We had this trip planned for months. I don't even remember how we got started talking about it, but as soon as my friend Brynn and I decided to drive down to the annual UFO conference in Roswell, NM, we got hooked on exchanging UFO jokes and sending each other strange YouTube hoax videos... neither of us feels strongly about aliens one way or the other, but after looking at photos from previous conferences, the potential of lots of people in costume got us really excited. We kind of have a thing for costumes.Oh yeah... did I mention that this happened to land on the exact same weekend we ended up having to move? And that somehow, despite having grown up in New Mexico, I got Roswell confused with Los Alamos and thought it was only a four hour drive? Yeah. Zach insisted that we still go, so we got everything all packed beforehand and Brynn and I made the TEN HOUR drive to Roswell to go participate in such activities as "alien wine tasting and BBQ!!!"

Roswell...it's (really really) hot, completely centered around UFO culture, and an hour away from Mexico. Even serious businesses, like banks and doctor's offices, had UFOs or motherships or cute aliens in their logos. They closed down Main Street for the festival, and we walked around in the heat checking out local alien-related businesses and getting stared at because, as it turns out, we were some of the only people in costume. Yep.

On the border of CO and NM:

The "be in touch" mural became one of our favorites. We made the security guards take our picture, which is why it's horribly out of focus.

I'm pretty sure this was the outside of the County Republican building:

One of the few other costumed people:

I got so attached to this blue wig. Every time I put on costume hair, I get disappointed that it's not my real hair. Also, please notice the news crew in the reflection.

We decided this was a great time to go antique shopping. Obviously.

Inside the UFO museum:

The alien costume contest! We definitely watched this woman dressed as Blue Cleopatra eat a handful of live crickets onstage. I'm not sure what this has to do with aliens, but it was entertaining. I really wanted to find these people after the show and take some photos, but most of them changed out of costume right away :(