Guest post for Raiders of the Campsite by Jodi Linton

A Vacation to New Mexico

It’s crazy to think that five years has passed since I first visited New Mexico. Our family’s first trip to the state they call the Land of Enchantment happened to be the first time we had the chance to take our kids out of state on a vacation. Before that summer, we’d only traveled an hour south of our hometown and spent the day at zoos or children’s museums. It wasn’t because we didn’t want to venture out. No. I’ve actually traveled abroad to Europe and the Middle East before marriage, but at the time my husband was a teacher and I was a stay-at-home mom—the funds to travel just weren’t there. But that summer we headed out west. The smells. The cool air. The sunsets. The terrain. The mountain views. They all stuck with me, and sometimes I find myself daydreaming about the location while sitting out on my back porch in Texas. I guess I caught the outdoors bug.

Since it was the first time our family had ever been to New Mexico we booked every adventure tour one could think of. From river rafting, to horseback riding, hiking nature trails or trying to mountain bike up hills…well, you know, when my Texas butt wasn’t equipped for such altitudes. Still, it’s a fond memory. One I try to recreate each summer with the family. And like the fictional town of Bushwhack in my series, A Southwest Exposure, we toured a ghost town and feed chipmunks. 

And just like, Andie Sullivan, the highlight of my trip is always the scenic views, and the various outdoor activities I can do while in town. One of my favorite activities to do is to go river rafting, and I always make a point to quiz our rafting guides. I find it fascinating to learn about their journey to becoming a guide. Some guides are only a year into their experience, others it’s a summer job between college semesters, and others came for one summer, though that one summer turned into ten with a house in town. But what every guide had in common was that they feel in love with New Mexico and found themselves not wanting to leave. It’s probably why the husband and I have a goal to retire in the mountains. It’s hard to turn your back on such beauty. 

As to date, it’s been almost a year and half since we’ve traveled west. One day the pandemic will end, and my family can visit the place that holds such wonderful memories for us again. Until then, I continued to write about the amazing scenic views in the pages of A Southwest Exposure Mystery Series, and let my readers book fictionalized guided tours with Andie Sullivan.   

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