The drive from Denver to Roswell took just under eight hours. We stopped at a few places along the way.

My favorite stop was a sunflower patch near the New Mexico border. It was cool and windy out, and there was no one around for miles. It was magical place.

Here’s Larry in front of a gift shop in Trinidad, where we stopped for fuel.

We also stopped in the tiny town of Vaughn, NM.

In Vaughn, we took inappropriate photos at a cemetery, because it was spooky, solitary and full of ghosts wanting to speak. The graves were the only thing in view for miles, amid foggy grasslands.

Roswell is charming, with a strip of shops and restaurants dedicated to tourists. Though it rained the entire time we were there, supposedly Roswell is a sunny place with moderate weather.

Witness Roswell nightlife. We hung out at the Not of This World Cafe, which was beautiful inside (Tuscan). They have live music and poetry readings. The owners–very friendly people–have the coolest business in town.

Inside the cafe:

The tourist shops go all out with displays and atmosphere. This shop used strobe lights.

Larry in front of an alien experiment.

A local church.

Inside our favorite Mexican restaurant.

We toured the Roswell UFO Museum and Research Center, where you can browse a database of alien sightings. (Or report your own!) There are even support groups.

Behind the news horse (and Larry) is a map which highlights sightings/abductions/visitations all over the world.

Information about UFOs.

Sightings.

The giant box is a replica of one found in the Sacred Temples of Palenque and somehow indicates the existence of space travel in 400-600 AD.

A representation of farmer Mac Brazel discovering the spaceship remains in his field.

This prop was used in the movie Roswell.

Aliens were everywhere, even on fast food joint neon signs and banks.

A tourist shop. How many aliens do you see?

Other sightings.

Alien streetlamp.

Souvenir shops were everywhere. The trinkets were awesome.

Alien Gourd

Tentacles

Store displays (to entice you) :p

Alien Gumballs!

The landscape was beautiful and inspiring. We listened to Sugar (Bob Mould), the Dumb and Dumber Soundtrack, Morning Wood, the South Park Bigger Longer Uncut Soundtrack, Dirty Vegas, Lily Allen, Blur, Tears For Fears, Garbage, Alanis Morrisette, Sheryl Crow, New Order, Nine Inch Nails, the Chili Peppers, Sting and Vanessa Daou along the way.

Larry and me at a rest stop in Colorado.

Here are a few shots taken between Colorado Springs and Roswell. We saw horses, sheep, steer, cows, bison and antelope.

Passage to Mordor?

Distant mountains over a bog.

Thelma and Louise were here.

Larry and I took a short hike in Eldorado Canyon in June (2008). He climbs there a lot, but I hadn’t been in several years.

The rock is conglomerate sandstone, which is great for climbing but also soft enough to wear smooth.

Here’s a climber near the popular Calypso climb. Same face, different route.

The trail is actually wide, safe and not very difficult, but this view looks precarious. The cliff face/drop off is as steep as it looks.

Poison ivy! Larry swears he’s not allergic. I didn’t get close enough to find out if I am.

This field of rock fascinates me. How was it made? Why don’t the rocks fall?

The Bastille is another famous crag. Some of the climbs are worn pretty smooth from use. You can see the chalk from directly below.

Squirrel!

The payoff view:

And, if you ever wondered what it looked and sounded like to spin slowly on the trail, here’s a quick video.

On the way home, we passed Stanley Lake, with the Denver skyline in the distance.

We also saw mountain bovines.

We came out of the metro at Blanche Station, ready to find our hotel. It was *very* cold.

Where we stayed, there were cats. French Cats.

We immediately walked the 3 miles to see the Arc…

(Great view from the top!)

And the Obelisk that marks the place where Marie was beheaded.

And to walk the Champs Elysees.

The Moulin Rouge was on the way back.

Gargoyles fascinate me. These are all sitting at the top of Notre Dame, watching over the city, I suppose.

(This one is also sitting in my office.)

Keeping the evil spirits away.

The cemeteries are laid out like small cities, with names for the lanes and a map to the famous locations. Here are a few of the most interesting graves.

The brilliant Chopin is buried here.