Dave:
Great report! I'm really enjoying the ride through some familiar territory (many of your stops can be found in part 1 of our travel guide, Arizona and New Mexico: 25 Scenic Side Trips. Guadalupe Mountains is a beautiful place, and it doesn't get a heck of a lot of visitors, so I'm glad you were able to fit that in to your itinerary.
That said, please tell me you've already been to Carlsbad Caverns! It was only 30 more miles beyond Pine Springs! I know, I know--when time is not unlimited, we have to make choices, and deep caves don't appeal to everyone--but even so, that place is one of the true natural wonders of the world, so if you have NOT been? Definitely consider it for one of your future excursions.
Rick