A Scenic Journey Through Arizona and New Mexico: Road Trip Highlights

In the second leg of our road trip to San Antonio, my wife Sarah and I left behind the charm of Desert Hot Springs and the vibrant streets of Palm Springs, heading east on Highway 10 toward Tucson, Arizona. Our time in Palm Springs was unforgettable, with a fantastic breakfast at Townie Bagel Bakery Cafe and two amazing dinners—one at The Rooster and The Pig and the other at Thai Smile Palm Springs. The combination of fine dining, scenic views of dramatic mountain ranges, wind farms, and the iconic cactus landscapes left a lasting impression on us.

As we ascended through the Little Chuckwalla Mountains, we navigated a series of mountain passes, passing giant boulders along the way. Our journey took us through Blythe and the Arizona desert, where we often encountered mile-long freight trains. Another mountain pass brought us to Quartzite, followed by a drive through Phoenix.

We were headed to Tucson to visit our grandson, his wife, and their four children, who live in Sahuarita, just south of the city. We settled into the Voyager hotel in Tucson, though our stay turned out to be less than expected. After arriving, we were informed of an “upgrade” due to issues with their door key system. To our surprise, the upgrade was to a mobile home in a sprawling park, which felt more like a warehouse than a hotel. It lacked the warmth and amenities we were hoping for, so we were glad to check out and head east toward New Mexico.

In New Mexico, we reunited with our long-time friends Amanda and Phil, who live in Silver City, a picturesque mining town with a rich history. Amanda, a former reporter for The Pajaronian, and Phil, originally from Prunedale, were excited to catch up. Silver City is a fascinating town steeped in Old West history, with ties to lawmen like Wyatt Earp and outlaws such as Billy the Kid and Geronimo, the famous Apache warrior and medicine man. The town is nestled at 6,000 feet, on the edge of the Gila National Forest, and home to Western New Mexico University, founded in 1893. The old town is full of character, with historic buildings and winding, steep streets that seem to tell stories from the past.

Phil and Amanda treated us to a delicious lunch at Jalisco Cafe on Bullard Street, followed by a stroll through the charming town and along the Silva Creek, once known as Main Street and now affectionately called “the Big Ditch” by locals.

In part 3 of our journey, we’re off to El Paso to explore Pancho Villa’s stash house, where agents discovered $500,000 in U.S. currency and gold coins in a 1915 raid by U.S. Customs. Stay tuned for more of our adventure!

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