Travelled along the Highway 380 out of New Mexico and into Texas, full of oil derricks and cotton fields, it's like déjàvu. I could swear we've been on this route before but apparently not.

Well if it wasn't through here must have been the top end of Texas or Oklahoma coming from somewhere else through extremely similar roads and fields.

Hang on now got Reddy Vineyards on one side!! Five Star Vineyards, now I know we haven't been this road before.

Onwards we go, where we'll stop, nobody knows.

Through cactus, cattle and scrub, flat fields carefully tilled, more cotton for miles…………the sun is now behind us as we turn North/East.

Hours later we are stopping for the night at Haskill, nope, no room at the inn, on another 99miles to Witchita Falls.

……a longggggg day.

Night! Kat xo

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The deer are happy here too, they are just grazing in someone’s backyard at 9.40am in the morning!

Smokey Bear’s home is Capitan a tiny little place out in the back parts of New Mexico on the Billy The Kid Scenic Byway through to Lincoln.

Lincoln, once known as Las Placitas del Rio Bonito before it’s name change in 1869 when Lincoln County was established. Lincoln County is the biggest county in the US. It is said that a combination of 95 proof whiskey and gunpowder together caused a number of fights between cowboys and the subsequent Lincoln County Wars.

The Murphy Dolan store run by Riley, Murphy and Jimmy Dolan – the Irish boys – became very prosperous, known as ‘the house’ they had much control over the town. Soon John Chisum, John Henry Tunstall and Alexander McSween sorted to trade in mercantile, a law office, bank and ranching trying to get some sway over ‘the house’.

The 1878 murder of Tunstall, signifies a breakdown of law and order in the county and begins the Lincoln County Wars. McSween was gunned down when forced to flee his burning home and Billy The Kid made a daring escape they say. To cut a long story short, it was during this time that Sheriff Pat Garrett then found and forced Billy’s surrender and brought him back to Lincoln sentenced to hang. The vigilante regulator then, whilst manacled, killed both his guards and escaped the second story of the Lincoln Courthouse.

You can see a marker through the window where it is said Billy shot Deputy Bell. ( and Robert Olinger)

The torreon an adobe structure turret still stands in the centre of town where settlers once hid during Apache Indian raids.

The Mission of San Juan and a number of other buildings still exist perfectly preserved in history. A neat little place if you are bypassing through there.

Now it’s back in the car and heading to Roswell, NM. Home of aliens, ufo’s, Area 51 and all things explained………or are they? First sighting was said to have occurred July 4, 1947.

A visit to the International UFO Museum to see the many articles, Military documents, photos, sightings, abduction pictures and stories. Can you form an opinion as to whether they existed or exist?

In my opinion there is too much evidence to not think there is something unexplained or covered up from years gone by. Same as crop circles, they have often fascinated me, I even did interpretations in my ceramic work some time ago. No one would have the time to be able to do that without leaving a mark and without someone seeing them do it.

Believe or to not believe? (Insert movie alien questioning sounds here)

The truth is out there! Kat xo

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We left Tombstone Arizona and into New Mexico under warm, light cloudy skies today heading to visit another cowboy town of Lincoln.

Got the tunes on in the car and contemplating sleep or beading Jacks vest. More than likely it will be both!

Through Las Cruces New Mexico, where everything blends into the landscape. Most places in New Mexico you don't realise just how big they are because you can't really see the houses as they blend in with the landscape.

NASA facilities are close by and this is the view from the other side of San Augustin Pass elev.5719ft approaching White Sands Missile facilities. Excuse me while I try to pop my ears again.

We made a stop into White Sands Missile Range, no photos of the port of entry gates thanks, get your visitor pass and you can walk into the Museum to partake in a quick fascinating tour of missiles and other interesting artefacts from the facility. I can hear an alien whistling sound outside…..,they're coming to take me away ha ha!

It's really flat in the valley but you could hide stuff out here which makes sense as to why they chose the site all those years ago I suppose. It gives me a weird, somewhat uneasy feeling. An interesting place I can say I have visited nonetheless.

These gorgeous white sand dunes out in the middle of the New Mexico nothingness are the edge of White Sands National Monument. Photo doesn't really do it justice, it is white, white sand.

On to Ruidoso we go, looks more like a town in Colorado with it's pine trees but yes still in New Mexico. Home of Billy The Kid scenic byway and close to Roswell and Lincoln. Check out the timber carvings! You don't just get your usual bears here!

Spending the night here and will head to Lincoln and elsewhere tomorrow.

Cheers!

Kat xo

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Second day of Bordertown and it was clear sunny skies and rather warm. We started our last 6 stages on the afternoon shift. A couple of these stages were a little longer but all were great fun thanks to Match Director, Wily Yankee.

