I only got to hear this story once, I'm sure, hopefully, others have heard it before, and may have a better recollection of the details. 

"When I was 18, I took a trip out west with three friends," she said, when she learned I was living in Las Cruces, New Mexico.  'I liked Las Cruces," she assured me. I laughed, because Las Cruces 40 years ago was truly a dusty little desert town. 
They had all worked together to earn money for the trip and the car was in bad shape, but they had a blast anyway. Including being caught in a desert rain storm.

Her favorite memory from the trip was coming across a store that had cowboy boots on sale for $10 and they each bought a pair. When her and the other girl got tired of the guys they were with, they left them in the mountains somewhere in Utah, and hitchhiked back to town, catching a ride with a Morman family.  

I miss her so much.