New Mexico Chapter 8: "Tucumcari Tonight"

A Tribute to Route 66 in Tucumcari

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 Saturday, ‎August ‎6th
Today I left Carlsbad Caverns around 3pm, taking Highway 285 North up 230 miles to Santa Rosa, where I took a dip in Blue Hole, a remarkably clear, 80-foot-deep artesian spring fed from an underwater aquifer, with 3,000 gallons of water flowing per minute.  It was only an hour drive from Santa Rosa to Tucumcari (pronounced TOO-kum-kair-ee), a classic Route 66 town, and "unofficial 'Mural City' of Route 66, because of the over 30 life-size and bigger than life-size murals throughout the city, thanks to the work of local artists Doug and Sharon Quarles.  A large number of the vintage motels and restaurants built in the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s are still in business despite intense competition from newer chain motels and restaurants in the vicinity of Interstate 40, which passes through the city's outskirts on the south."

One of Many Murals in Tucumcari

I spent the night at Empty Saddle RV Park on Route 66, where for only FIVE DOLLARS I was able to dry-camp.  Only five bucks!!!  The new owner was really friendly and conversational, and there was plenty of space, too.

Sunday, ‎August ‎7th
This morning I awoke to some grunting noises, opened my eyes, and saw an older guy next to my tent, apparently walking his dog.  He walked past my tent a second time on the way back to his RV, and I was really creeped out.  Last night the owner warned me about this guy being a bit of a horny, old trucker.  Why would he walk his dog past my tent of all places?  I had purposely pitched my tent on the edge of the property to avoid him!  Was he watching me sleep?  YUCK.

One of Many Murals in Tucumcari

I packed up and had a shake for breakfast (yep!) at Kix on 66, a modest diner with a surprising selection of shake flavors, of which I chose to mix coconut and raspberry, for a winning combination (if I do say so myself) I would highly recommend!

I spent the rest of the morning discovering mural after mural, painted on the walls of old gasoline stations, restaurants and businesses throughout town.  The Chamber of Commerce was closed, but luckily it had a map of mural locations - painted on the side of the building as a mural unto itself!

PHOTO ALBUM 

New Mexico Chapter 7: White Sands & Carlsbad Caverns

Friday, August 5th
This morning I met Ron at Village Inn Restaurant, for one last chat before leaving Las Cruces, and continuing my journey.  We talked about all kinds of things, our pasts, our views, etc.  I will cherish the time we spent together for many years to come, and I hope it's not too long before I seem him again.  Thanks to Cory, Tiffany and Ron, my visit to Las Cruces was a major highlight and favorite of my trip!

White Sands "Dune Drive"

From Las Cruces I headed to White Sands National Monument, about 50 miles northeast.  "Rising from the heart of the Tularosa Basin is one of the world's great natural wonders - the glistening white sands of New Mexico. Here, dunes have engulfed 275 square miles of desert creating the largest gypsum dune field in the world!  The pure gypsum (hydrous calcium sulfate) that forms these unusual dunes originates in the western portion of the monument from an ephemeral lake or playa with a very high mineral content. As the water evaporates (theoretically as much as 80" per year!), the minerals are left behind to form gypsum deposits that eventually are wind-transported to form these white sand dunes."  I walked around the museum exhibit at the Visitor Center, and saw the well-done orientation video, before taking "The Dunes Drive," a 16-mile scenic drive, leading from the Visitor Center into the heart of the dunes.  A short stroll on a portion of the Dune Life Nature Trail allowed for a more up-close-and-personal experience with the chalk-white mounds of beautiful sand.  On a separate note, the park sells sleds, and I saw some people taking advantage of sledding the dunes - how cool!

From White Sands, I drove about 250 miles, heading west on Highway 82 through the Lincoln National Forest to Artesia, south on Highway 285 through Carlsbad to Carlsbad Caverns National Park, "located in the Guadalupe Mountains, a mountain range that runs from west Texas into southeastern New Mexico, primarily a variety of grassland and desert shrubland habitats."  I reached the Visitor Center at about 6pm, and the actual caves themselves were closed at 4:00, but I got to stick around for "The Bat Flight."  "In a mass exodus at dusk, thousands of Mexican free-tailed bats fly from the cave for a night of feasting on insects."  Well, unfortunately this very dry year didn't bring back as many migrant bats as usual, and I was informed the bat flight was is currently pretty hit or miss.  Well, over a hundred hopeful people arrived for the spectacle, but unfortunate the bats were a no-show.  The actual ranger-led bat-flight presentation itself was really interesting and informative, however, so I didn't feel too bad about it - especially because I can look forward to another bat flight opportunity of epic proportions in Austin, which is home to MILLIONS of bats that fly out nightly from their home under the bridge :)

A Dark Landscape After June Fires at Carlsbad Caverns

This evening I pitched my tent on BLM land, off Means Road, just a few miles south of the road to the caverns, in Whites City.  The relatively rough road dirt road is open to dispersed camping, however the sagebrush and cacti make for slim pickins'; I found the ground right next to my car on the shoulder of the road was the best.  Of course my first attempt at setting up the tent was aborted, as I spotted a wildfire maybe only a half-mile away!  I moved back down the road toward the highway, where I felt a bit safer next to the main road, with the fire out of sight. 