Jack had a couple of better runs today and I was still steady, a little rifle ragged, around the world on one pistol and then came the final stage……..a safety. Clean and a safety! Boo hoo! Put my shotgun down on a table in the middle instead of taking it to the final one where I was going to do pistol and turned around to find my shotgun had closed. Shoulders slumped, stupid girl be more smart!

Gotta just keep smiling and working when that happens.

Anyway, onto the dinner and side match awards. The chuck wagon brisket, beans, potato, roll and fudge brownies were sensational – really enjoyed the dinner.

The band was 2Lazy Ranch Band (and I can't do the right 2lazy brand on here) with some folks taking the opportunity of the dance floor, while others just listened to their entertaining tunes.

Side match awards were handed out for Long Range events, Speed Events and Wild Bunch. One of our Texas friends Bootstrap Richard received an award for a long range event.

I won Ladies Traditional Wild Bunch, Lacey Doyly was second. Samuel B Carpenter 1st Place Men's Traditional Wild Bunch, Gilly Boy 2nd Place with Garrison Joe 3rd Place. Silver Heart won Ladies Modern Wild Bunch, 2nd Place Claudia Feather and 3rd Place Barbwire.

Matt Black won Speed Pistol, Lassiter won Speed Rifle and Hells Comin' Speed Shotgun. Sass Kicker won all 3 for the ladies. Congratulations to all as I can't remember everyone and didn't take notes.

So…..the Top 10 Ladies were – Sass Kicker, Amber Ale, Echo Meadows, Sassy Dancer, Pious Player, Addie Rose, Lefty Jo, Kathouse Kelli, Silver Heart and Victoria Diamond.

Men's Top 10 were – Matt Black, Robyn Devault, Colt Faro, Cody James, Lassiter, Mogollon Drifter, Hells Comin', Lead Finger, Blackjack Zac and Arizona Redneck.

Sunday morning to the range we competed in the couples shoot and were in the lead at one stage only to be taken out by the 'kids' Sass Kicker and Cody James. Then it was the shoot off won by Sassy Dancer for the Ladies and Hells Comin for the Men's!!

There were 113 clean shooters for the match from 319. From our Posse, Lawless Lori Sue, Swegian Lady, Shirttail Bess, Stagecoach Sally, Cat Ballou, Texas Mac, Texas Flower, Bootstrap Richard, Big Iron Buster, Evergreen Rose, Celtic Rover, Whooper Crane, Kenny Red, Jackaroo and myself all placed in our respective categories. (There may have been a couple more, forgive me if I've forgotten anyone)

Congratulations to all who competed in Bordertown 2014, was a great match. See you all again on the trail somewhere.

Thank goodness I shot better than I played pool last night – went down 5 games straight!

Cheers and beers!

Kat xo

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And so today began with an early start and at the range for the 7am shooters meeting. 6 stages of fun for the day.

It's a cool crisp start to the day but soon warmed up to around 87F/33C so tomorrow shooting in the afternoon it's going to be quite warm!

We have a good Posse of 27 shooters: Arizona Thunder, Beartrap, Big Hat, Big Iron Buster, Bootstrap Richard, Cat Ballou, Celtic Rover, Choctaw Gal, Don Cisco, Evergreen Rose, Gully, I Plantem, Jackaroo, Kathouse Kelli, Kenny Ted, Kick Ass Mule, Kid Rich, Lawless Lori Sue, Meadow Biscuit Slim, MK Coyote, Shirttail Bess, Stagecoach Sally, Swegian Lady, Tex, Texas Mac, Texas Flower and Whooper Crane.

Everyone is working, friendly and we've met some new people as well this time.

We have the afternoon to relax and then it will be drinks on the deck followed by steaks at The Depot tonight.

Have a good one!

Kat xo

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Today was warm up day, 3 waves of 3 posses for a 3 stage warm up called 'Bordertown Blast'.

A happy cowgirl am I! A slight hiccup on one with the rifle but otherwise 3 clean 19sec stages.

Jack on the other hand didn't have such a good day which hopefully means tomorrow he will be on fire!

Targets are up close and personal which means you can miss as fast as you can shoot! You can bet your bottom dollar for some there will be more brass with lead still in it coming out the top than there will be empty brass for some.

Vendors row has some good people there and three choices for food should make for a great shoot.

Bring on the first of 6 main match stages tomorrow, we are in Posse 2 starting 7.30am.

Have a great day!

Love Kat xo

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Another glorious day in Tombstone, checked in and got shooters packs ready for the weekend.

