Ruidoso 2, NM

Ruidoso Downs horse race track.  Billy the Kid Casino, restaurant and bar are under the stands.

You know what comes with horses?  Flies.  Beaucoup - as in a whole bunch.  We moved from our first campsite cuz the place was crawling with 'em.  Second location where we are now is better but there are still plenty - less the KIAs: my trusty fly swatter and I are a deadly duo but we're badly outnumbered.  We booked 5 nights here and that will be plenty.
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We had planned to tour several neat places in southeast AZ but high temps and August monsoons put us off.  So we're headed to another neat place that's been on our hit list: Prescott.  Elevation there is 5400' and high temps are in the mid 80s.  Perfect!  That will likely be our last stop before we head for the barn.  If we really like it, we may stay in Prescott for some time cuz LHC average highs are 106 in August.

The Hubbard Museum of the American West, an affiliate of the Smithsonian, is here.  Larger than life horse sculptures of the major breeds are staged on the museum grounds, plus this pair of fighting stallions at the entrance.
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Billy the Kid and the Lincoln County War is part of the colorful history of this area.  The Kid's home was Lincoln, NM, for many years the most lawless, deadliest place in the country.  President Hayes called the road through Lincoln 'the most dangerous street in America'.  Don't take your guns to town, Bill.  Oh ..... another thing, Bill: when you're in the saloon, order whiskey, not sarsaparilla.