PRIME TIME
By Martin Frentzel
It was supposed to be a fiveyear project: clean up the campground, rescue a few horses and then move on. But Bob Wiltshire, originally from Bristol, England, and his wife, Diane, found the desert around Bernardo can grow on you. So, 18 years later he and Diane still call the Kiva Campground and Horse Motel home.
The facility is just west of the Interstate 25 and U. S. 60 intersection. Bob operates the campground while Diane, a certified riding instructor, runs the horse motel portion of the operation. Incidentally, horses may stay for a night, a week or a month just like the human campers, and the Wiltshire’ s price structure varies depending upon who buys the hay.
Bob says that early on the State of New Mexico disallowed a horse and donkey rescue operation at the campground, so these days they can only take in stray dogs that need forever homes. The Wiltshire’ s pipe corrals, however, provide a great place for horses and mules to stretch their legs after long days in the trailer.
PISTOLERO In addition to boarding horses, Diane can introduce riders to trails on the copious amounts of Bureau of Land Management property to the west of Bernardo. The open space also provides places for Bob to enjoy his hobby – shooting. With those two interests, it should surprise no one that a resident mule is called Pistolero. This is, after all, Socorro County where people are still talking about Elfego Baca’ s gunfight of 1884.
That doesn’ t bother Bob at all.“ I like the idea that a man and a woman can protect their home with a gun,” he says.“ One camper asked me,‘ What are you afraid of?’ and I told her,‘ Nothing ma’ am.’”
Bob, now 70, and Diane, 65, discovered the New Mexico desert during the years they traveled in a fifth-wheel trailer.
“ We toured North America,” Bob says.“ Alaska, Mexico – we traveled for years; but then we fell in love with the desert. We’ ve been in New Mexico ever since and we intend to stay here.”
Walk around the campground and you will see Bob’ s shop. Here’ s a guy who knows metal. In England, he did maintenance on lead and zinc furnaces.“ I had lead poisoning at
22,” he says. He left England at the age of 35 when his industry was nationalized. He landed in Georgia, USA, where he started a business restoring metal antiques.“ Mostly brass beds and chandeliers,” he says. That’ s also where he met Diane.
LOCAL ATTRACTIONS The park’ s website, www. kivarvparkandhorsemotel. com, has a pretty handy listing of nearby attractions for people who neither ride nor shoot. Those include the Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument, which preserves ruins of three Native American communities, and 17th century churches built by Spanish missionaries, also in the 17th century. The ruins of Abo, Quarai and Gran Quivara tell the story of clashing religions. Visit www. nps. gov / sapu for more information.
Even closer than the three elements of the Salinas Pueblo Missions is the State Game Commissionowned Ladd Gordon Waterfowl Management Complex. This is a great place to observe wintering waterfowl and Sandhill cranes. Viewing is best between late October and early February, and a tour loop
March 2017 7
Campground Owners At Home In The Desert
Kiva Campground owner Bob Wiltshire and Pistolero enjoy the open spaces near Bernardo. Photo by Martin Frentzel
provides viewing platforms and interpretive panels.
El Camino Real, the royal road from Mexico to Santa Fe, passed by here and offers additional sight-seeing opportunities. Maps and directions are available at www. nmmonuments. org.
Another terrific option is to drive to the New Mexico Rail Runner Express Station in Belen and take the train to Albuquerque or Santa Fe. The train makes shopping, museums and restaurants available without parking hassles. Visit www. nmrailrunner. com for schedules and fares.
In-home assessments by licensed master social worker
Caregivers chosen for their skill and tender hearts
24 hour on-call care team seven days a week
Optional wellness nurse or chaplain visits
Locally owned and operated Alzheimer’ s and dementia capable
Care Companions Mobility Companions Social Companions
505-938-4652 www. retreathomecare. com