OffBeat Pathfinder Basecamp

I rolled into Truth or Consequences because honestly, who can resist a town with that name? Stopped for the hot springs and stayed for the breakfast burritos and the town-wide obsession with aliens (seriously, the murals are next-level).

First stop was Riverbend Hot Springs: so chill you could forget you're on planet Earth, especially at sunset. Locals told me about the Wednesday night karaoke at the brewery—do NOT let them rope you into singing anything by ABBA, you've been warned.

The downtown is a mashup of vintage neon, wild murals, and a coffee shop where the owner's dog decides who gets an extra donut. Did the art walk, picked up a “quirky local” sticker, and made the mistake of asking a barista about UFO sightings (got a 20-minute saga and a hand-drawn map of “hot spots”).

Anyone else get abducted by the T or C charm? Or just by the green chile?

T or C is my go-to recharge spot on I-25! I've soaked at every bathhouse in town, but Riverbend is hands-down the best—once saw a wild burro wade into the river there. Pro tip: hit up Passion Pie Cafe for dessert (get the baklava, trust me) and avoid the fudge shop if you're on a diet.

And yeah, everyone's got a UFO story there. I think the green chile is the real alien influence.

Love this! The art walk was wild—I ended up in a thrift store/jazz lounge hybrid and left with a bowling shirt and a vinyl from the 60s. You nailed it on the breakfast burritos: I still dream about the one with red and green chile (“Christmas style”). One warning: don't ask the locals about the town's old game show days unless you've got an hour to spare…