Saturday, August 6th
This morning I work up early, got to the visitor center when they opened at 8am, and lucked out with an available ticket for the 10am guided tour through Slaughter Canyon Cave, a well-decorated back-country cave about an hour away from the visitor center, available to only 20 people with a permit each day, reached via a steep, cliff-side, 1/2-mile hike up the mountainside.  "Ranger-guided tours of Slaughter Canyon Cave take you into an underground wilderness without electricity, paved walkways, or modern conveniences. In this wild cave, darkness is broken only by the flashlights and headlamps of rangers and tour members. Highlights of the two hour, 1¼-mile tour may include the 89-foot high Monarch, one of the world’s tallest columns; the Christmas Tree, a sparkling, crystal-decorated column; and the Chinese Wall, a delicate, ankle-high rimstone dam. Old bat guano mining excavations attest to the human history and impact in the cave."  Our tour got lucky - because we were fast hikers, we got to see a few extra things they don't normally show, including a big mushroom-looking formation and The Guardian.

A Glimpse Inside Carlsbad Cavern

After an intimate exploration through Slaughter Canyon Cave, was the main event back by Visitor Center:  Carlsbad Cavern.  Versus the elevator, I opted for the Natural Entrance Route - "a 1¼-mile tour that follows the traditional explorer’s route, entering the cavern through the large historic natural entrance. The Natural Entrance route descends more than 750 feet into the earth following steep and narrow trails through a tall and spacious trunk passage called the Main Corridor. The route culminates in the underground rest area, near the elevators and Big Room route starting point. Highlights along this route include Bat Cave, Devil’s Spring, Green Lake Overlook and the Boneyard, a complex maze of highly-dissolved limestone rock reminiscent of Swiss cheese. Visitors should watch for Iceberg Rock, a single 200,000-ton boulder that fell from the cave ceiling thousands of years ago!" 

My jaw dropped as I entered the Big Room.   "Taking approximately 1½ hours, the one-mile circular route passes many large and famous features including Bottomless Pit, Giant Dome, Rock of Ages, and Painted Grotto.  Highly decorated and immense, the Big Room should be seen by all park visitors."  Seriously, this was an overwhelming experience.  It was almost visual overload!

PHOTO ALBUMS 

White Sands National Monument

Carlsbad Caverns National Park

New Mexico Chapter 6: Las Cruces & Friends

Friday, July 29th
I arrived in Las Cruces at about 7pm, and waited at the park for just a bit until my friend Cory got off of work.  I was sitting on the park bench reading over some tourist materials until I heard a couple of honks.  Turning around, I spotted an nifty, orange-colored motorcycle pull up to the curb.  Sure enough, he removed his helmet and there was Cory, all grown up, with a big smile and hug to match.  I've only seen Cory once since high school, and only for about an hour, while I was passing through Duluth, Minnesota, where he graduated from college.  Gosh, it was so great to see him.  He took me to his place, where he exchanged his motorcycle for a bright blue Jeep Wrangler (cool!).  He removed the top, and we caught up while he zoomed through town, hoping to catch Verizon before they closed.  He talked with the sales associates for a little bit, while I made a phone call to my favorite author and mentor, Ron, who also lives in town.

Sparky's Diner in Hatch

We went back to Cory's, and we got all caught up, and found we actually still had very much in common.  We've both changed quite a bit over the past decade, and we both admitted to being a bit unsure how we'd get along during my visit, but to our delight it seems our views and attitudes are just as aligned as they were back in school, no matter how much they've changed.  His friend Ramos from work came over, and drove us all over town in the suped-up truck he borrowed from work (they sell cars).  Great night! 

Saturday, July 30th
Today was fantastic.  I spent the whole day with Ron, who after generously treating me to breakfast at Denny's to catch up, drove me all over Southwestern New Mexico's different landscapes - desert, grassland, forests and mountains.  We took the back roads to Sparky's Diner in Hatch: "The Chile Capital of the World!"  There I tried my first ever Red Chile & Mango Shake (not bad!), and a Green Chile Shake, too (spicy!), lol.  Yum!  Then he took me on the Back Country Scenic Byway to Lake Valley (stopping for photos of colorful wildflowers many times along the way), a former silver-mining town, that Ron and many others from neighboring towns (some from pretty far away) used to go to dances at.  Now it looks like nothing more than a few abandoned buildings.  

One of Many Wildflowers Dotting the Side of the Road

We continued up County Road 27 to the town of Hillsboro, a semi-ghost town (population 225) "founded in the 1870's after gold and silver were discovered in the surrounding Black Range. The town developed into an important mining and ranching center, and served as the Sierra County seat from 1884 to 1939. It was the site of several renowned trails, and is said to have had the last operating stage line in the United States.  We took County Road 152 west to Kingston, a ghost town of about 25 residents, once the largest silver mining town in New Mexico in 1880’s, with many old adobe buildings still used to this day.  The dusty landscape changed in an instant as we continued into the Gila National Forest, which we took up through Emory Pass, where we stopped for wonderful, panoramic views of the valleys and villages below.  We entered Mimbres Valley and stopped in San Lorenzo to find that the little cafe Ron recommended was now just a near-empty building of memories.  I snapped a couple of photos of the Catholic Church nearby, and we stopped at the quirky little General Store there, before continuing on our way.

We continued on Scenic 152 to the Santa Rita Copper Mine, a still-operational mine from the 19th century, where Ron grabbed his binoculars to let me have a good look at the "big toys," digging away at the beautiful, multi-colored sediment.  We got back on the road and traveled maybe only a half-mile before the Kneeling Nun rock formation came into view behind us.  We pulled over and got a good look through the binoculars.  I thought it looked like E.T. and Ron saw Darth Vader, lol.

Silver City Visitor Center

Heading about 15 miles or so west, we entered charming Silver City.  "Once serving as an Apache campsite, Silver City was founded in the summer of 187o, after the discovery of silver ore deposits at Chloride Flats.  It's now dubbed one of America's best small towns and 100 best art towns in America."  Ron and I walked around historic downtown, poking our heads inside one or two of the colorful Victorian buildings, grabbed some coffee, checked out "Ols Main Street" - now known as the "Big Ditch Riverwalk Park, and took a little drive around town, stopping for a look at the college campus and St. Vincent de Paul Church (1874).

