The Land of Enchantment 6-17-13 to 6-20-13

I hit the road and started driving west. I wasn't anxious to be driving for hours on end but I can't imagine who would be. Before long measurements of time go by gas station stops rather than hours. After 3 gas stations I found myself getting tired, 2^nd degree tired. 2^nd degree tired is after you've already stopped for coffee. 3^rd degree flirts with haggard, only go there out of necessity. The rest of my foreseeable existence was going to be surviving on meager means so paying for any kind of lodging was out of the question. Cue Wal-Mart. After working there for two years back in high school I swore them off for years. I've since warmed up to them again partly out of necessity, but mostly out of convenience. I don't know the exact story why but anybody can park their vehicle off to the side in a Wal-Mart lot and sleep. No hassles and no charge. Next time you are at a store after dark pay attention to the perimeter of the lot and you will inevitably notice several vehicles. You'll see truckers, RVs , and even seedy busted ass vans that look like they should have a "Free Candy" sign taped to the side. There are still regular enough looking vehicles to represent average Joes like me. It's not glamorous but there is running water and most anything to buy right at your disposal. It smacks of dirt bag at first but that quickly subsides after you realize all the good stories that you are making. My first lot stop was in Russellville, Arkansas. It was a good intro to Wal-Mart camping with no odd characters lurking about. I must have been that character.

Daylight came round again and with it me in the driver seat facing west. Oklahoma greeted me with rolling hills and lush trees. I let this countryside slip past though, the desert was beckoning me from hundreds of miles away. I had never been to Texas and had no expectations as I crossed the state line. I immediately found myself confronted by the most memorable stereotype of all. Everything in Texas is bigger.

As I got a little farther past the state line I was intrigued with how the the land was taking shape. Scruffy brush peppered the ground everywhere and rains had created gulleys and washouts over time. With nothing but the brush and grass to hold the soil together the gulleys would grow and deepen giving rise to small mesas. This didn't last for long though and I found myself surrounded by an area that bore a striking resemblance to Kansas. I guess it was foolish to think that I would be able to cross the Midwest unscathed. I have to admit that I possess a strong topographic bias towards mountains and feel uneasy in an area that is so flat and wide open. The rest of the Texas panhandle was like this and after Amarillo the monotony was only broken by the occasional cattle ranch or small town. As I approached the New Mexico state line the landscape changed abruptly. The powers that be certainly drew the state line appropriately. Suddenly there were mesas off in the distance with buttes mingled in intermittently. I was relieved to have something new to look at. Old abandoned windmills stood idly spinning in the wind. With no other structures in sight I wondered if they were possessed any purpose other than serving as reminders of yesteryear. I wasn't too many miles into the state when I started seeing numerous signs for Cline's Corner. With all the hooplah I decided it would be worth it to check it out. It was conveniently located right off the interstate where I was exiting so it worked out.
I couldn't help but wonder if it was the New Mexico equivalent of Pedro's South of the Border. After arriving I realized that Pedro's still reigns supreme as the all time tourist trap but Cline's did have a nice back parking lot where I was able to watch my first sunset in the state. Once the sun was all but gone I hit the road again and started heading north on 285 to Santa Fe. Light was fading fast but I was still able to make out the mountain ranges looming in the distance on the horizon. I was a little disappointed to not be able to see them in detail but that sunset was absolutely worth it.

It was dark as I finally wheeled into Santa Fe. Once I located the Wal-Mart there I went about trying to find the way in and found myself having a bit of a time. It was dark, unfamiliar, and convoluted – the perfect navigational trifecta for conjuring creative cuss words. Once there I was immediately surprised by how many RVs and other vehicles were littered around the perimeter. Some were passing through while others seemed to be regulars. I couldn't fault anybody, this was a five star location for lot surfers. After taking care of Nualla and exploring a bit I settled in for the night.

I was at a loss as to what to do around Santa Fe. Road trips are better left unplanned and it's more interesting to simply let the journey unfold before you. With this in mind I began asking around about cool things to check out in the area. I had to be particular though because of the heat and having a dog. There was no way she could hang out in the car for any length of time. I decided on going to an REI store as surely there would be somebody there in the know. After some conversation and map scrutinizing I was headed up the mountain to the Santa Fe Basin. Located here is the winter resort Ski Santa Fe but the area has plenty to offer for the warm months as well. I had been told to check out the Winsor trail and it ended up being exactly what I was looking for. Compared to Santa Fe's elevation of 6800, the parking area at the trail head was just over 10,000 feet. With the change in elevation came a very pleasant decrease in temperature. This trail was the perfect warm up for the climbs ahead of me. The whole area had a very similar feel to Summit County and the hiking I am most used to in Colorado. I climbed as high as my water supply and the thin air would allow. I was greeted with a terrific view of the back side of the basin and decided this was a good place to turn back.

After running around in the woods I made my way back down the mountain to Santa Fe. I didn't like 20 more degrees stacked on the thermometer but I did enjoy the area. I was really impressed with the overall feel of the town and how unique its layout and architecture was.

