Cibola National Forest, NM

June 4-7, 2009 We explored just a little of Cibola Nation Forest's 520,000 acres. In fact we hardly made it out of Coal Mine Campground just a few miles from Grants, NM.

It had been a while since we dry camped (no power, water or sewer hookups). We enjoyed the peace and quiet, with the exception of the odd gunshot fired from the other side of the campground - the only other campers. Basically, we had the whole Mount Taylor Ranger district to ourselves. Us and the gunslingers.

We were surrounded by meadows, purple peaks, juniper and towering ponderosa pine.

Ponderosa pine has a beautiful reddish bark that smells like vanilla.

Below: more New Mexico yucca. We were told in the last state park that we can make yucca petal soup.

Yucca Flower Soup recipe:

3 cups yucca petals 2 tbsp butter 1 tbsp cornstarch 1 qt very rich milk or half & half salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste

Boil petals for 15 mins, drain, return to pan, mash petals, add butter and cornstarch and cook for 2 mins, slowly add milk 'til the mix thickens and add salt, pepper and nutmeg.

Easy, huh? We didn't try it.

Cicada are eaten in some parts of the world.

We didn't try that either. Lucky for us the males hardly sang at night (only the males "sing", rather drone shrilly). By the way, they have five eyes and they are VERY loud.

I took advantage of a park luxury: a paved driveway.

Otherwise, we ventured out on a 10 minute hike, walked the loop a few times, read, wrote, and enjoyed Lloyd's quacamole.

It was rough. ;)

-P