We took Highway 180 down through Hurley, a place mentioned in the Common Sons books I love so much (thanks to Ron's brilliance) and known for its huge smokestacks that once towered above the land.  Then he took me to City of Rocks State Park.  "Formed of volcanic ash welded together 35 million years ago, then sculpted by wind and water into rows of monolithic blocks, these incredible rock formations give City of Rocks its name."  We drove the park and explored on foot a little while, snapping photos of the unusual landscape and climbing around.  Ron remarked on how much the place had changed since he was a kid, and there certainly weren't any fees to speak; of course that's what paid for all the camping sites throughout and the modern visitor center.

City of Rocks State Park

With wonderful views of the Florida Mountains (pronounced flor-EE-da) rising from the desert floor in the distance, we entered Deming, the small railroad town where Ron grew up.  Ron drove me through town, pointing out all the memorable places from the Common Sons books, such as where Kenneth Stroud would have lived, Tom & Joel's house, where Tom walked all the way to Joel's in a dust storm, and the now-abandoned school Tom & Joel attended (Ron too!).  For dinner Ron took me to Palma's, a wonderful Italian ristorante, where the owner sings Frank Sinatra and where I tried the best Eggplant Parmesan (HUGE portion, too!) I've ever had!  Before leaving town, Ron took me to the old airport hangers, where Tom & Joel went to a dance and became intimate for the first time.

What an amazing day!  Thanks Ron!!!  :) 

Sunday, July 31st
This morning I finally met Tiffany, Cory's girlfriend, who works the graveyard shift at the hospital in Deming.  Tiffany was very kind and fun, and I instantly felt at ease around her.  Cory went to work, and Tiffany caught up on some sleep, as I lounged at the complex's terrific pool.  I went to Cory's work, to see if I could take a spin in a new escalade or something, lol, but he was in the middle of closing a sale, so I gave him a pad on the back and let him do his thing.  He got back around 8pm, and Ramos came over, and the four of us went cruising around town in the jeep (with the doors off!), ending up at a cool hiking spot with spectacular views of the lights from town in the distance.

Tom & Joel Country, and the Florida Mountains

Monday, August 1st
This morning Cory and Tiffany and I took a drive to El Paso, Texas, where we shopped at the Saddleblanket, a huge complex of two buildings on two acres, chalk-full of every Southwestern souvenir you can think of, from rugs to cowboy boots, to jewelry to pottery, so on and so forth.  Cory and I explored and goofed off like old times, lol, as Tiffany scoured the store for souvenirs for friends and family back in Minnesota.

When we got back, I went to Ron's house, and he took me for a little tour around the neighborhood, including where he and Cliff lived while their house was undergoing renovations, historic buildings Cliff owns, and the house Cliff grew up in.  When we got back to the house I met his husband Cliff and their friend Jim, and I was treated to another amazing meal; this time at in the nearby historic village of "Old Mesilla."  We dined at La Posta, whose adobe walls have withstood "for over a century and three quarters the attack of elements and men and have sheltered such personalities as Billy the Kid, Kit Carson and Pancho Villa."  Well I let Cliff help me order; queso sauce and avocado with chips and salsa, two margaritas, a huge portion of shrimp fajitas, "Christmas-style" (red and green chile) enchiladas with egg, sopaillas, flan, apricot empanada and coffee - I WAS STUFFED!  We had delightful conversation and Cliff gave me a tour of the mural-painted, historic structure, with  "century-old adobe rooms that in years past were once occupied as a Winery, Stable, Blacksmith Shop and Hotel."  That will be a dining experience I'll never forget :)

An Unforgettable Evening with Friends at La Posta

Before heading back, Ron took me for a little walking tour around the historic plaza, pointing out several points of interest such as the building that once housed the Capitol of Arizona and New Mexico, and later served as the courthouse where Billy the Kid was tried and sentenced to hang, and a section of street that was shown in the film, "Brokeback Mountain." 

When I got back to Cory & Tiffany's, the three of us took a dip in the hot tub, and I watched movies (Jason X, lol) as they packed for their trip to Minnesota.

Tuesday, August 2nd
I slept in today, and said my heartfelt goodbyes to Cory and Tiffany, who I will miss dearly as I continue on my adventure.  They're such good friends; I hope it isn't long 'til we see each other again.

Ron took me to International Delights Cafe for some coffee and conversation.  I learned a lot more about Ron; his role models and principles, so on and so forth.  The more I learned, the more I loved about this kind, generous man who's certainly grown to be a mentor to me.

San Albino Old Mesilla Church

Wednesday, August 3rd
Slept in, blogged, blogged, blogged, and met Ron who ran a couple of errands with me, including my purchase of a new computer (my other one's processor didn't even meet the minimum requirements to stream movies on Netflix), and Ron took me to a little Vietnamese place for some fantastic seafood soup. 

Thursday, August 4th
Slept in, and blogged all day, literally from noon til way past midnight.  Yuck!

Tomorrow I'll be saying goodbye yet again, to Ron Donaghe, who has been more wonderful and generous to me during my visit here than words can describe.  I can't believe that a fan letter a few years back has led me to spend nearly a week with a person I admire so much.  He is much more to me than a talented author, he is indeed a dear friend and mentor; someone I know I can look to for advice and feel comfortable confiding in, and I'll always treasure the time we spent together, here in Las Cruces. 

