A Tour of Ruidoso, New Mexico (Black Horse Campground edition!)

As I've stated many times, the Black Horse Campground and Bonney County, New Mexico are entirely fictitious and only exist in my imagination and on the pages of my Black Horse Campground mystery novels. However, in order to create the setting, I've relied on real-life places in and around Lincoln/"Bonney" county for my characters to live their lives. Here are photos of places that Corrie, Shelli, J.D., and Rick have visited or will be visiting in future books. I still leave what the characters look like up to the reader's imaginations!

 Mid-town Ruidoso, early morning before the tourists are out and about! Noisy Water Winery is to the left of the store with the green awning (Books Etc.)

Hmm... maybe my characters should visit Books Etc... they have excellent taste in literature!

 A nice sidewalk for a stroll. There are even places to sit!

Noisy Water Winery. Yes, it's real and so is the Jo Mamma's White wine! You won't find Shelli behind the wine bar, but you'll like the people there just as much!

Inside Noisy Water's tasting room. In the fourth book, "At the Cross Road", there are a couple of scenes that are set in this location.

 Sacred Grounds Coffee and Tea Shoppe. Corrie and Shelli hang out here in "At the Cross Road" (yes, Corrie actually leaves the Black Horse Campground for a day!)

 Inside Sacred Grounds. This is the new location. The old location was what I used to call my "branch office", where I would go to write after work and where my writers' group would meet. I try to come here whenever I can. Great food, coffee, and atmosphere!

The outdoor deck (one of many!) where Corrie and Shelli have breakfast in "At the Cross Road".

 Beautiful statue of the Apache Crown Dancers at the Inn of the Mountain Gods by Mescalero Apache tribe member, Frederick Peso.

 View of Lake Mescalero from the top of the stairs, overlooking the Medicine Basket fountain. The Inn of the Mountain Gods is a beautiful resort on the Mescalero Apache Reservation near Ruidoso.

 Just past the fountain is Wendell's, where Corrie had dinner with Eldon LaRue and ran into Rick's mother in "No Lifeguard on Duty".

Inside Wendell's dining room (early in the day, before the candles are lit!)

 St. Joseph Apache Mission. Completed in 1939, it took over 20 years to build and the stones used to build it were quarried from Bent, NM (where I live!) four miles away. A restoration project was recently completed.

 St. Joseph Apache Mission, seen from US 70.

 The Old Road Restaurant in Mescalero, one of the region's best kept secrets and the home of some of the best Mexican food in New Mexico!

The Old Road will be a future setting for a scene in Black Horse Campground mystery... no murder takes place here, just food to die for!

I hope you enjoyed the tour! Thanks for visiting my neck of the woods. I'm blessed to be able to call this place my home!