TorC van trip

We drove down to Truth or Consequences (TorC in local parlance) for a short getaway to the warmer southern climes. The Santa Fe opera had advertised free screenings of their La Boheme production from last year, but the tickets in Santa Fe sold out almost instantly. Anna noticed that there was also a show in TorC, so we figured that was a perfectly good excuse to go check out the area.

We camped below Elephant Butte dam -- the highest in New Mexico, at 300-something feet -- at a charming little campground right on the Rio Grande. There wasn't more than a dribble in the river this time of year, but apparently come spring and early summer, if the water in the reservoir is high enough, they let quite a lot out and the area becomes very popular for families to come splash in the water. We, however, had the place entirely to ourselves.

During construction of the dam (which was completed in 1916) there was a whole community built for the dam-workers, where the campground is now. None of the original buildings are left, except for the picturesque jail -- there are four cells crammed in there, and only two tiny windows; it must have been absolutely miserable in the summer! Quite a deterrent to misbehaving.

The opera was shown in the local "convention center", which appeared to be a gymnasium with a stage; the SF opera did a wonderful job transforming a "war horse" standard opera into something really special, by moving the time period from ca. 1880 to 1920s Paris. We enjoyed browsing the local bookstores, visiting some artist friends who are setting up a gallery, and generally basking in the relative warmth.

On the way home, we stopped to check out this artwork in the desert off I-25, near Ft. Craig (which we had visited previously; worth a stop if you're in the area.)