PHOTO ALBUM 

  

New Mexico Chapter 5: On My Way to the Very Large Array

San Miguel Mission

Thursday, July 28th
This morning I made my way to the Very Large Array (heh).  I exited the interstate and checked out Socorro, its gateway city, which all the way back in June of 1598, proved itself a source of aid to Spanish families traveling north from Mexico.  "As  the Spaniards emerged from the desert, Piro Indians of the pueblo of Teypana gave the Spaniards food and water. Therefore, the Spaniards renamed this pueblo Socorro, which  means "help" or "aid."  I walked around the beautiful San Miguel Mission, built in 1891 on the site of the original mission that was built in 1627. It has massive adobe walls, large carved vigas, and supporting corbel arches.  Then I stopped into the visitor center before spending the afternoon blogging and uploading photos at the library, where I had a very strange feeling like I entered a former mental institution or something, especially after taking the elevator to the empty second floor to use the restroom.  It just seemed eerie.

A HUGE Christmas Tree?

I left at 5:50pm - that's when the library closed, lol - and headed west on Highway 60 to the pleasant little eye-blink town of Magdalena, where I picked up some groceries, before heading to Bear Trap Campground in Cibola National Forest.  Huh, getting there was an adventure all in it itself.  About 10 miles west of Magdalena I turned onto Forest Road 549, a dirt road cutting through fields, over cattle-guards, and then into the forest, and that's where things got interesting, as the road became less maintained, narrow is spots, and it was a little stressful negotiating the large rocks I came upon.  Oh, and I had no idea it was such a long drive to the campground.  The ranger I spoke with over the phone, simply said it was 6 miles from Highway 60 to the forest entrance, and there I would find the campground.  Well, I did eventually find the campground, a total of about 14 miles from the highway, on some pretty rough terrain up the mountain.  Yes, it was a bit of a white-knuckle ride at times, but it sure was fun, singing to the blaring radio with the windows down and taking in the inspiring views, as I climbed up narrow, cliff-side mountain road to Bear Trap, where there was only one other set of people, who I maybe saw for a total of 5 minutes my entire stay, as they kept cozy in their truck camper.  I was able to set up my tent just before nightfall, and before the rain really set in.  I sat there in my tent with a beer, and oysters in bbq sauce, and couldn't believe how tired I was!  I was out like a light.

One of 27 Gigantic Radio Dishes at VLA

Friday, July 29th
I saw lots of cows as I passed through the fields this morning, on my to the National Radio Astronomy Observatory's Very Large Array, "one of the world's premier astronomical radio observatories, consisting of 27 radio antennas in a Y-shaped configuration on the Plains of San Agustin.  The data from the antennas is combined electronically to give the resolution of an antenna 22 miles across, with the sensitivity of a dish 130 meters (422 feet) in diameter!"  Since its inception in 1980, it has made startling discoveries and countless "investigations of many astronomical objects, including radio galaxies, quasars, pulsars, supernova remnants, gamma ray bursts, radio-emitting stars, the sun and planets, astrophysical masers, black holes, and the hydrogen gas that constitutes a large portion of the Milky Way galaxy as well as external galaxies.  In 1989 the VLA was used to receive radio communications from the Voyager 2 spacecraft as it flew by Neptune. It is not, despite depictions in popular culture, used to assist in the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence (SETI)."

At the visitor center I browsed exhibits explaining radio astronomy and the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, stepped into the small auditorium to watch the nine minute comprehensive film, "A Journey of Discovery," took a quarter mile walking tour around the VLA to the base of a working antenna (cool!), and drove to the Antenna Assembly Building to  see an antenna inside the building or on the master pad and one of the orange antenna transporters.

Magdalena Library

Heading back on Highway 60, I stopped in Magdalena for a little drive around the tiny town, and to check out the little library, located inside the old Santa Fe Railroad Station.

From Magdalena, I continued on Highway 60 back onto Insterstate 25, into Las Cruces (see next post).

PHOTO ALBUM

New Mexico Chapter 4: Scenic Detour to The Opera

Santuario de Chimayo

Monday, ‎July ‎27th

This morning I awoke fully rested in the quiet wilderness of the Carson National Forest of El Rito. I took my time packing up the tent and having my fruit and granola breakfast, among the birds and trees, before heading though the lovely little village of El Rito, where I found a sense of curiosity and "home," though there were only farms and old buildings; nothing especially of interest to boast about. I would like to note that like many tiny towns, the townsfolk all waved as I passed by. All it takes is a simple act of acknowledgement to make a stranger feel welcome :)

After a relaxing day at Ojo Caliente Mineral Hot Springs Resort (see previous blog post), I drove back to Santa Fe, where I picked up Highway 76 heading north, as I previously did when I traveled up to Taos. This time, I was prepared with a stop I unknowingly passed by last time, and it was certainly a major highlight of the scenic drive. It was Santuario de Chimayo,"a beautiful Roman Catholic shrine adorned with folk art-style statues and other decor. In 1970 it was made a National Historic Landmark, famous for the story of its founding and as a contemporary pilgrimage site. It receives almost 300,000 visitors per year and has been called no doubt the most important Catholic pilgrimage center in the United States."
"A small room called el pocito (the little well) contains a round pit, the source of 'holy dirt' that is believed to have healing powers. An adjacent Prayer Room displays many ex-votos as well as photographs, discarded crutches, and other testimonials of those purportedly healed. One version of the legend says that during Holy Week, Abeyta (or a friar) saw a light shining from the hillside and dug the crucifix up with his bare hands. He turned it over to Fr. Álvarez, who took it to the Chimayó church, but the crucifix mysteriously returned to the spot where Abeyta found it. After the third time this happened, Álvarez and Abeyta decided to build a chapel on the spot to house the crucifix."

