Weed Dispatch
Category: Kitchen Sink...
Posted Monday, November 08, 2004 at 08:20 PM [GMT-6]

[Note: I started this report a week ago, but never finished it, thanks to a server glitch (the equivalent to a dog eating your homework). Sorry for the delay.]

When my wife told her boss that she was going to Weed, New Mexico for the weekend, he asked "is that a verb or a noun?" [Think about it.]

The RavenWind Bed & Breakfast, located a few miles down the road from the Weed proper, is a hidden gem of a getaway. If you're seeking solitude without sacrificing any creature comforts, this is a place you should consider. It's almost perfect.

The B&B was constructed in 2000 and it still looks and feels new. It has two bedrooms, each with its own private bathroom and a large common area and kitchenette (see photo below) on the lower level. The owners live on the top level, which is where breakfast is served.

There's also a detached guest house located a couple hundred feet from the main house, and it has two bedrooms, two baths and a large living room/kitchen.

This is the most spacious B&B we've ever encountered, with walk-in closets, large bed- and bathrooms and a living area bigger than we have in our own home. Each room has large windows, giving great views of the surrounding ranch and forest. That's also one of the quirks about the place: no window coverings. Anywhere. Even in one of the guest bathrooms that looks out onto the grounds. Takes a bit of getting used to.

The house sits on about 70 acres of cleared ranch land, with a half dozen horses and 30 or 40 head of cattle roaming the property. The elevation is around 7,000' and the Lincoln National Forest is accessible across the road for hikers. Note that this is not a "touristy" part of the National Forest, so there aren't any marked trails or facilities, and some skill with a GPS is recommended if you intend to get too far away from the trappings of civilization.

Above: View of the national forest from the "front yard" of the B&B
Below: View of the B&B from midway up the mountain across the road

You can bring your horse to RavenWind; they'll provide the stable and feed. But, you can't bring your dog, because they have two big ones that have the run of the place. Otis is the older, and suffers from a bit of arthritis. Junior is, well, his junior by several years and acts like a puppy. A 100 pound puppy, but a puppy nonetheless.

Otis is on the left in both of these photos

The village of Weed is tiny (the sign at the turnoff proudly proclaims that the population is 20...not the vastly inflated 30 that other less-informed websites still throw around); the main attraction is the Weed Café (which co-occupies the building that houses the post office). The Weed Café serves a passable chicken fried steak and a great cheeseburger, with real [not frozen] fries. I had the privilege of devouring the last piece of homemade rhubarb pie (not just the last piece of the day...the last piece of the season. And it was delicious.) We were the only patrons in the restaurant on both Friday and Saturday nights.

Of course, one of the key aspects of a B&B is the breakfast part of the equation, and RavenWind more than meets expectations in this area. This was the first B&B we've encountered to provide a menu; we got to select from three choices (eggs any style/bacon or sausage/home fries; blueberry pancakes/bacon or sausage; homemade yogurt and granola) each morning and we tried everything but the yogurt (what can I say; we're Texans!) and were quite impressed.

If you're seeking a combination of solitude and luxury, don't obsess over wilderness peeping toms and can justify a driving trip to southcentral New Mexico, RavenWind is a great destination.