Here are pictures from our tour of Santa Fe and the Jemez Mountains. I accidentally had the camera on "video" while we were at Bandelier National Monument so no pix of the cliff dwellings! Most of them are of my feet!
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Jemez Mountain Trail
My computer has been freezing up and doing a "crash dump" at the most inopportune times so we found a repair shop in Santa Fe that had 16 excellent reviews and took it there for diagnostic tests. It had to stay overnight so I am behind on my blog entry! Good news - he couldn't find anything major wrong with it; bad news - he couldn't find anything wrong with it!! For a $39 fee he adjusted a few things and "hoped that it helped." It froze up and dumped the first time I used it again! One of the downsides of traveling.
We toured Santa Fe on Monday. A great day to walk around the central plaza and shop. I bought a lovely Indian made bracelet and a beautiful "Georgia O'Keefe" design trivet/cutting board. We were told several shops had closed due to the economy and we could see why after browsing in some - very pricey! I found a gorgeous scarf - silk, felted wool, ribbon and beads - the true work of an artist - but, it was $650.00. I also found a really unique jacket for a mere $1850.00!
The Loretto Chapel, near the town square, is famous for it's spiral staircase leading up to the choir loft. Here's the legend: The Sisters of Loretto were looking for a carpenter to build a staircase but, they all said it would take up too much room in the small chapel below. The nuns made a Novena to their patron saint, Joseph the Carpenter, and a myterious carpenter showed up. He designed and constructed the circular staircase with just a saw, a square, a hammer and tubs to soak the wood. It contains 33 steps in two full 360 degree turns and has no center or side support. Then he disappeared without payment. The iron railing was added later for safety. The engineer in Roger couldn't figure it out!
We traveled about 100 miles along the Jemez Mountain Trail yesterday on the way to Bandelier National Monument - an ancient home of the cliff dwelling Anazi Indians. The drive starts out in the desert and gradually climbs to 9081 feet where the mountains are more alpine. Snow up there! Then the forest falls away and there are mountain meadows. One huge area, 175 sq miles, was caused by the volcano collapsing into itself forming a "caldera." Bandelier was packed - spring break! - we waited about 1/2 hour to park. Not a problem for us - we had packed our lunch so we had a picnic in the car. We hiked the 2 mile loop trail up the canyon to see the cliff dwellings and the "long house." These Indians were a little more advanced than the ones at Mesa Verde - in addition to hunting and gathering, they farmed near the Santa Fe river. But, like their neighbors to the north, they vanished around A.D. 1550.
This area is near Los Almos where they invented the atomic bomb. What a difference a few centuries can make!
Staying home today. Roger needs to hook up our new water softner and solve a new problem - we apparently picked up a visitor - have seen mouse droppings - ugh!
We toured Santa Fe on Monday. A great day to walk around the central plaza and shop. I bought a lovely Indian made bracelet and a beautiful "Georgia O'Keefe" design trivet/cutting board. We were told several shops had closed due to the economy and we could see why after browsing in some - very pricey! I found a gorgeous scarf - silk, felted wool, ribbon and beads - the true work of an artist - but, it was $650.00. I also found a really unique jacket for a mere $1850.00!
The Loretto Chapel, near the town square, is famous for it's spiral staircase leading up to the choir loft. Here's the legend: The Sisters of Loretto were looking for a carpenter to build a staircase but, they all said it would take up too much room in the small chapel below. The nuns made a Novena to their patron saint, Joseph the Carpenter, and a myterious carpenter showed up. He designed and constructed the circular staircase with just a saw, a square, a hammer and tubs to soak the wood. It contains 33 steps in two full 360 degree turns and has no center or side support. Then he disappeared without payment. The iron railing was added later for safety. The engineer in Roger couldn't figure it out!
This area is near Los Almos where they invented the atomic bomb. What a difference a few centuries can make!
Staying home today. Roger needs to hook up our new water softner and solve a new problem - we apparently picked up a visitor - have seen mouse droppings - ugh!
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument
The tent rocks are located near our campsite and Pueblo de Cochiti. I think they use the term "pueblo" to describe a small town, not just a single home. Most of the houses are small adobe type, stucco with flat roofs. All the literature asks that the public respect the privacy of the pueblos - no drawings, pictures or videos of tribal reservations. There are so many different Indian tribes in this area that I couldn't begin to name them but, they all have a casino!