I took in the wonderful detail of the beautiful sanctuary, grabbed some dirt from the little room with the well, took an insert that explains the importance of the dirt and how to use it (don't eat or drink it, lol), and toured the landscaped grounds and gift shop, before heading on my way.

View from Highway 518

Once on Highway 518, the scenery dramatically changed from dusty desert to green valleys and trees as I entered Santa Fe National Forest. I stopped at a few overlooks of the beautiful, tree-covered mountains and valleys below, and loved driving through the tiny towns that dotted the highway, all with their own unique, country feel. Holman's abandoned churches, the diner in a trailer in Mora, shimmering Storrie Lake, and the beautiful historic buildings of Las Vegas, will all hold fond memories in my mind for years to come :)

I hopped onto Interstate 25, arriving at the Santa Fe Opera House at 8:30pm, in time for the production of Menotti's "Mad Men"-era piece called "The Last Savage," an over-the-top, cheesy comedic opera that "follows an ambitious young Vassar anthropologist on her journey to capture the last savage. She succeeds, they fall in love, and both discover that American 1960s suburbia is far more savage than life in the jungle." I paid $15 for a standing row seat, which was not what I expected at all - the theatre isn't huge, without a bad seat in the house, the standing row was actually quite comfortable-looking, with a nice table to rest your elbows and a bottle of water, complete with an LED screen that displays the closed captions or subtitles for the show - something that came in quite handy; even with the show sung in English, lol. Even more surprising was the fellow that came and gathered all of us in the standing rows and brought us to the seats in the balcony at no charge! Let that be a tip for you folks that might get out there one day - this was a Wednesday, so the theatre wasn't full! :) Had I reserved a seat at the opera it would have been $69! 

Opera Time!

Better yet, I scoped out an empty seat, down near the middle of the FOURTH row from the stage, and grabbed it for third act. Perfect! It was there that that I met Marla, who sat in the seat to my right, a kind, conversational woman in her older years, who was happy I moved up to the front. She said she used to do that all the time in her younger years. She's been coming from her home in Illinois to the Santa Fe Opera with summer season tickets with a friend of hers for many years now. Unfortunately, her friend passed away this past year, and her family has let her seat go empty every show. We enjoyed each other's company, and I wished I could attend with Marla every week.

Oh, and by the way, it's an interesting contrast, watching the opera one hour, and sleeping in a car the next, lol.

PHOTO ALBUM

New Mexico Chapter 3: Taos & Ojo Caliente

San Jose de Gracia

Monday, July 25th

At around 5pm I left Santa Fe and headed up to Taos, taking the "High Road - a scenic, snaking route along 5 different byways, passing through several small mountain villages, each rich in culture and history."  The drive was an adventure indeed, with plenty to see along the way, which included a stop in tiny Las Trampas, home to San Jose de Gracia, "a mission church dating back to 1760, with impressive Spanish Mission design elements."

I arrived at The Abominable Snow Mansion in the funky, little village of Arroyo Seco, about 7 miles or so north of Taos, at about 7:30pm.  It was a pretty drive with majestic Wheeler's Peak, the highest point in New Mexico, in the distance.  I was delightfully surprised to find that the hostel allowed tenting, saving me 4 bucks, and I was able to get my tent up just before dark.

Tuesday, July 26th

This morning I took my time getting ready, had a big bowl of cereal (mixed three kinds, because I'm a rebel like that, lol) and toast with pb&j (compliments of the hostel), and was out the door.  I walked around the little village of Arroyo Seco, stopping at charming Holy Trinity Church - historic mission church dating from 1830, the quirky "Mercantile" General Store, and "Taos Cow" (named a "top 10 U.S ice cream shop" by Bon Appetit magazine) for a couple of their "famous" scoops, including Fresh Peach and their ever-popular Piñon Caramel - YUM!

Along the Main Drag in Taos

I drove south to touristy Taos, through the beautiful green valley of horse ranches, surrounded by the tallest mountain peaks in the state, and visited Taos Pueblo - "The only living Native American community designated both a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and a National Historic Landmark. The multi-storied adobe buildings have been continuously inhabited for over 1000 years!"  The brown walls of earth, the turquoise-colored front doors, the beautiful church, outdoor drying racks and hornos (outdoor adobe ovens used for baking bread and pastries) the villagers selling their wares from inside their modest, apartment-sized homes complete with small adobe stove and the scent of burning fresh sage,  the ruins of San Geronimo Church and the graveyard so rich with history, the little river bisecting the north and south living complexes, a language unwritten/unrecorded,  passed down from the grandmother to the children - these memories will stay with me.  I felt a sense of peace strolling through the village where life moves slow.  How I'd love to return in the winter when the roofs of the cozy adobe homes are dusted with snow.  *Note: No photography was allowed.

I explored more of Taos, including The Plaza (which "has the distinction of being the first place in the United States, by tradition, to fly the United States Flag both day and night"), and nearby Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, followed by the immaculate San Francisco de Asis Church - "one of the best known and most photographed churches in New Mexico," and what Georgia O'Keeffe described as "one of the most beautiful buildings left in the United States by the early Spaniards."

 San Francisco de Asis

Then I started heading over to Ojo Caliente, about an hour's drive west of Taos, making a couple of stops in between, one being the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge - "the fifth highest bridge in the United States" and spanning 1,280 feet.  Then I stopped for a walk around "Greater World Earthship Community," which a guy at the Abominable Snow Mansion told me about over breakfast this morning (he's going to do a month-long internship here).  "The Greater World project is designed to create an ideal condition from which a sustainable community can grow and flourish.  Using recycled materials from Taos County; the homes make their own electricity from solar panels; catch their own water from rain and snow melt; contain and reuse their own waste water; and provide their own heating and cooling without the use of fossil fuels via passive solar and thermal mass architecture.  I've never seen anything like it - with walls of recycled bottles, cans and car tires, the place kind of looked like a post-apocalyptic dump, or the movie "Waterworld" (only on land, lol).  Very interesting indeed.  I love their mission and I hope it sees much success.

