Espanola, NM to Taos, NM

Entrance to Bandelier National Monument

Espanola, NM, is about 28 miles from the entrance to Bandelier National Monument. It's a very pretty drive and was, actually, pretty well forested; a nice change from the desert landscapes we'd seen for days. The road goes through the Los Alamos National Laboratory. My question is why do we have a national laboratory and what do they do there? We saw a gigantuous satellite dish that reminded me of 'Encounters of a Third Kind.' Hmmmm....

The Bandelier canyon used to be accessible only by trail.

At Bandelier, we hit another busload of students. The visitor center filled quickly with the kids and the same busload of tourists we had seen at Walnut Canyon. I can tell I'm getting old because my tolerance for the noise and the crowds has diminished...I'm turning into Hallmark's Maxine...LOL

The upper cliff dwellings - many stairs and many people.

Anyway, we walked around the displays, watched the film, bought our pins and patches, put on our hiking shoes, and hit the loop trail just out the back door. It was very well marked and the park pamphlet explained the what the numbers along the trail were pointing to. We didn't go up the stairs and ladders to the cliff dwellings because they were steep, and, also, very crowded and you could hear the echo of the students throughout the canyon.

A circular village with only one entrance in and out.

We passed a large kiva and a circular village of houses that had only one entrance to the village when it was populated. We followed the trail on a mild climb to more cliff dwellings and a pretty view of the canyon, then back around to the visitor center. We, also, passed on the 1/2 mile trail to Alcove House that you can only access by climbing long wooden ladders. There are 70 miles of trails in Bandelier, so, obviously, we only touched the tip of the iceberg, but the canyon is beautiful and the ruins we saw were impressive. Also impressive was the detritus from last year's flooding after the previous year's fires. Nature in action all around.

Ruins up against canyon wall. Used to be 3-4 stories.

Next, we drove out of Bandelier, back across the valley to a village called Chimayo'. There is a church known for miracles, and the surrounding hills are home to well known families of weavers, wood carvers, and potters. The roads are narrow, but paved, and very pastoral as they wind around colorful houses and yards. 

Sheer wall of the canyon.

We found a weaver first, and it was the main one I wanted to visit. The looms were right in the room as you walked in the door and a small showroom of goods was to the side. A woman was working on one loom and another woman was working on a smaller one in the back. A man came out and explained the first loom was built by his grandfather and he was still using it. In fact, he had a working project on it right there. The loom his wife was working on was built by his father, and another loom he had built, himself, about 30 yrs ago. 

He showed us around and explained all the designs and various products. He even has orders from Japan where they are fascinated by our old west history. He learned to weave when he was a child on a small loom his grandfather built and is the 7th generation of weavers in his family. Their name is Trujillo and they were all so gracious. Grace and I were the only ones in the shop the whole time we were there and they were pleased we were so interested. We didn't take any pictures because we felt that would be too intrusive.

The rubble at bottom of picture from floods last year.

We spent more time than we planned and when we finally tore ourselves away, I found I had locked us out of the car. My purse with my phone, spare key and AAA card was also locked inside. I am so dumb sometimes, it kills me. We had to meekly go back inside and ask if they could call AAA for me. Again, they were so gracious and helpful. We waited another 45 minutes for the truck to show up and spent it visiting and learning more about their craft. 

We finally got going again, but had to forego any other exploration of the area for the other families. We started to go up the country road, called the 'high road' to Taos, but I was low on gas, again, and no stations in sight. We backtracked to Espanola, gassed up and got on the freeway. With the delays, we got to Taos after the museum we wanted to go to had closed. We walked around the plaza, but it was more retail and commercial than Santa Fe had been. Grace picked up some things and we headed for the hotel. I was very disappointed, but I have to admit, the upside of spending all that time with the Trujillos in Chimayo was incredible.

Albuquerque, NM to Espanola, NM

A bird or a spaceship?

After grabbing some breakfast, we got an early start on the Petroglyph National Monument, just on the south end of Albuquerque. It's a small park surrounded by developing neighborhoods. It's basically a lava flow that surrounded hills and were exposed when the hills eroded. Visitors actually have to leave the park and drive through residential streets to find the various areas to come back into the park where the trails are. The petroglyphs are carved on the basalt, which has a tendency to crumble over the centuries. Mind you, the crumbles are huge boulders, but they've moved and tumbled. The most bizarre thing about the drawings is that so many of the figures look like primitive alien forms. They are just other-worldly. 

The 'Circle of Life.'

The trails were mostly easy, but some climbing over the large basalt rocks was necessary. The first trail we came to climbed steeply to the top of a mound, so we passed it over. A woman who was just coming down when we drove by met us a little later and said that the trail had been brutal, so I was glad we had let it go.

Tent rocks often have caps of rocks balancing on the top.

We drove from there to Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument between Albuquerque and Santa Fe. This park is so small, it doesn't have a visitor center or gift shop. The gate shack had the park stamp for our passport books, but that was it. Our Nat'l Monuments don't have the status or frills that our Nat'l Parks do. I'm always thrilled when I see one that's been elevated to the higher status of a Park. 

Looking down the canyon at the tops of 'tent rocks.'

We passed on a 'cave' trail (which I later wish we'd done) and just drove through the park. We only went a few miles before hitting a gravel road that continued to the top of a small mountain where there was a veteran's memorial and a beautiful view of a couple of canyons. We ate a light lunch on top before coming back down, exiting the park and heading for Santa Fe. 

Front of NM Capitol Building in Santa Fe, NM.

We found the state capitol building (I love it when my GPS is working) and I explored it while Grace waited in a park. I think state capitol buildings are beautiful, some grand, some plain, but each unique. This one was a round design with three levels opening onto the colorful rotunda. Most capitol buildings try to reflect the history and culture of their states. Even the furniture makes a statement.

I loved the wagon wheel legs of this bench.

This capitol had some beautiful weavings and paintings, but the most unique thing I've ever seen was a buffalo head made from all sorts of materials; fabric, plastics, paper mache, paint brushes, etc. Even fishing reels were used for the eyeballs. It was just fascinating. And this guy is HUGE.

Blow this up and look closely.

When I was done in the capitol, I found Grace and we walked the few blocks towards old town and all the shops and vendors. I had really been looking forward to seeing the Georgia O'Keefe museum since I've always loved her work. When we got there, we found they had a special exhibit showing her work alongside Ansel Adams. They each had photographed and painted many of the same features of the southwest. I regretfully decided not to pay the admission price even though I'm sure the exhibit was worth it. Grace wasn't interested, either, so we browsed the gift shop and walked back to the plaza shops.

Street vendors lining one side of the plaza in Santa Fe, NM.

I really love the culture, history, architecture, colors, and crafts of the southwest and the vendors did not disappoint. There were enough wovens, silver, copper, blown glass, beadwork, leatherwork, etc., to satisfy anyone. We made our contributions to the trades and walked back to the capitol building to reclaim the car and head to Espanola, NM. Tomorrow, Bandelier National Monument.