A Tour of Northern New Mexico- A Photo Essay
Thank you for reading this week’s post on a tour of northern New Mexico. Hope you like the photos! Lots of places in New Mexico are still closed because of COVID, as we learned to our chagrin this week.
We were driving through a small town called Carrizozo. We had cards to mail. I drove past the post office and went around the block to get back to it.
Some Carrizozo street art, not on the street.
The town revealed by that turn-around was awesome. While we ogled the street art a man came over to us and said, “Welcome to Carrizozo! We’re glad you’re here!” Turns out he was Mayor Ray Dean. We spent a quarter hour chatting with him. The town’s population is about 1200, 47 of whom are artists. They are looking for more artists, and retirees, to come and live there. You could do worse.
In Carrizozo, some good advice.
Carrizozo had this burro thing going.
We wanted to visit Valley of Fire National Recreation Area. It was closed. We stopped along US 380 to see the lava flows, then continued on to Socorro. From there it was continue west on US 60. I wanted to visit the Very Large Array. It was closed. They let cows in, though.
The cows could get in to the VLA, but we could not.
We went through a place called Pie Town. A name like that screams at you to stop. We didn’t though.
The chapel in Quemada.
We found a lovely little mission church in Quemada.
The Santa Fe trail passed this rock. Petroglyphs and inscriptions from pioneers can be found here, but the gate was locked.
We wanted to visit El Morro National Monument. Only open Thursday, Friday, Saturday.
We stopped at the Bandera Volcano and Ice Cave. Since this is privately owned, it was open. We paid the fee, then hiked to the crater. It was cloudy, windy, and cold. I took pictures, bad ones.
Susan down in the lava tube with a Navajo family.
The elevation, about 8000 feet, was killing me. Breathe in, breathe out, rapidly! From there we hiked to the ice cave, which was an old lava tube from the volcano. That volcano’s lava flowed more than 20 miles, and at one spot we could see nine other cinder cones. It was a great stop, and wonderful hike, and really nice to find something open.
We woke up to 36 degrees and snow.
We camped that night at Bluewater State Park. It was cloudy, windy, and cold. We woke up to 36 degrees and snow flurries.
Another fun sculpture on the street of Santa Fe.
At this point we hadn’t showered in four or five days, and had been sleeping in our clothes because it had been so cold. So, we got on the interstate and drove to Santa Fe, where we had a restaurant meal and an evening in a motel. Warmness! Showers!
A fun sculpture in one of Santa Fe’s galleries.
The art in Santa Fe- oh, my GOD! Every gallery we visited had stunning, museum quality work. There were lots we didn’t visit, either because they were closed or because of time constraints. A lot of the buildings there are built in the adobe pueblo style. The place had a very cool vibe- it was the nicest town we’ve visited so far.
The streets of Santa Fe are loaded with museum quality art like this.
We went to see the Puye Cliff Dwellings- closed.
We continued on to Bandolier National Monument. The visitor center was closed, but you could hike the trails. The most popular trail is the one going to the cliff dwellings. About 1000 years ago, 700-800 Anasazi people lived in what is now called Frijole Canyon, in natural caves that were enhanced by hard, determined work. We visited some of them.
Susan sits at the entrance to a cave dwelling.
Susan negotiates the Ladder of Death.
After an incredible hike we had time to visit the Valles Caldera. About one million years ago, after enormous explosions and lave flows, the cone of the Valles volcano collapsed, forming an enormous caldera. I made no attempt to photograph it, not beginning to see how one might.
We drove to our next campsite at Abiquiu Lake through snow flurries. It was another chilly night.
We stopped in Taos, another nice town, for coffee and to visit a few galleries. There were a lot of “cool dudes,” I’m guessing ski bums, hanging out. We bought the biggest cream puff I’ve ever seen, then got back in the van.
The bridge over the Rio Grande Gorge.
We got on US 64. Just a few minutes out of Taos was the Rio Grande Gorge. I was thankful the bridge proved solid. We got out and took some pictures (bad ones).
US 64 was the most stunning drive in a state full of them. Amazing! At the top of a mountain we stopped. I was hungry, but even though the sun was shining the temperature was in the 40s. Neither of us wanted to get out of the van and mess with food. Susan said, “I have the cream puff.”
Getting her cream puff on!
We started eating that thing, as big as a child’s head. Our eyes met and we lost it, laughing uncontrollably, tears rolling down. Didn’t stop us from finishing the puff, though!
Our day ended at Heron Lake State Park, where we met fellow vanners Greg and Corrinne. They told us we needed to stop at Camp Kush, where we are now. On the way here we crossed into Colorado, stopped for coffee in Pagosa Springs, saw Chimney Rock (national monument closed), and stopped for lunch in Durango.
More adventures await!
Thank you for reading this week’s post on a tour of northern New Mexico!
Life is great and I love life!
Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! or take a trip!
John Kumiski, author of Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide
Purchase a signed copy of Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide at http://www.spottedtail.com/fishing-florida-by-paddle/
All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2021. All rights are reserved.
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