I arrived in Ojo Caliente around 5pm, and blogged a while, before heading about 20 miles away to pitch my tent (just before complete darkness fell!) at El Rito Campground in Carson National Forest.  Other than a few occurrences of passing trucks in the night, I had the whole place to myself, and oh, how I loved the drive there, especially the tiny town of El Rito, with its farms and old buildings lining the road near the ranger's office.

At Greater World Earthship Community

Wednesday, July 27th
This morning I enjoyed a quiet morning and fruit & granola breakfast in solitude within the Carson National Forest, before heading over to Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs for a day of rest and relaxation.  "Deemed sacred by indigenous Native Americans of Northern New Mexico, Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs has been a gathering place and a source of healing for hundreds, even thousands of years, and is the only hot springs in the world with four different types of mineral water including lithia, iron, soda and arsenic. Our ten pools are filled with different types and combinations of these waters with temperatures ranging from 80-109 degrees."  From 8:30am-3, I let 6-1/2 hours slip away, wandering between the different pools, lounging in the steam room, having a little picnic (bbq wild salmon on triscuits, lol), basking in mud (loved it so much I had seconds, lol), and talking with a very kind, friendly woman from Pennsylvania (also traveling solo).  The hours went fast make no mistake.

I left the springs around 3:15, taking a long, scenic drive to Las Vegas (not the one in Nevada, lol) on the 518, touted by my friend and favorite author Ron Donaghe as "one of the most beautiful drives in all of NM."  He was right!  I took 518 up into the mountains, through national forest, down to the meadows and ranches and little towns that dot the side of the road, stopping for photos of the beautiful scenery and old buildings along the way.

Ojo Caliente Mineral Hot Springs Resort

Upon reaching Las Vegas, a charming old town, I hopped onto Interstate 25 to Sante Fe, arriving at the Opera House at 8:30pm, in time for the production of Menotti's "Mad Men"-era piece called "The Last Savage," an over-the-top, cheesy comedic opera that "follows an ambitious young Vassar anthropologist on her journey to capture the last savage. She succeeds, they fall in love, and both discover that American 1960s suburbia is far more savage than life in the jungle."  

Oh, and by the way, it's an interesting contrast, watching the opera one hour, and sleeping in a car the next, lol.

PHOTO ALBUMS

"The High Road" to Taos

Ojo Caliente & The Resort

New Mexico Chapter 2: Santa Fe

Santa Fe International Hostel

Sunday, July 24th

From Albuquerque, I drove an hour north up to Santa Fe, arriving in the evening, and checked into the humble international hostel for the night.  It's a not-for-profit organization, which I haven't heard of for a hostel before, and they get lots of free food from Whole Foods, which they in turn allow the guests to eat!  I haven't cooked for months, so this was a real treat.  I made a whole wheat penne pasta dish with pesto, cheese and tomatoes - excellent!  If I do say so myself :)  Then went into Downtown Santa Fe and had a drink at Rouge Cat (Chambord & Sprite, yum!).  It was pretty dead, but I actually stayed a little longer than I had planned, due to a very friendly, very drunk, very stubborn girl a little older than me, who insisted we be friends, lol.  I didn't get back to the hostel until about 11pm.  Wow, what a full day.

Monday, July 25th
I had a huge bowl of leftover pasta from last night, a cup of blueberry yogurt and a raspberry danish for breakfast, compliments of the hostel via Whole Foods.  I WAS STUFFED!  I did my chosen chore required by the hostel (cleaned bathroom #5), got all cleaned up and headed out for another very full day.

I started my day in Downtown Sante Fe with a visit to St. Francis Basilica - the FOURTH church built on the site (1887), since the year that Santa Fe was founded in 1610.  "The only part of the third church, built in 1714, still existing is the small adobe chapel dedicated to Our Lady La Conquistadora. Brought from Spain in 1625, the statue is the oldest representation of the Virgin Mary in the United States."  I marveled at its beautiful interior, then took a walk in the little "Stations of the Cross" Sculpture Garden out back, before wrapping up my visit.

Brought from Spain in 1625!

Next I took a peek inside the Palace of the Governors adobe building (1610), located on the popular town Plaza.  "It is within the Santa Fe Historic District and it served as the seat of government for the State of New Mexico for centuries. The Palace of the Governors is the oldest continuously occupied public building in the United States."  I took some time to inspect the beautiful wood-beam ceilings, small doorways, building materials (adobe is a mixture of earth, straw and water) and recreation of the modest governor's office.

I took a little stroll around The Plaza, taking special note of the Spanish, Mexican and Native American people selling their wares on the wooden sidewalk at the palace entrance, as they have for many, many years.  Looking around at the pueblo and adobe houses, shops and galleries around the neighborhood, one can't help but feel a strong sense of the past, the long history of Downtown Santa Fe and its people.

I then stopped into beautiful Loretto Chapel, "a former Roman Catholic church that is now used as a museum and wedding chapel.  It is known for its unusual helix shaped spiral staircase (the "Miraculous Stair"), that may have been created by French carpenter Francois-Jean "Frenchy" Rochas, although the Sisters of Loretto credit St. Joseph with its construction.  It has been the subject of legend and rumor, and the circumstances surrounding its construction and its builder are considered miraculous by the Sisters of Loretto and many visitors."

