Around New Mexico 3: Ruidoso Downs, World's Largest Pistachio

We left sunny and 70 degree Roswell Friday morning after a lovely dinner with Alien Amber Ale  at  Farley's Pub and Restaurant (it's a fun and family friendly place with giant suspended metal "spacecraft" lamps) and a drive though the old Walker Air Force Base (shout out to Grandma Jeanne and Grandpa Woody who spent active duty Air Force time there -remember when Corky had to go to the hospital across the street from your house for putting beans up her 4-year-old nose? What a corker! ...isn't that how she got her nickname?)

Corky hamming it up at the Billy The Kid Trail Visitor's Center, Ruidoso Downs, NM

We decided to drive back to Santa Fe by heading west through the Sierra Blanca mountains to  Ruidoso Downs, where there is a famous horse racing track, a breathtaking sculpture of wild horses running, and the Billy The Kid Trail Visitor's Center, then south to Alamogordo, near White Sands, because we'd heard tell of the World's Largest Pictachio! We just had to go check that out! We left with about ten pounds of beautiful pistachios for snacking and gift giving -they had nearly a dozen flavors! (If you're interested in trying some, here's the coupon code for 10% off your online order. Enter coupon code: STOREVISIT)

Lincoln National Forest in New Mexico is the birthplace the real Smokey The Bear

Billy The Kid Trail Visitor's Center hostess, Jaimie, enjoys her Art*o*mat® art samples.

Mat is trying to keep up with the wild horses at Ruidoso Downs, NM

Mat is amazed by the beauty and grace (and size!) of the wild horses at Ruidoso Downs, NM

Mat and the Big Nut!

The World's Largest Pistachio Nut at McGinn's Pistachio Tree Ranch, Alamogordo, NM

The parking lot sign said "parking for nuts only" and Mat thought he'd fit right in.