El Paso to Socorro, TX - Sat 3/3

West rode with us for 9 miles.  Then we said goodbye and headed for the Mission Trail.  This is an ancient trade route, now a road, with three old missions in a nine mile stretch.  We toured the first two.  The Socorro Mission was built in 1840 and is the oldest continuing parish in the US.

Then we visited the Tigua Cultural Center where we watched the Tigua Indians dance and joined in the Circle Dance.  The Tigua are the oldest ethnic group in Texas.

Then we checked into a motel.

Miles: 32.8, although only about 17 miles toward Florida.  The rest was touring around.

The truth from Ruth: While we were at the Tigua Cultural Center, the Tigua women made bread in their outdoor oven.  We bought a loaf and ate it for lunch with butter they provided.  Yummy!  We also stopped by the church where we would be attending the next day and met two sets of missionaries: elders and sisters.  One of the sisters is from Los Gatos, California, near San Jose where I grew up.  Small world!