Weekend in Alto

Friday, Nov. 2, we drove east to Alto,NM, where Carol and Mike Empson have a mountain home. Their place looks across to Sierra Blanco, the highest peak in the area at a little over 11,000 feet. Their home is over 7,000 feet, in the Alto Lakes community, which is just north of Riudosa. Riudosa is the quarterhorse capital of the country, and they pack in tourists and horse people during the summer racing season.
Since the last time we were there, they have added a two car garage with adequate space for a golf cart and redone the exterior of the house to stucco which looks great. The interior features a huge Great Room with a fireplace with brick to the ceiling and walls of Michigan barn siding. It's a unique home and even has a silo with a spiral staircase attached. The rear deck runs the length of the house, and they also recently had it stripped and refinished. The decking turned out to be redwood and came out beautifully.
Saturday, Carol and Mike took us on a tour of Alto and the area. After a walk around a local pond in a park, we went up to Monjeau Peak, a mountain next to Sirra Blanco where there's an old stone fire tower built in CCP times. It has a wrap-around view of the entire area. We had lunch at the Alto Country Club where they are members, and then headed over to see the new Inn of the Mountain Gods Casino. The new structure has been up a couple years and dwarfs the old place which they should tear down. The casino and the Ski Apache ski area on Sierra Blanco are both tribal endeavors of the local Apache tribe. Unfortunately, the first thing you notice walking in is the smell of cigarette smoke. We decided to sit outside on the deck with a great view. They are known for a great Margurita, but no one came out to take an order. Mike went in and asked the bartended to send someone out but was told that he'd have to find someone himself. She was too busy. We were out of there. The local Apaches seem to feel that the service industry requires groveling and don't do it well. We had the same type service at the ski area some years ago.
Sunday, Carol made world class huevos rancheros, the traditional Mexican breakfast. She and Mike headed back to El Paso later in the morning and Dana and I stayed and watched the Colts-Patriots game. Two good teams and a tough game. They'll meet again in the playoffs.
We drove the 396 miles back to Payson on Monday. It turns out that it was Grant Leonard's birthday and Ann invited us over for dinner. Other friends of theirs were there and we had a great time.
Today we head down to Tucson and the finish line of our national tour.