I woke up to snow this morning. And I was in my own bed. One I've seen a lot of this week, and the other not so much.

But before the winter began in earnest (if not by date) here in New Mexico, I'd been roaming around the highways and byways for months. I'd insist that the travels are almost over--maybe by next Saturday evening--but every time I've said that I've been wrong.

And it's not bad. It's exhausting at times. Disorienting as well. I haven't stayed in the same place consecutively for more than a night, so there's no time to settle in. I tend to find a place to hang out and talk with the locals (and, I have to admit, mostly it's been bars or restaurants or convenience stores), and then move on the next day.

New Mexico is a beautiful and varied place. And it's pretty big. The fifth largest state (land wise) in the nation. There are lots of different people, and they all have a certain charm.

One thing the last month of driving has enabled me to do is visit small shops and do a little Christmas shopping--but I haven't had the time to wrap or send off anything. Hopefully it'll all get in the mail soon.

The economy is bad. Apparently the worst since the Depression (and it's a big D, because, wow, its a big bad). So I've been trying to help out (in my own little way) small businesses. Not a tax break or anything like that, but just a little tourist shopping.

I was in Ruidoso the day after their first big snow of the year. And most of the shops were closed. It was a Tuesday, and that's like a Saturday in Ruidoso. In that it's the weekend for most small business owners. Skiers and tourists (whose numbers have been light) leave town Sunday or Monday and don't come back until Thursday or Friday. I was at the bar of a pasta restaurant, and a couple of female real estate agents came in for their after work drinks. They talked rather loudly about saucy subjects. They're all friends (in a way, because they are locals), and so everyone's business is everyone's business. They all know the same people.

Apparently one young woman was looking quite worse for wear after moving in with a certain guy. Not in an abusive way, just that she looked really tired from taking care of the man as well as herself.

My one celebrity sighting took place in Taos (which is home to quite a few famous people). I wandered into the favorite watering hole of a couple of older actors. It was slow that day, too. Everyone I'd talked to in town had told me it was still the slow season. It wouldn't heat up until the holidays. And so I sat at the bar of a Plaza restaurant with everyone who worked at the place. No one else was there.

The bartender casually talked about the occasional strange food requests of someone. It turns out Dean Stockwell (actor, who most recently was a Cylon on the new Battlestar Galactica, but he's been in a ton of stuff) came in most days for his coffee (two shots of Jameson, a shot of Kahlua and, if room, actual coffee) and something to eat. He'd requested a somewhat complicated version of a burger a few days before. And then, almost on cue, Stockwell walked through the bar to the balcony patio, asking the bartender (by her first name--everyone knows everyone) for his coffee on the way. He smoked cigars, and so stayed outside most of the time. His food request was easy that afternoon: a quesadilla.

But the juiciest gossip was about the people who worked at the restaurant. Apparently their Christmas party (which had occurred very recently) was a classic free for all. Something about drinking with your coworkers--it brings out all those pent-up sexual desires.

Everyone is friendly when you're a customer. And, for the most part, if you're there on business. Maybe we save all our rancor for those we know the best. I don't know. But I do know it's been a lot of fun discovering New Mexico all over again on the company dime.

Maybe I'm the only one doing this single man strut through the back alleys of the state. I know there are at least ten others from my company with the same directives, but I'm not sure how they spend their time. I'm on my own on this latest leg and only occasionally run into people I actually know.

But even with all the wonderful things I've seen (and occasionally taken pictures of), there is something rather comforting about waking up in my own bed.

Matt Worley will be visiting his old hometown for the third time in a couple of months this week.