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Cloudcroft Online Newsletter #51
March 16, 2001
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Dear Subscriber:

Life stinks...

...thanks to an early morning visit several days ago from a
skunk under our house.

I guess it was the dogs that got him all stirred up. After all,
dogs don't like cats much and skunks do resemble cats...until
they raise that tail. That's when all resemblance ends and life
becomes miserable for all inhabitants within a 50 foot radius
for the next couple of days.

There are lots of skunks in the Sacramento Mountains. It's one
of those seldom discussed aspects of life here...kinda like the
crazy uncle in the attic. The Chamber of Commerce doesn't
include skunks in their literature. When a skunk gets under
the boardwalk and leaves its calling card, the tourists sniff
the air and get that twisted, frowny look on their faces and 
say "What's that smell?" and the locals put on their innocent 
look and say "I don't smell nuthin'".

Man has been coexisting with the little black and white beasts
for gazillions of years. You would think we would become
acclimated to their smell, but the last time you smelled a
skunk is just as bad as the first time.

While trying everything in the handbook to get rid of the smell
and at the same time trying to prevent a recurrence, I told
Peggy all the good things about skunks:

Outside of their odoriferous moniker, they're really pretty 
useful creatures. They eat mice and roaches and other things 
people don't like. Animal behaviorists say they stink the place
up as a last resort in their self defense. Before they unleash 
the heavy artillery, they'll offer a high pitched squeal and 
stamp their feet and even run away if they're not cornered. If 
you could ever get close enough to look, you would see they are
quite cute.

"All I know is they stink", Peggy said.

There's not much you can do about the smell, either. All the
Glade in the world doesn't help. All air freshener does is
create a sort of flowery skunk smell. The odor eventually goes
away, but it is never far from your memory.

They say skunks are pretty intelligent. I'm not sure.

I know for a fact that they're number one on the road kill 
chart.

You cross the road AFTER the car passes, whew!

Don Vanlandingham
Cloudcroft.com

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IN THIS ISSUE
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1. LOOKING AT THE WEATHER
2. VILLAGE NEWS
3. SPECIAL REQUEST -- OLD SCHOOL FRIEND
4. HIGHROLLS PANORAMIC PHOTO
5. INSIDE THE SHOP -- SCENIC CANYON RV PARK
6. CLOUDCROFT ONLINE SPOTLIGHT -- NATIONAL FOREST FOUNDATION
7. Q AND A -- BECAUSE CLOUDCROFT ONLINE READERS WANT TO KNOW
8. COMING EVENTS
9. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
10. CONTACT INFORMATION
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LOOKING AT THE WEATHER
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Spring is beginning to win the weather battle. Temperatures are
coming close to 60 in the afternoons, but are still dropping 
into the 20s at night. There is a good 10 to 15 degree 
difference between shady areas and those areas favored with 
sunshine.

There are still some areas of snow with enough integrity to 
entertain tubers and sledders, but the snow play areas are 
closed.
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VILLAGE NEWS
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You can never have too many trash cans.

Through a grant from New Mexico Clean and Beautiful, new trash
receptacles will be or already have been established on the 
Burro Street Boardwalk, at Deer Park, at the Library and at the
skating rink.
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SPECIAL REQUEST -- OLD SCHOOL FRIEND
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Hello,

I lived in Cloudcroft for a brief time in 1954 as a 9 year old.
We lived for the entire time in the Buckhorn Cabins. I went to
school there in a white one room school on a hill and the male
teacher had red hair.

I developed a close friendship with a fellow student by the 
name of Gary who lived on a ranch outside (perhaps southwest) 
of town. I stayed at his parent's ranch on weekends. When I 
return with my wife on May 9-12 this spring, I would like to 
try to find Gary.

Is there anyway I can have somebody help me look thru school
records and try #1 to find his last name and #2 see if he still
is living in the Cloudcroft area?

If anybody reads this and feels that they may be able to help,
please email me:

[email address]

Thank you,
David Wooster
N. Conway, New Hampshire
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HIGHROLLS PANORAMIC PHOTO
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After seeing Kit Richards' panoramic photos of Burro Street 
and the Hwy 82 overlook area (mentioned in our #47 Newsletter),
Diana Powell asked him to do one of her view in High Rolls, 
which turned out great. Here it is:

http://www.totacc.com/user/dianapowell/highrolls.jpg

This image is about 1 meg in size.
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INSIDE THE SHOP -- SCENIC CANYON RV PARK
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Scenic, secluded and uncrowded. Scenic Canyon RV Park features
large pull-through spaces with 50 amp hook ups. Cable television
featuring 33 channels. Phone and internet connections. See their
link on Cloudcroft.com.
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CLOUDCROFT ONLINE SPOTLIGHT -- THE NATIONAL FOREST FOUNDATION
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The National Forest Foundation is a private organization
supported through private donations. Its purpose is to provide
for the upkeep of National Lands.

The National Forest Foundation can be contacted by writing to
Box 1256, Norfolk, Virginia, 23501.
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Q AND A -- BECAUSE CLOUDCROFT ONLINE READERS WANT TO KNOW
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Q - Are there snakes in the Cloudcroft area? If there are,
what kind are they? -- Vikki Kyffen

A - Because of the altitude and coolness, there is a limited
population of snakes around Cloudcroft. The most predominant is
the common Bull Snake. It feeds on small rodents. The Bull
normally grows to around 4 to 5 feet long, and is non-poisonous.

Rattlesnakes can be found in and around the settlements below 
Cloudcroft and in the Basin area. Snakes are most active during
warm weather months.
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COMING EVENTS
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March 24 -- Mayhill Family, Community and Education Club
Cultural Arts Show. Otero County Fairgrounds, Alamogordo.

April 14 -- Easter festivities. Easter Egg Hunt in Zenith Park.
10am. Easter Bonnet Contest and Parade on Burro Avenue.

April 16 -- Rattlesnake Show. Otero County Fairgrounds,
Alamogordo.

April 21 -- United Methodist Women TRASH AND TREASURE SALE.
Zenith Park. To contribute items to the sale or for more
information, call Susan (505) 687-3067.

April 21 -- Spuds and Duds Fashion Show. Alamogordo Women's
Club (in association with the Mayhill FCE Club).

Cloudcroft Art Society meets the second Thursday of each month
in the Old Red Brick School House. Call (505) 682-2494 for more
info.

If you have news of public events, email us.

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For an online calendar of area events, click the Events Calendar
link in the left column of our home page:

http://www.cloudcroft.com/index.html

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
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Dear Newsletter:

Thought you might find this interesting.

[bad link]

Bill Paxton

[The link provided by Mr. Paxton at the Albuquerque Journal 
site is no longer working. Here's a copy of the AP story it was 
based on:

http://forests.org/archive/america/cloudend.htm

Here's a picture of the subject of the story.

http://www.woodstocknation.org/butterflyears.htm]

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Dear Newsletter:

It has been 35 years since I have been to Cloudcroft...that last
day was in December 61 when we were scheduled to be in Court for
the adoption of our son. The weather was so bad the Highway 
Patrol had to escort us down the mountain to El Paso. We made 
the Court date, he is still our son, and we still have wonderful
memories of Cloudcroft, especially sliding down the hill on 
inner tubes, a roaring fire in the fireplace, and ice water 
coming out of the tap.

I feel a pulling to come back, but living in Florida has put 
the miles between anticipation and desire.

Some day...but thanks for your newsletter. It brings wonderful
memories back every time I read it.

G. Davey
Winter Springs, FL.

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