"Small town of Clayton" Clayton by Suet

Clayton is a small town in New Mexico. I happened to pass through it quite by accident, looking for a place to stay the night. The town has approximately 2,000 people and it's getting smaller as people leave to find work. I stopped and chatted to lots of people and spent the 4th July there at a Rodeo.

I like this town. The people are friendly, they have a tradition and a history, they help each other out as much as possible and it seems like a safe place to grow up. The men are cowboys and the women are women.

The main street has lots of interesting shops, including an antiques shop where I bought a 1960's telephone, which works. I love the rotary phones and this is in pristine condition.

I attended the town barbecue of steak, corn, fries and soft drinks, all for $8.00 and spoke to many cowboys and ladies.

On 4th July they had a street parade in the morning before it got too hot and a rodeo in the evening which was VERY exciting. I never realised how much fun you can have with horses and sheep. They had a Mutton Rodeo where small children as young as two would cling to the large sheep's back for as long as possible. They bring them up tough in New Mexico.

• Pros:Very friendly people, lots of stories and old memories
• Cons:The town is getting smaller and smaller
• In a nutshell:Lovely town