New Mexico, and before…

After experiencing the 2024 solar eclipse (and a burger at Ringo’s), I hightailed it out of Kerrville – and Texas – making it to Carlsburg New Mexico by nightfall (where I slummed it in a neighborhood). Next day I motored on to Roswell, and of course had to visit the International UFO Museum…

From Roswell to Albuquerque, not feelin’ it, so on to Santa Fe. Another Alan, the proprietor at the charming Guadalupe Inn, talked me into two nights there, and I was not disappointed. I crashed a poshy book signing, chatted with a Turkish merchant, strolled the old town, went to a ‘ceramics pub,” browsed a fraction of the huge art scene, and had an upscale chile rellano for dinner…

The next day I biked around town and took in some of the classic sites, including the Spanish churches (one with a mysterious spiral staircase), the extreme antiquities (oldest house in America, etc.), more of the art scene, and not a few of the tourist attractions…

Here’re a couple of video clips – some wind art and a ride down Canyon Road, famous for the many art galleries…

Just a few of the things that caught my eye on Canyon Road…

On a tip, I went to the Capitol building and took in some of the art there. This batch includes more of Santa Fe and ends with the Guadalupe Inn (serendipity strikes again!)…

Based on yet another great recommendation from Alan at the Inn, after leaving Santa Fe I went to Bandelier National Monument, an ancient Native American pueblo site in Frijoles Canyon. It features an array of cliff dwellings, petroglyphs, and some ruins. Once again I was impressed by our National Park System (and bought my lifetime senior park pass there!)…

This batch features some of the petroglyphs and only a sampling of the extensive and relevant interpretive signage (not to mention the creek that runs through it)…

An eclectic, randomized batch: I motored on to Taos, taking “the high road” but avoiding Los Alamos. I stayed at the somewhat famous Hotel La Fonda, right on the zocalo. Interestingly, it featured some paintings somewhat hidden away in a conference room by the author D. H. Lawrence. Like his novels, they were rather lurid (I guess?). There were some other pictures, including a one of a kind photo of Dennis Hopper (Easy Rider had been filmed nearby). Combo plate…!

Leaving Taos the next day, I tried to go to the Taos Pueblo, but it was closed. So I went to the Rio Grande Gorge bridge. (It didn’t occur to me to jump until I saw the Crisis Hotline phone.) Then, I drove to Chaco Canyon, one of my bucket list destinations, and one not easy to get to. In addition to the hours on the road, the last stretch is a dirt road way out on the plains. Note the wild horses!

Here’s a clip of the last bit before the National Monument Visitor’s Center (again excellent)…

I’d heard about Chaco Canyon at the time of the Harmonic Convergence, and have always wanted to visit. It was an outstanding experience, and amazing to think of this vast complex being at it’s height a thousand years ago. It predates the amazing Mayan and Incan ruins I’ve visited.

The area is rather vast, and was likely looted of artifacts, but is still one of the amaziing places on earth – and a UNESCO World Heritage Site…!

I like to add some pix of the signage and I trust you’ll take the time…? Perhaps a better way to give meaning to my pix…?

I was even able to take a little bike ride which added more to the experience as I went further than I would have on foot. Finally, I left Chaco, drove back out on the dirt road, and powered up to Colorado for another ancient Native American experience at Mesa Verde. But that’ll be part of my next post, having left New Mexico – and the much older world that was here before…