A Look Inside Loretto Chapel

Next I drove pretty much around the corner to busy Canyon Road, boasting "over a hundred art galleries in a mile stretch.  These include world class Native American, Contemporary, Historic, and Internationally recognized artists.  Great original historic architecture, sculpture, and gardens abound on this fantastic little street."  While I really appreciate art, my favorite part of poking around inside the beautiful little historic buildings was taking in the unique architecture.  Whether you're interested in art or not, this gives you a free tour of homes :)  What does a one bedroom rental cost in the area?  Well as couple of the For Rent signs were listing them at 1,000-1,200 bucks!  Ouch.

My next stop was at the beloved Georgia O'Keefe Museum, where I watched a couple of introductory videos; I loved the 20-minute film about this wonderful artists' career and personal life, and how she became known as the most famous painter of the American Southwest.  I walked around the museum, which had not only many of her works on display, but the diverse works of many different artists as part of its current exhibit, "Shared Intelligence: American Painting and the Photograph."

I wrapped up the day with a visit to the alleged "Oldest House" (1646) and museum, and "Oldest Church" (San Miguel Chapel - adobe walls constructed around 1610).

Great day in Santa Fe!  =)

Pre-Show Tailgate Party at the Santa Fe Opera

At around 5pm I made the trip up to Taos, where I stayed the night at The Abominable Snow Mansion hostel, lol.

*****

Wednesday, July 27th

I spent another evening in Santa Fe, arriving at the Opera House at 8:30pm, in time for the production of Menotti's "Mad Men"-era piece called "The Last Savage," an over-the-top, cheesy comedic opera that "follows an ambitious young Vassar anthropologist on her journey to capture the last savage. She succeeds, they fall in love, and both discover that American 1960s suburbia is far more savage than life in the jungle."  I paid $15 for a standing row seat, which was not what I expected at all - the theatre isn't huge, without a bad seat in the house, the standing row was actually quite comfortable-looking, with a nice table to rest your elbows and a bottle of water, complete with an LED screen that displays the closed captions or subtitles for the show - something that came in quite handy; even with the show sung in English, lol.  Even more surprising was the fellow that came and gathered all of us in the standing rows and brought us to the seats in the balcony at no charge!  Let that be a tip for you folks that might get out there one day - this was a Wednesday, so the theatre wasn't full!  :)  Had I reserved a seat at the opera it would have been $69!  Better yet, I scoped out an empty seat, down near the middle of the FOURTH row from the stage, and grabbed it for third act.  Perfect!  It was there that that I met Marla, who sat in the seat to my right, a kind, conversational woman in her older years, who was happy I moved up to the front.  She said she used to do that all the time in her younger years.  She's been coming from her home in Illinois to the Santa Fe Opera with summer season tickets with a friend of hers for many years now.  Unfortunately, her friend passed away this past year, and her family has let her seat go empty every show.  We enjoyed each other's company, and I wished I could attend with Marla every week. 

Oh, and by the way, it's an interesting contrast, watching the opera one hour, and sleeping in a car the next, lol.

PHOTO ALBUM

New Mexico Chapter 1: Gallup and Albuquerque

Hardly Camping at USA RV Park

 Friday, July 22nd
I left Petrified Forest National Park around 5:30pm, and headed east on I-40 into New Mexico, arriving in the busy little city of Gallup around 6pm.  "Route 66 runs through Gallup, and the town's name is mentioned in the lyrics to the song, Route 66, but most importantly, it's the center of commerce for the Navajo people," with trading post after trading post of authentic Navajo art, rugs, jewelry and souvenirs for sale or trade.

I grabbed a bite at Applebee's (it was the first thing I saw, but I should've supported a local business!), then headed to USA RV Park, the only place in town where I could camp legally.  After checking in at the registration office for $20, it was a shirt walk right across the road to my site, lol.  There was another tent there too, so that made it less of a slap in the face that I was in RV City! 

Tonight my laptop charger crapped out on me!  With the battery out of life, looks like I need a new one, but instead I should just get a new laptop all together, since I've gone through a few of these chargers already - the computer gets so hot it eats away the plastic ends of the cable!

One of Many Colorful Murals in Downtown Gallup

Saturday, July 23rd
This morning I explored Gallup's popular, little downtown district, along a little stretch of historic Route 66 and neighboring side streets to the East.  Colorful murals painted on the walls of several of downtown's buildings line the streets, and I snapped photos of 12 of the 15 of them listed in the visitor guide, along with a few unmentioned and a couple of the beautiful, over-sized, painted pots placed throughout town.  The murals depict and memorialize several different facets and history of life in Gallup, with names such as Gallup Community Life, Pueblo of Zuni, The Long Walk Home, Coal Mining Era, Navajo Code Talkers and Hispanic Heritage.

I paid a visit to notable "Richardson's Trading Co. - World Famous Traders since 1913," I marveled as I walked through the large store, with multiple rooms of "hundreds of one-of-a-kind Indian art pieces" on display for sale or trade, and some not for available for purchase at all.

I printed a lot of public lands/camping information, courtesy of the down-to-Earth woman at the Chamber of Commerce, which was surprisingly open 'til 4pm on a Saturday.

I hit the road, continuing eastbound on I-40 to the large, pueblo-style Northwest New Mexico Visitor Center, a fantastic stop for boat-loads of useful travel information, and where I took advantage of one of over 30 different informational films of various topics one can opt to watch.  I chose the hour long video about Route 66, which joins the narrator as she travels to highlights of the journey from Chicago to Santa Monica, and which explains the history of the "Main Street of America."

A Peek Inside Richardson's Trading Co.