The sun was relentless and I wouldn't have been sad if a cloud happened to obscure it for a minute or two. No such luck in the desert though. I had spent my day in Santa Fe and now wanted to see what Taos had to offer. I decided on taking the scenic high road to Taos so I would get a better glimpse into what New Mexico was about. On my way out of Santa Fe I ended up driving past a roadside attraction called Camel Rock. Based on the typical angle of pictures taken I was never able to tell how it got its name. Not to be outdone I managed to take a particularly well timed photo out of 3 or so as I cruised by on the highway. The rock appears to be a camel laying down while looking completely perpendicular to it.

Once on the road to Taos I was amazed at the differences in the countryside and how quickly it could change. I would be in the arid and scruffy desert one minute and the next be surrounded by a forest of pine trees. The landscapes would fluctuate back and forth through the winding roads as I neared my destination and kept the ride anything but mundane.

 

The sun was setting as I cruised into town and I tried checking my phone for directions. I didn't realize it until the next day but a fiber optic cable had been cut and the entire area was without internet or cell service. I was able to check out the town pretty well as I cruised back and forth looking for the Wal-Mart. In my wanderings around town I remember seeing a character walking on the roadside with his dog.
After making a pass or two through town I found my way to the store. I parked in the etcetera side of the lot where I shared space with a "free candy" looking van as well as a brightly colored, custom painted van. While settling in for the night I saw the character from earlier approaching with his dog. He had long blonde dreadlocks and a left eye that would wander around. His dog seemed to carry itself very deliberately while still being friendly and approachable. Come to find out, Rick and Socks were their names. After talking with Rick for a bit he spoke of his blind eye, his run ins with authority figures overstepping their boundaries, living out in the desert part time, and making yurt tents amongst other things. He was nice and shared with me the directions to a hot springs way off the beaten path right on the side of the Rio Grande river. Between that and checking out the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge I knew what I would be doing the next day.

While going in to the bathroom the next morning I saw Socks laying down inside a shopping cart waiting for Rick outside of the bathrooms. I didn't even notice him at first because he was so still. It was odd too how people disregarded the dog as if it were either commonplace or they didn't want to initiate a conversation with Rick. That sticks out in my memory because Socks was so well behaved and seemed to enjoy being pushed around in a cart like a child. I wished him a good journey and set out for the hot springs.

 

I saw the road to turn on right as I drove past it so I was already off to a good start. Anything beats making several passes back and forth looking for something. I was pretty skeptical from Rick's meandering directions but was pleasantly surprised as I noticed every landmark he mentioned. 20 minutes of driving saw me at the trail head for Manby Hot Springs. I was taken aback at the beauty of the river and how it had slowly made its mark. Over time it had eroded away hundreds of feet of dirt and rock into the canyon walls that are present today. Its impressiveness didn't fade as I neared the bottom of the canyon on the hiking trail. I had also heard that the hot springs were clothing optional and truth be told I was greeted with a pale white butt when I showed up. Figures, let your freak flag fly! There were two different people hanging out when I showed up but they drifted off towards the top of the canyon. I enjoyed the solitude of my surroundings until a whole family, complete with grandparents, showed up. They were a bit loud and I felt it was their turn so I began to get my things together. I made it a point to jump in the river before leaving though. It was nice and cold and helped the hike back up from being too hot.

Once back on the highway and off of the washer board gravel road I made good time to the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge. Hiking down the canyon to the river is one thing but to be directly over it looking down is entirely different. It was quite a drop down from the bridge and I imagine that anybody who isn't fond of heights would never set foot on it.

Further yet up the road is a famous earthship community out in the middle of the desert. Earthships have always held my interest as I have studied them in the past. They are designed to be completely self sustaining houses independent of the grid. Fortunately they had several structures for visitors to look at, including one that was under construction.

As I continued north towards Colorado there were scores of dirt devils popping up all around. I could see the odd one or two off in the distance at the end of sight as well as others that were nearer. At one point I took a detour off into the desert to check it out. Suddenly, one manifested out of a dry creek bed near my car. I fumbled around with my camera but unfortunately couldn't get a decent picture. It didn't last long before it expelled all its energy and disappeared just as quickly. If the whirlwind were sentient then it seemed like it had gotten shy in front of a camera. I made my way back to the road after the brief detour and before long was back in Colorado. 

As I got further north I noticed a huge dark ominous cloud looming out on the horizon. I followed it to the source and realized that the massive cloud was the West Fork fire blazing away. It was eerie how it could so strongly influence light and visibility. I ended up driving right through it and had to deal with the smoke for an hour and a half. The smoke had my eyes watering and Nualla sneezing. A normal drive turned into a surreal experience when I had to think about the number of trees and property being burned to produce such quantities of smoke. I kept plugging along and made it through to clear skies. I soon found myself in familiar territory and it was just a matter of time before arriving back in Summit County. I am fortunate to know good people and I was able to stay at a friend's house. (Thanks Lori!) The peak bagging would soon begin.