Along Highway 60 - Mountainair, New Mexico

When you leave Arizona, the towns thin out and the ones that are there look desolate. We passed through Pie Town and Datil and Magdalena and finally made it to Socorro where we briefly joined interstate 25. Then we were back on two-lane highway 60. We visited the Salinas Pueblo Missions at Abo and then spent the night in Mountainair.

We never paid this much for gas, but in some small towns, this was the price.
We stopped for lunch at a wayside and Mike quickly spotted this sign ... we didn't stay long.

Our motorhomes with ancient ruins in the foreground. This church was built in the 1600's. The tall part is the bell tower.
We are standing in the area of the church that was used for baptism.
A look at the whole church - in the front is where the priests lived.
When we stopped for the night, it was at a most appropriate place. This was the view from our front window at the campground in Mountainair, NM.
The other three had things to do or naps to take or something, so I took off by myself to see another mission that wasn't too far away. It was much the same in size and structure. Since the facility was actually closed for the day, I could only view from a distance (although I did go over a gate to get a better view...)
A small burg called Punta de Aqua is close to this mission and houses a 1860's Spanish Catholic Church and cemetary and the area pictured below. There was no sign, but I think it may be used for burial or marriage ceremonies... Yes, it was getting late when I was there.