Goodbye New Mexico, Hello Colorado

Driving through far northern New Mexico, we again ascended from desert scrubland up some lush grassland valleys among the mountains.  Our last night in New Mexico was spent in Chama on the Colorado border.  A popular train ride runs from Chama up to Antonito, Colorado through the mountains.  Because of a recent fire and then a mudslide that damaged the tracks, the train was cancelled for a few days.  We would like to return here and do the train ride in Autumn.

Moonrise in Chama

Mural in Chama

We drove northwest to Colorado and stopped for the night in a beautiful forest campground at the top of a hill just outside Durango.

Scrubland and some green grass along with some serious mountains

Beginning to look like Rocky Mountains

Taller, jagged peaks - close to Colorado!

Chimney Rock on the right, and Companion Rock on the left

These signs were all over Durango as they had just been delivered safely from a massive threatening fire.

My sister, Lin, joined us here, driving 8 hours down from her home north of Denver.  Thursday, we dropped Lin's car off at a long-term parking facility and headed north on the San Juan Skyway (aka The Million Dollar Highway).

Pine trees lined up as if they were planted!

Sisters....the best!  Our brother would have made it perfect!

Marmot attempting to cross the road

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Gorgeous mountain scenery, we stopped for lunch in Silverton, an old-time western town.  The center street is paved, but all the side streets are dirt.  Popular with tourists, lots of restaurants and shops - we decided to have lunch at Thee Pitts - great BBQ restaurant with lots of character.

Strange colored river in Silverton

Popular town of Ouray

We continued north through the mountains with multiple passes over 10,000'.

 We stopped at Ridgway State Park for the night and we celebrated my birthday at a nice restaurant in Ridgway.  Returning to the campground, Lin had a cake and Proseco accompanied by a great hula hoop that lights up.

Downtown Ridgway

Moonrise in Ridgway

The next morning, Lin and I walked a short 1 mile trail down to the reservoir before we climbed back aboard the RV and finished the scenic loop through the mountains back to Durango, but the weather did not cooperate and we drove through heavy rainstorms, some sleet and some hail!  Mountains were beautiful and dramatic, but photos were impossible.

Dead tree sculpture on our walk

Ridgway Reservoir

Saturday morning, Lin got on the road back home early and Jack and I headed west to the Four Corner Monument - where Colorado, Utah, New Mexico and Arizona meet.  We managed to get a photo of Jack in all four states, pretty much doing the same thing he did in 2005 - the last time we were here.

Here are some of the pics from when we were here in 2005...

Apparently, this had been a problem?????  Multiple signs.

Four state flags plus.....

 A wonderful few days - what a treat to be able to celebrate my birthday with family.  Thanks, Lin!

Return to Taos, Taos Pueblo, Heading to Colorado: July 23, 2018

After checking out the mountain town of Red River where we stayed last night, we completed the second half of the Enchanted Circle through the mountains around Taos.  Red River is a scenic small mountain town with lots of restaurants and tourist shops.

 
The last half of the Enchanted Circle found us coming out of the mountains and back down to desert scrub. 

Back in Taos, we stopped at the Taos Pueblo, the oldest continuously inhabited residence in the United States!  College kids give tours around the community.  There are still 50 or so people living in the old Pueblos (North and South) without running water, electricity or sewers.  Many of these folks are elders who have lived there all their lives as well as some younger artisans that have shops to sell their beadwork, paintings, and pottery. 

The church in the central square.  Inside were gorgeous painted saints in bright turquoise blues (no photos allowed inside)

Painted "stained glass" church windows

Looking out from the church to the central plaza where traditional dances for feast days and pow wows are held

Many homes had interesting front doors

Remnants of original church that was bombarded by the Spanish during the Pueblo Uprisings, killing women and children who were inside  This was active cemetery until 2008

Many homes had these log-roofed that were originally used to dry meats, now just used for shade

An old home under rehabilitation

The ubiquitous oven - they load with cedar wood and burn till all ash, remove the ash, put in bread and seal up front and top draft holes and bake about 45 minutes.

Mountains around Taos

North Pueblo

South Pueblo

Lifeblood of community- a creek that runs all year.

We drove the short distance to downtown Taos (the town, not the Pueblo) to explore the central Plaza shops and had lunch at a great Mexican cantina.

After lunch, we headed west out of Taos to walk the bridge high over the Rio Grande - we can't seem to get away from this river!  

The Rio Grande is clear and fast-moving

This ram and his family hanging out by the Gorge

While Jack napped, I drove northwest and encountered these homes that had been on the local tv news the night before.  They are off-the-grid houses, fully self-sufficient for energy and some also have extensive greenhouses for growing food.  There probably a couple dozen homes spread over a couple of miles - some looked to just be a small sod-type home, while others were mansions!

Passed through some small towns with derelict housing and  rusting metal everywhere

Further north, we entered the mountains with lots of green pastures and cattle grazing.  We spotted real cowboys, herding cattle.  

We stopped in Chama, near the Colorado border for the night.  A great day!