A day in Las Cruces

On our way back home from SoCal, we stopped in Las Cruces, NM. A place where my family has some history. My father went to high school in Las Cruces. My parents met in Las Cruces and both graduated from New Mexico State University in Las Cruces. I was born and attended elementary school there as well.

We arrived into town around noon. Ate green chili burgers for lunch and then checked into our hotel so that Addy could take a nap. I headed to the NMSU golf course. The place where my father won his conference championship and where I was introduced to golf. On the way to the course, I took a few pictures of the ZTA sorority house. The place where my parents were married.

After getting to the course, the first thing that I noticed was the beautiful new clubhouse. I was given a brief tour by one of the assistant pros. He showed me the hallway where they hung all of the plaques won by the NMSU golfers through the years. There on the wall was my father's NCAA All America plaque that he earned in 1973. Seeing that plaque again was very cool. His copy of the plaque was destroyed in a fire. I took some photos of the plaque and then went out to play the course.

The course was in great shape. I took a bunch of photos for my father so that he could see how the course has changed. It is hard to explain, but it was almost magical playing on that course again. The only way to make it better would have been to be playing with my father. I hope that we get to do that soon.

After picking up the family from the hotel, I drove to our old house. Lots of great memories in that house. Dinner was more green chili at Robertos. Then we took the kids to the White Sands National Monument. We spent a few hours in the sand that almost looks like snow. The kids played, Jen supervised, and I took pictures. By using the Camry as a tripod, the timer function on the camera, and sprints up the dune, we were able to get some good pictures of all four of us together. Austin took his first pictures with my big camera. He took some great shots of Jen and I. We stayed until after sunset and then drove back over the mountain to our hotel. The following morning, we started our drive back home.

It was great to be in a place that brought back so many great childhood memories, and at the same time to be making more with my family. A good way to end the trip.