Started up the Turquoise Trail to Santa Fe with a stop-off in Madrid to visit my god-son and his family.  Madrid is a cute little artsy town where everyone knows each other (actually the whole state of NM is one big art gallery).  Big change weather-wise from San Diego – getting nippy in the mountains.

Stopped in Santa Fe and toured the New Mexico History Museum and the Palace of Governors.  Lots of land swapping going on thru rebellions and wars. New Mexico was taken from the Indians by the Spanish, Spanish settlers were driven out by the Indians (they converted but also enslaved them in the missions), settlers are back and Mexico is now in charge, then the US takes it and the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo gives the U.S. New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, California, Texas, and western Colorado. A pretty simplistic account of some really bloody times.

Stayed in Taos in a B & B with an interesting couple.  She’d lived in Deerfield, IL for a while and he was raised in Chicago and at one time, played pro-basketball. Spent a morning driving the Enchanted Circle above Taos.  Climbed high into the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, thru the Red River Valley and a ski area. Had a breakfast burrito in Red River that was so huge, it lasted all day. Turned snowy on the second half of the drive so took it very slow around those 15 MPH corners. Darn cold too – 5 below. The promised snow arrived and got to test my wonderings what it would be like to come down the twisty turns. Patience handled it very well. Stopped off at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Angel Fire.  Was started by the father whose son had been killed in the war.  It began as a chapel and has expanded to a visitor center and amphitheater and is now a State Monument.  Wasn’t really prepared for the emotions I felt while walking thru it.  58,000 killed, and that’s just ours.

Took a drive over to the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge.  A huge crack in the earth with a river at the bottom and flat plains on either side of it.  Also took a tour of Taos Pueblo, a lived-in pueblo that remains as it was when it was first built.  My guide was a personable and knowledgeable young man who had been trained by the tribe.  While warming up in the church, I met one of the men who were working on the outside clean-up crew.  Told me the tribe council appoints several teams of 4 who serve a year-long commitment for the maintenance of the village.

Drove over to the area where Georgia O’Keeffe lived but her home was closed for the winter.  Ghost Ranch, however, was open so wandered over in that direction.  It’s now owned by the Presbyterian church who rents it out for retreats, workshops, etc.  Saw a group from the U of Delaware practicing precision fly casting.  Picked up a brochure of upcoming 2113 events and am considering a return visit.

Back to Santa Fe and the O’Keeffe museum.  In addition to being a wonderful artist, she was also an avid outdoors person – riding, camping, rafting, and hiking – well into her 80s.  Also stopped to see a helix suspended stairway in the Loretto Chapel.  It was constructed by an architect so the ladies wouldn’t have to use a ladder to reach the choir loft. They’re still trying to figure out how it stays up. 

Too darn cold so I headed south toward Carlsbad but couldn’t pass up a stop in Roswell to check on the Aliens.  Boy, these folks have really run with the theme.  Even the McDonald’s is flying saucer.  First stop was the museum where a detailed play-by-play of the visit is displayed in newspaper articles, interviews and pictures.  In the town’s history museum, there’s a 1930s rocket display of Dr. Goddard’s lab.  Seems he shot one off in NY that went sideways and was ordered to desist. At the time, his friend Charles Lindberg was scouting the country for US Air Force bases and found the perfect spot for his friend’s experiments – just outside Roswell (no fussy neighbors and nothing to hit).

Took a side trip to Lincoln NM where 2 merchants succeeded in making the town main street the bloodiest in the country.  Fights over government contracts pitted factions against each other, one of which was led by Billy the Kid.  President Hayes said “enough” and sent untainted law officers to put a stop to it.  Now, practically the whole town is a museum.  Not sure why someone who was killing people left & right deserves a highway and top billing in the museums.

Stopped by Ft. Stanton, home to the Buffalo Soldiers (the only black Civil War regiment) and WWII German POWs among other things.  It was closed for tours but took a walk around the parade grounds.  Intended to pay my respects to Smokey the Bear in Capitan but it too was closed.  Didn’t know Smokey was an actual bear cub found by firefighters and raised by therm. However, had a great bowl of French Onion soup at a cute restaurant operated by 3 generations.

A lovely drive through the Lincoln National Forest and then on to Carlsbad to see the caves.  Quite a story connected to it.  Was discovered by a 16 year old cowboy who couldn’t convince others it was there.  Finally, someone went along with him and saw a fortune in guano (bat poop). The dreams of a killing in fertilizer, however were quickly dashed when it was discovered (in addition to the lousy working conditions required to extract it) the weight changed dramatically when it dried.  Still has bats that simulate a cloud when they leave on their mosquito safaris but they were vacationing in Mexico when I was there.

The main room is 750’ below the surface and huge.  Took a tour of the Kings Palace and Queens Room.  Was especially impressed with the “drapery” shaped ceiling formations.  They really looked like delicate folds of curtains.

On to Texas that afternoon