The "tented" rocks were formed by volcanic eruptions 6-7 million years ago. We hiked the 1.2 mile loop trail through the canyon. Passed on the 1.5 mile, 630 foot elevation trek to the top of the mesa! The walk was more difficult due to the altitude and dry air - we were parched! Being the good boy/girl scouts that we are we have decided to "be prepared" and leave our hiking boots and water in the car at all times so we are ready to explore at any time.
I have embedded our web album in this blog. Click on the picture to view all of our pictures from our hike and then close the tab to return to the blog. Enjoy!
The "tented" rocks were formed by volcanic eruptions 6-7 million years ago. We hiked the 1.2 mile loop trail through the canyon. Passed on the 1.5 mile, 630 foot elevation trek to the top of the mesa! The walk was more difficult due to the altitude and dry air - we were parched! Being the good boy/girl scouts that we are we have decided to "be prepared" and leave our hiking boots and water in the car at all times so we are ready to explore at any time.
I have embedded our web album in this blog. Click on the picture to view all of our pictures from our hike and then close the tab to return to the blog. Enjoy!
Monday, March 29, 2010
Lake Cochiti Campground
We traveled about an hour north of Albuquerque to this remote campground today - our new home for the next few days. We are really enjoying our new big windows with all this beautiful scenery to look at! Imagine the stars will be nice and bright. It is a Corp of Engineers park and with Roger's Golden Age Pass it cost us $6.00/night! Gotta' be some advantage to being old!
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Sandia Peak
We found out the difference between Mexican food and New Mexican food. We went to a really good New Mexican food restaurant with our mouths watering for fajitas - not on the menu! What??!! We ordered enchiladas instead - the house speciality. They were delicious but not what we expected. They served them "stacked" vs "rolled" - they layer the corn tortillas with the filling and then pour red chili sauce, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and onions on top - served with pinto beans and a special bread. No dinner for us - we were too stuffed!
Megan & friends are shopping at the Round Top/Warrenton antique fair this week-end. Heather & I are bummed we are missing it. So is Roger - ha!ha!
Heather has been doing some consulting for Laura Mercier this week. Primarily re-configuring and analyzing sales data spreadsheets but it may blossom into something part time. Kyle went to a parent-teacher conference with Samantha's teacher yesterday - she is doing well at school. She drew us a picture while we talked - a house with a library and books in it!!
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Happy Birthday, Megan
Windy City
I thought Chicago was the "Windy City" but we had 35 mph winds, with gusts up to 55 mph, here in Albuquerque yesterday! The motorhome was rocking, tumbleweeds were flying by and the blowing dust was visible. Roger wanted to hook up our new water softener but could hardly stand up outside. We worried about Gary & Anne driving home - they fought it all the way - it was even worse in El Paso! It is better here today, sunny with less wind, so we are going to take the Sandia Tram up the mountain. They are still skiing on the east side - 36 degrees up there - so we are wearing our winter woolies! Hoping to find some GOOD Mexican food for dinner!
When we first arrived we had forgotten about the altitude changes but were soon reminded. I have a 64 inch exercise ball that lays on the bed when we travel - we got ready for bed the first night and it had expanded so much that we couldn't get it through the doorway into the hall! I went to put on my make-up the next morning and unscrewed the top and it squirted out all over! Our lips and skin are sooo...dry they soak up chapstick and lotion instantly. Don't think I could live here!
Capital One sent us an email questioning a charge on our VISA card. Weren't too worried because it happens often as we travel from state to state but this one was for $2400.00 from TicketsNow! Hard to tell if it was fraudulent or just a data entry error with the number. We are not responsible, but what a hassle - going without our main credit card and figuring out where to mail the new cards. Too many places won't take our American Express and we have forgotten how to write a check! Unfortunately, it did not prevent us from spending at the rally!
When we first arrived we had forgotten about the altitude changes but were soon reminded. I have a 64 inch exercise ball that lays on the bed when we travel - we got ready for bed the first night and it had expanded so much that we couldn't get it through the doorway into the hall! I went to put on my make-up the next morning and unscrewed the top and it squirted out all over! Our lips and skin are sooo...dry they soak up chapstick and lotion instantly. Don't think I could live here!
Capital One sent us an email questioning a charge on our VISA card. Weren't too worried because it happens often as we travel from state to state but this one was for $2400.00 from TicketsNow! Hard to tell if it was fraudulent or just a data entry error with the number. We are not responsible, but what a hassle - going without our main credit card and figuring out where to mail the new cards. Too many places won't take our American Express and we have forgotten how to write a check! Unfortunately, it did not prevent us from spending at the rally!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
