Day 18 - April 3, 2004

Well, we are still waiting on our new air conditioning unit. Decided to put the time to good use. Frank and I did a really good inside cleaning of the coach. Then we put on our hiking gear and hiked the Dripping Springs Cox Ranch trail,. This started out as Dripping Springs Resort which was built by Col. Van Patten in the 1870's. The resort had 16 rooms. Actually Pat Garret and Pancho Villa stayed here. The trail we walked was the actual stage coach road which took the guests to the resort. In 1917 Van Patten went bankrupt and Dripping Springs was sold to Dr. Nathan Boyd who eventually turned it into a TB sanatorium as his wife had TB

Dead skunk on the trail. Does this sound like the lyrics to a song?

Hiking on the Dripping Springs, Cox Ranch trail

Resort ruin of the Van Patten Resort

View along the Dripping Springs Cox Ranch trail

Hiking on the Dripping Springs, Cox Ranch trail in Las Cruces, NM

Ruins of the the kitchen and dining room of the TB sanatorium built by Dr. Nathan Boyd

What a view from our hiking trail. We are so blessed to be able to see our country!!

Another fantastic view from our hiking trail!!!