I left the visitor and continued on my way on I-40, detouring for little stretches of old 66, before entering Albuquerque, where I got a tent site for a whopping $29.40 (ouch!) at KOA RV Park, one of possibly only two RV Parks/"camping" spots.  Can you believe there's not a single campground with 30 minutes or so of Albuquerque?!  *Sigh.  After registering and checking out the site, I went and got myself a new computer.  It's a cheap, $300 Compaq Presario CQ57, which doesn't have good reviews, lol, but it'll have to do after paying a total of $1500 for recent car repairs.  I also bought a new laptop charger that's compatible with my old laptop, so that I can start it up and move all of the files on there to my external hard drive, before retiring it.  I'll just have to return the charger all nice and neat in the packaging when I'm done.  

When I got back to KOA it was extremely windy, and it was an adventure in itself setting up my tent, but I finally did, and then I spent the next few hours at the Rec Hall familiarizing myself with my new computer, before blogging a little before bed.

Route 66 Diner

Sunday, July 24th 
This morning I ate a big breakfast of cinnamon apples with granola in syrup, before exploring Albuquerque.  I took to Route 66 for about 7 miles, especially enjoying a very popular one-mile stretch through the hip neighborhood of Nob Hill.  I stopped at Route 66 Diner, "dedicated to preserving the spirit of the roadside diner along Route 66."  As soon as I pulled into the parking lot I stepped back into time, and was completely transported to the malt-shop era and reminded of the movie, "American Graffiti" as I opened the doors and stepped inside the wonderful time capsule, filled with kitschy signs, hundreds of pez dispensers lining the ceiling, the stools, the tables, even the napkin holders - a wonderful memorial of yesteryear.  The waitresses (in full doo-wop uniform) chatted me up as I sipped my coffee and snapped pictures.  I LOVED THIS PLACE.  They gave me a complimentary souvenir pin "I saw Elvis at the Route 66 Diner" before heading on my way :)

I drove through the funky district of Downtown, paying a visit to the historic KiMo Theatre, "a Pueblo Deco picture palace, opened on September 19, 1927. Pueblo Deco was a flamboyant, short-lived architectural style that fused the spirit of the Native American cultures of the Southwest with the exuberance of Art Deco.  Native American motifs appeared in only a handful of theaters; of those few, the KiMo is the undisputed king."  I oohed and aahed at the wonderfully crafted decor throughout the theatre, admiring all the work that must've gone into it.

"Old Town" Albuquerque

Next I went to Albuquerque's Old Town, "the focal point of community life since it was founded in 1706 by Governor Francisco Cuervo y Valdez. Centered around the plaza, Albuquerque's Old Town encompasses about ten blocks of historic adobe buildings, looking much like it did when it was built centuries ago. Its Pueblo-Spanish style architecture with flat-roofed buildings and soft contours of adobe mirror the Southwestern landscape. Long portals (porches) line the fronts of most buildings offering shade from the New Mexican sun. Bancos (benches) are often found built into the back walls of the portals, providing the perfect place for weary walkers to sit and watch the world go by."  Only a few steps from the parking lot and you're stepping into a living scene from an one of those old Spanish movies (then add some tourists and take out the subtitles, lol)!  There was live music throughout the area, lots of art galleries and gifts, the landmark church on the square, and unexpected alleyways leading to hidden surprises tucked away for curious visitors to stumble upon.

I walked through the sculpture garden at The Albuquerque Museum of Art and History, before going inside to find a wonderful exhibition on Clara Driscoll and a brilliant collection of Tiffany lamps her and the other "'Tiffany Girls" came to create.

I hopped back into my car and traveled a few miles to the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, whose mission is preserving the culture of the 19 Pueblos of New Mexico, and "advancing understanding by presenting the accomplishments and evolving history of the Pueblo people of New Mexico."  I caught some Native American dancing in the courtyard, and browsed the museum's three galleries, including its current exhibition, "Gathering the Clouds - a gallery of Pueblo textiles and pottery that expresses the deep interconnection between Pueblo spirituality, art and nature."  The most touching experience during my visit was found in the South Gallery, where I explored the exhibit, "Indivisible: African Native-American Lives in the Americas."  "A part of the American story has long been invisible—the story of people who share African American and Native American ancestry. Over centuries, African American and Native people came together, creating shared histories, communities, and ways of life. Often divided by prejudice, laws, or twists of history, African-Native Americans were united by a double heritage that is truly indivisible."  I was so thankful for the in-depth look into a history and perspective I was completely oblivious to.

San Felipe de Neri

I drove a few miles more to the National Hispanic Cultural Center, which provides venues for visitors to learn about Hispanic culture throughout the world, dedicated to the preservation, promotion, and advancement of Hispanic culture, arts, and humanities."  On Sundays it's FREE - lucky me!  I explored the wonderful galleries of the Art Museum, including a current exhibition on the work of three different, emerging artists (Robb Rael, Jocelyn Lorena Salaz and Vicente Telles), and strolled through the beautiful Roy E. Disney Center for performing arts, where I snapped a couple photos of some Santana memorabilia, poked my head into the History & Literary Arts building (a fiery group of musicians played in the courtyard).  Certainly without a doubt, the highlight of my visit was the "monumental 4,000 square foot work, largest concave fresco in North America - Mundos de mestizaje: A Vision of History through Fresco by Frederico Vigil; a mural depicting "over 3,000 years of Hispanic history in the broadest sense, from Europe to Mesoamerica and into the American Southwest, illustrating the complexities and diversity of the Hispanic experience."  I must have sat there at least 10 minutes looking up to the top of the tower, completely mesmerized.

 I drove an hour north up to Santa Fe, and checked into the humble international hostel for the evening.  I had a drink at Rouge Cat bar (Chambord & Sprite, yum!), before turnin' in for the night.  Wow, what a full day.  And tomorrow might be even MORE full!

PHOTO ALBUMS

Gallup

Albuquerue