Traveling Through The Stars: Snowed In

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Snowed In

Normally, New Mexico is a desert. Really. It only snows a couple of times a year, and then, not that much. But going home this Christmas proved to be a different experience.

Life in the desert

Cold and wet?

Snow at sunset.

The mountains at sunset.

I also was able to see how my brother's beard has progressed.

That's epic

Bram and I decided to travel down to where we did our undergraduate studies. It was so wonderful to be traveling again through the desert, down a route I took many times years ago.

Crossing the Rio Grande.

Birds in flight.

Glorious desolation.

Snow on the mountains.

Even God likes this land.

Finally we arrived - the small town of Socorro, where I spent four years of my life.

Still lined with fast food restaurants

Back on campus. Several buildings have been renovated since I've been back.

My old building.

Then it began to snow. Fast. I thought now might be a good time to leave Socorro. But we lingered. Soon this...

Turned into this...

That's a foot of snow in an hour. No, this is not normal for New Mexico. Not at all.

Needless to say, our travel plans back home were canceled as every highway in the state closed. Luckily, some old friends were able to take us in, so we stayed the night at their house.

The front of the house, buried in lots of snow.

Nico didn't want to leave the warmth of the house, so he watches us in the snow from the window.

A day later, we check frequently if the highways are open again. Then we receive a call from my mom - they are open! We make our escape.

The highway is covered with snow too, but it's enough to make it through. As we passed another town, they closed the highway after us. It turns out the highway was only open for about an hour, and we made it through!