My escape from Tucson started with an Amtrak train ride to Lordsburg, New Mexico. Decades ago, I stayed overnight in Lordsburg during a long-distance bicycle tour. Although the town didn’t appear as prosperous as, say, Santa Fe or Albuquerque, it was still hanging on. However, modern-day Lordsburg was giving off too much of a ghost town vibe for me to ignore. The first two shots show a now-abandoned grocery store that I had patronized. Note that the bottle shop venture also failed and that the building’s roof is completely gone. On to Silver City, where Brent and I went to one of his favorite birding spots, the Big Ditch Riparian Trail. Well, those New Mexico birds saw me coming, and they stayed well out of focusing range. So, time for Plan B. In the Big Ditch, I found abandoned cars, including one that was being devoured by a tree, a flowing stream, and a wide variety of wildflowers and insects.

It’s time to venture out of Silver City – and down memory lane. This gallery opens with two vistas that look remarkably similar to how I first encountered them while I was bicycle touring. Brent and I also photographed the creekside Catwalk Trail in Glenwood, NM. I was drawn to the remnants of Catwalk destruction caused by a 2013 flood, which sent a 20-foot wall of water down the creek. On our way back to Silver City, we explored historic Fort Bayard, which inspired me to try shooting in black and white. And, finally, a ferocious storm roared into town, and it forced us to take cover.

Let’s give those New Mexico birds another try, this time in the Gila National Forest. And, once again, they remained well out of focusing range. Today’s Plan B started with another foray into the black and white, which was followed by a camera walk around the heart of Silver City. The day ended with a visit to the City of Rocks, a New Mexico State Park that features an array of volcanic rock formations. To say the very least, I was awestruck.

Bad news: Amtrak canceled my return trip to Tucson. Today’s Plan B was orchestrated by Brent, who combined a return-Martha-to-Tucson trip with some location scouting at the Sweetwater Wetlands. Sweetwater is a local birding hot spot, and, at last, I experienced success!