One of the last foundations of Mount Riley        I spoke on the
phone once with a woman who had seen this homepage. She said it
must be fun "chasing ghosts." It is, and I especially like the
way she phrased it. Chasing ghosts. That's it exactly.     •
COUNTY: Dona Ana   • LOCATION:  Approx. 30 miles east of
Columbus on B2   • NAME ORIGIN:  Named for Mount Riley, a
mountain that can be seen in the distance   • RATING: Three
ghostsThree ghosts      I've stood on dirt where buildings once
stood, read accounts of life in places that no longer exist,
studied maps of old towns that vanished long ago. I wonder not
only what those towns were like, but why they went away. That's
really what I chase: an understanding of how and why it
happened, of what it was like to be the last person to close the
last door. The prey is eternally elusive.       I thought about
the chase as I set out to Mount Riley. The drive is beautiful,
as are most in New Mexico. The day was sunny and warm. In the
distance, I could see smoke in the