03-Feb-2013 -- This is an easily visited confluence point about 35 miles east of Albuquerque, NM and close to Interstate Highway 40. I started out from Albuquerque in the morning after grabbing a green chile breakfast burrito from Garcia's Restaurant (highly recommended). It was a very nice winter day and the drive east to Moriarty went easily. To get to the confluence exit Highway I-40 at the west end of Moriarty, drive along old Highway 66 through town, and turn south at the stop light. Go south about half a mile and then turn east on Martinez Rd., which is paved. Continue driving east on Martinez Rd. for a couple of miles until you get to 106 W longitude. The shoulder of the road is wide enough for parking directly south of the confluence point and there is a spot in the barbed wire fence where the fencing has been stretched and you can easily enter the pasture through the fence.

The confluence point is a short walk across the field to the north of Martinez Rd. and is just to the east of a shallow drainage that runs approximately north-south. The confluence is on the west side of large tamarisk bush/tree. As I approached I was concerned the the actual point would be in the tangle of branches at the bottom of the tree, but it is just on the west-northwest side of the tree. Previous visitors have noted the that tree appears to be dying and this may be true. Tamarisk is an invasive species that has spread widely and grown densely in the American West and efforts are underway to kill or remove this invader. Recently, tamarisk beetles have been imported and released to control the tamarisk invasion and this could be the reason the tree is dying.

I just stayed around for a few minutes and enjoyed the Sunday morning, took the required photos, and headed back to Albuquerque.