This funky town that named itself after a 1950’s game show embodies much of what I love about New Mexico. There are soft colors, prominent mountains, desert birds, and hot springs to enjoy in a cultural setting that defies explanation. This old, struggling tourist town in the middle of a desert filled with ranches, mines, a missile range, and a coming spaceport offers an experience that feels genuine, colorful, and a little run down. We stay in the state park by the Elephant Butte reservoir north of town and ride our bikes in for a little hot springs soak in the private baths at the Charles Motel & Spa.