We had made the loop from Carlsbad NM. to Alamogordo, to the Trinity Site, to Albuquerque, to Santa Fe. then to Red River NM, this page covers the Red River to Amarillo segment.    

We left Red River early, went over Red River pass to Eagle Nest, down Cimarron Canyon to Cimarron NM.   We stopped by Cimarron West in Cimarron to visit Casey Jeffers.   I hadn't seen Sonny Jeffers in a long time and wanted to find out about Mary Ann's passing, so I hoped Casey could tell me what was going on with Sonny.   Casey was busy when I arrived, but Gayanne filled me in on recent family history after she understood who I was.   When Casey freed up, we had a nice talk about family and he told me Sonny was still living on the ranch and encouraged me to visit.   We did and took a few pics of Sunny.

Aspens in Red River Pass (West Side).

Aspens in Red River Pass.

Aspens in Red River Pass.

Aspens in Red River Pass.

Aspens just over Red River Pass (East Side).

Aspens just over Red River Pass.

Aspens in Cimmarron Canyon.

Aspens in Cimmarron Canyon.

Aspens in Cimmarron Canyon.

Aspens just over Red River Pass.

Sonny Jeffers and Betty at his ranch between Springer NM, and Clayton NM.   When we arrived, Sonny was about to feed his horses and burros but was happy to sit down and visit a while.   I always enjoy Sonnys company.

Sonny Jeffers and Betty.   Betty enjoyed looking at Sonny's horses and burros, they were very friendly since it was lunch time for them.

Esther (Sonny's Mom) told me she and Ed, as newly weds, moved to New Mexico and lived in an adobe house where they started their family.   Years later Ed Jeffers went into partnership with a Mr. Baldwin who had a unique purebred Hereford bull.   Later Ed. bought out Mr. Baldwin but the bull was forever known as the Baldwin Bull and became the seminal member of the Baldwin strain of Herefords, that were one of the three primary strains of Herfords in the United States in the 1950s (Dominoe, Mistchief, and Baldwin).   Sonny told me he sold out of his purebred cows about two rears ago. "You can't pay anybody to carry off a Hereford Bull these days" he said.   The Baldwin Herefords were unique in their large size and beautiful conformation.   I remember seeing full page adds in American Hereford mag. about the Jeffers' sales, held in Springer, of the Baldwin Hereford stock.   I have always loved Herefords, Its sad to see an historic breed gradually fade away.

Sonny Jeffers spent his life on this ranch in NM. farming and raising cattle.   He and his wife Mary Ann are and were some of the finest folks it has been my privilege to know.