work. http://picasaweb.google.com/ginadeeter/SpaInTheSnow# Which was fine, until I tried to drive home, up Foch Street, and my van slid sideways down the hill. Nonetheless, it was one of the best days I'd ever had at work. Sure, the cat was thoroughly baffled by the cold white stuff clinging to her fur – but she learned MUCH faster than I did. When it's cold, she stays inside. I, on the other hand, love to stand out outside & breathe the crisp air. And then I go back inside the nice warm toasty house.

At our December Tourism Board meeting, Catherine Wanek from the Black Range Lodge in Kingston (www.blackrangelodge.com) announced that the first snow of the season had fallen the night before. No longer fearing the cold white stuff, I grabbed the trusty camera & headed out to Kingston. Pete Fust, co-owner of the Lodge, put me in his van & we went out to enjoy the snow in the Gila National Forest. http://picasaweb.google.com/GinaLKelley/FirstSnowfallDecember2008# I envy Catherine & Pete. They live in some of the most beautiful country in America, if not the world. They have a forest at their doorstep. They have a historic lodge where they bake their own bread and make their own ice cream. If you visit, be sure & get there in the late morning when the bread is still warm from the oven & they have LOTS of butter to slather all over the bread. It is the closest thing to heaven that I've ever experienced.

So there you have it. The beach kid loves winter in New Mexico. Who knew?
Happy New Year!
Gina

Geronimo Trail Scenic Byway, Northern Route

2008-10-26T20:35:00.011-06:00

Another Sierra County Adventure Awaits!

There are many things that I've always wanted to do since I moved to Sierra County. One of those things on my "to do" list is to drive the Geronimo Trail Scenic Byway in its entirety. Lately I assisted with the editing of an "Apache History on the Geronimo Trail" booklet, providing me with the inspiration I needed to scream “Road Trip!” I decided it was high time for me to hit the byway. And as it happened, I found myself in temporary possession of a 4 wheel drive truck that beckoned me to take the journey.

My adventurous friend Susan joined me on this trek. With everything that I could find on the Geronimo Trail Scenic Byway printed off the internet and my deluxe super-sized Gila National Forest map in hand, we hit the road.

The GTSB starts out easy enough, beginning in Truth or Consequences at the Las Palomas Plaza, moving on to Ralph Edwards Park and into Elephant Butte. Once you head out into the county, vistas of farmland and rolling hills open up. The Trail goes through Cuchillo (home of the Pecan Festival every February - don't miss it!), into Winston and then out to Beaverhead.

From Beaverhead we headed out to Wall Lake. Currently the Lake and its surrounding area are privately owned; there is picnic area that is no longer open to the public, but it’s a quiet place to sit and enjoy the view, the cows, the burbling stream…and the fabulously entertaining contingent of elk hunters that camp out in the Gila during hunting season.

Our plan was to venture onto Forest Road 150, head down to Mimbres and San Lorenzo & then work our way to Kingston, Hillsboro and back home to T or C. Women are strong and powerful; we fear not the prospect of having to do some four wheeling. In fact, we embrace the adventure! Well, we embraced it right up until the chorus of laughter that greeted us from everyone we talked to about this journey. “Dern fool women what will they think of next?” was the common sentiment expressed. The Forest Service grades this road annually after the Spring thaw, but after the heavy rains of last summer's monsoon season, the road is pretty well washed out and not recommended for inexperienced four wheelers - like me, for example. For visitors who are looking for an "adventure experience," and have to skill to negotiate this road, this part of the Trail is perfect for you.

But for Susan and me, it was not to be. At least not until next spring. So we got right back in the truck & headed back to “civilization,” as it were. The booming metropolis of Chloride awaited us. Population 11.

To be continued: Chloride Canyon adventures

Greetings from Sierra County!

2008-10-24T22:28:00.008-06:00

Hey there!

In the immortal words of Austin Powers: "allow myself... to introduce myself..."

My name is Gina Kelley, and I've been the Director of Tourism here in Sierra County for the past year. I've lived in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico for 3 1/2 years, but I love every square inch of Sierra County.

I grew up in northern San Diego County, in beach towns that used to be considered "small". Well folks, there's not a whole lot of "small" left on the coast of Southern California. Every time I go back there to visit the kin folk I count my blessings that I live in Sierra County.

I spent many years living in San Francisco and in Hawai'i. So if I throw in the occasional Chinese or Hawaiian word into my blog, fear not. It's not because I'm trying to impress people, it's because this is how I actually think. Scary, isn't it?

This won't be a typical "come to my County because it's so special" kind of blog. Even though I think that Sierra County is pretty darn special, I was always taught that gloating is an indication of a poor upbringing. So this will be about real life travels through the County, the things that we who live here do for fun.

Every week I'll fill you in on what new, exciting or just plain strange things are going on in Sierra County. Trust me, I have lots of material to draw on.

A hui hou*,

Gina
*a hui hou is a Hawaiian phrase that roughly translates into English as "see you later". There's your first Hawaiian language lesson!