Today it's Plainsman and Wild Bunch. We shot 4 good stages of Wild Bunch for the day.

We both shot 3 clean stages and had one really bad one each. Mine was a 'no excuse' round of who forgot to load the 5th mag. Too busy concentrating on transitions and got to the last plate rack with the 5th mag having my one spare in it! Doh! Jack had 3 clean with the odd rifle reload but his last one, had rifle and shotgun problems.

So we will see how it comes out in the wash.

Tomorrow it's Bordertown Blast (a warm up match) as well as speed events.

It's almost beer o'clock! Cheers!

Kat xo

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Well, what can I say, I was expecting a little more and maybe my expectations were high after being in Tombstone where it is the true cowboy dream.

Known for it's silver, gold and majority copper mining back in it's glory days of 1880 it was named after a financial backer of the Copper Queen Mine, Judge DeWitt Bisbee.

Today though it is and excuse my expression, a 'hippy town'. It's gorgeous buildings now house hotels, theatres and varying artists works and beautiful antique stores.

It has the Mining Museum and the Copper Queen Mine Tour and the elegant Copper Queen Hotel that John Wayne frequented.

Thanks to the Bisbee Coffee Brewing Co for the sensational Cubano Macchiato (3shots of espresso, sugar, cinnamon and a dob of foam) and cherry pie for morning tea.

Cheers

Kat xo

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The 85th Anniversary and memorial weekend of the OK Corral gunfight.

Friday is reasonably quiet with some tourists, re-enactors and the odd SASS cowboys around. Plenty of picture opportunities and comments from people about Texas Flower and my dresses. We spent most of the day wandering in and out of shops. Jack wasn't feeling so good so spent some of the time sleeping off a bug while Texas Mac found a couple of old but new guns at the gun show.

Saturday was a different story! Lots of people in town, still plenty of pictures taken and comments which was amazing! Got to meet a lovely lady who's work I've admired for a long time now on Facebook, the lovely Karin McKechnie-Lid and husband Adam. The atmosphere is electric with lots of people dressing in saloon outfits, cowboys, vaqueros, and victorian gowns. There are families, bikies, Australians, Germans and many more!!

Sunday is the big parade day! Another hearty breakfast to get us on our way before battling the crowds for sidewalk positions ready to see the parade. There were so many groups, rodeo queens, Miss Teen or Miss whichever town, steam punk circus, mini cars and trucks to all the cowboys and cowgirls, including an appearance from a few of the Outlaw Gang.

A thunderstorm with hail hit but there is always dressmaking to talk about on the sidewalk before it cleared and they were able to do the walk down firing blanks into the air just before the next shower hit.

In the afternoon we made a visit with Doc Holliday and his show at the Undertakers. Very interesting, learnt a few more facts about Doc…….or did we?! I can tell you now, between playing Faro and listening to him it was mesmerising dear friends, a very cosmopolitan experience! (as I say that in my best Doc/Val Kilmer sounding voice)

Monday and we have a guided tour set up with Dr Jay. He is a local and historian on Tombstone having appeared on the History Channel as well for documentary's regarding Tombston and the series Gunslingers. Lots of information regarding buildings that still have original panes of glass in them, stories of Chinatown and China Mary, Addie Borlin (I hope I've spelt it correctly) Big Nose Kate and much much more. If you ever get the chance his humour and knowledge are well worth the tour!

Cheers from Tombstone!

Kat xo

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We took the 41 as suggested by Singin' Sue and glad we did! Through small towns, Estancia, Mountainair and through the most gorgeous New Mexico back country.

Flats with rolling hills, a dead straight road (Abo Pass Trail) and the occasional house pops up in the middle of nowhere as we head through the last section to the I25 and back on the freeway.

We went through a place called 'Truth and Consequences' – yes it is actually the name of a place in New Mexico! Still cruising down the highway, a new hat has turned up! Not bad, think it will suit dress just fine.

You know, driving through here makes me wonder how the pioneers ever made it, it certainly would have been a very unforgiving land. Outlaws must have gone for days without getting proper provisions or water heading through here.

We stopped in Deming for lunch and fuel, I bought a serape! Been after one of these to complete the Wild Bunch 'La Adelita' look. It was cheap! 25 bucks! And big enough I can cut it and make two! Will be warmer for wintery days too.

Back on the road and I thought we were back in Aus for a minute. Pics are a little blurry but these look very similar to our black boy spears back home. Flower head is different but still reminded me of Australia.

Three hours left til we reach Tombstone. Time to finish pinning lace to bodice and get it sewn on maybe even the buttons will be on by the time we get there!

We made it! Will keep y'all updated with Helldorado Days over the weekend!

Cheers

Kat xo

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