Cimarron, Bataan Marathon and San Juan River

[Bruce Day]

Long trip to New Mexico and friends have asked me to post photos. No Parkers here, but some may be interested. The post is in three sections:
1. Cimarron and the old St James hotel and a little biking in the area.
2. White Sand Missile Test Range Army Post and the Bataan Memorial Death March Marathon.
3. Trout fishing the San Juan River.

First , old Cimarron. I stay at the St James, where 26 men were shot and carried out. Its the crossroads of the old west and little changed. The Earps, Clay Allison, Doc Holiday, all the famous and some infamous stayed there. Philmont Scout Res is 5 miles away and I biked a round trip of 44 miles in the mountains to Kit Carson's old hacienda at Rayado. This is all ranching country, 20,000 acre spreads, lots of elk and about 6500 feet high in town.
There is a wall painting of a member of Los Hermanos Penitentes , I understand this old practice of carrying heavy crosses, sometimes on their knees, still goes on in some of the isolated mountain villages at Easter, some of which are 400 years old.

The St James has long been rumored to be haunted and ghost hunters regularly hold meetings there. There was a group of women there when I stayed, and the ladies stayed up till 4 am and said they heard strange sounds. However, I do know that the wine was flowing and I suspect that may have had something to do with it.

Viewers will see the name of Elfego Baca and if they are of a certain age, may remember the Disney Zorro series. Although the real Zorro character was Californian, Disney's writers liked the name Elfego Baca and lifted it for their television Zorro character as his name except when he put on the mask and cape. I suspect if the tough old Socorro sheriff had lived long enough to know that he would have rode to Disney studios packing his six shooter.