Bram and I watched the fireworks from Kathy's house. Great view!
7.04.2005
Tent Rocks
Fourth of July, headed out to Tent Rocks National Monument, after sending Kelly, Julie, Jodie, and John on their way to Colorado Springs. It's on Cochiti Pueblo, about a 45-minute drive from our place, the last few miles on dirt, washboard roads.
The beginning of the trail takes you through a slot canyon that requires some climbing and scrambling. Audrey pretty much handled them with a sense of adventure as we all worked our way, single file, through.
This part of the trail is just incredible. The walls curve in and out, hang over and move away. The effect reminds us of Richard Serra's Torqued Ellipses, where the walls move around you in ways they shouldn't.
Plenty of places to hide.
The trail up to and through the slot canyon is probably just over a mile. The last stretch takes you up the mesa for about a 400' elevation change in about a quarter mile. Audrey had kind of hit her limit at that point, especially since we were back out into the sun after the canyon. So Paul, Trish, and I headed up to the top of the mesa after a break, while Mon and Tess backtracked a bit and found a shady spot to stop with Audrey.
On the way, you start at the base and eventually work your way above the eponymous tent rocks. The layers of sediment on top are a bit harder than those below, which keeps them from completely eroding away, and gives them their shape. We were told at Keshi that this area is still used for coming-of-age ceremonies by the residents of Cochiti Pueblo.
At the top, we met up with a couple of locals who (in addition to taking our picture) shared with us some stories about growing up in the area, hunting on the land, and exploring the surrounding caves.
So, from the top of the mesa, this is our view (with the start point indicated):
and from the trail, looking up at our end point on the mesa:
Dinner at Cowgirl. We earned it.
The beginning of the trail takes you through a slot canyon that requires some climbing and scrambling. Audrey pretty much handled them with a sense of adventure as we all worked our way, single file, through.
This part of the trail is just incredible. The walls curve in and out, hang over and move away. The effect reminds us of Richard Serra's Torqued Ellipses, where the walls move around you in ways they shouldn't.
Plenty of places to hide.
The trail up to and through the slot canyon is probably just over a mile. The last stretch takes you up the mesa for about a 400' elevation change in about a quarter mile. Audrey had kind of hit her limit at that point, especially since we were back out into the sun after the canyon. So Paul, Trish, and I headed up to the top of the mesa after a break, while Mon and Tess backtracked a bit and found a shady spot to stop with Audrey.
On the way, you start at the base and eventually work your way above the eponymous tent rocks. The layers of sediment on top are a bit harder than those below, which keeps them from completely eroding away, and gives them their shape. We were told at Keshi that this area is still used for coming-of-age ceremonies by the residents of Cochiti Pueblo.
At the top, we met up with a couple of locals who (in addition to taking our picture) shared with us some stories about growing up in the area, hunting on the land, and exploring the surrounding caves.
So, from the top of the mesa, this is our view (with the start point indicated):
and from the trail, looking up at our end point on the mesa:
Dinner at Cowgirl. We earned it.
7.03.2005
Off To The Caldera
So many choices, so many things we wanted to show off. We decided on hiking at possibly our favorite sight around here, the Valles Caldera, something we haven't had a chance to do since moving.
Headed out in the late morning, stopped off in Los Alamos to get some subs, and continued on to the trailhead. One of my favorite things to do — it's how Steffen and I first came upon Valles Caldera (I'm pretty sure it was the Valles Grande then), years ago — is to take the twisty turny drive up the Jemez mountains, west of Los Alamos, after you make it through all the switchbacks, you turn a corner, and the pine forest opens up to the most amazing vista, the open green just shocking you.
On our trip out last September, we spent a confusing day trying to, and finally actually, hiking on some of the trails on the outside of the Valles Caldera (during elk hunting season, for a little extra excitement). But we found the trailhead for a nice little hike that takes you from the forest, down to the edge of the caldera. It's a mile down, a couple hundred foot elevation change (easy down, a little tougher back up) through the pine forest. A pretty stroll, even before you get to the end. So nobody really knew what we were taking them to, until we got around that last corner, and saw:
There's rocks to sit on, trees to sit under, so we stopped for lunch. A few of us took off to walk down more into the caldera and to the fence that is the actual boundary. Paul strolled through the field:
and Kelly conquered the big rock:
Trish found part of an elk horn, most likely from the elk herd that lives in the caldera.
Mostly, we just kind of hung out around the bottom of the hill, enjoying the sun and the breeze.
(OK, left to right, that's Jodie, Julie, John, Trish with Audrey, Kelly, Tess, and Paul)
Little Audrey was a real trouper through all this; though she needed to be carried every so often, seemed to love being outside, wandering around with her family.
We stopped at Baskin-Robbins in Los Alamos for a little snack to get us home. We headed back to our respective places, made ourselves presentable again, and met up at Il Vicino on Guadalupe (where they took really good care of us) to finish off the day.
Headed out in the late morning, stopped off in Los Alamos to get some subs, and continued on to the trailhead. One of my favorite things to do — it's how Steffen and I first came upon Valles Caldera (I'm pretty sure it was the Valles Grande then), years ago — is to take the twisty turny drive up the Jemez mountains, west of Los Alamos, after you make it through all the switchbacks, you turn a corner, and the pine forest opens up to the most amazing vista, the open green just shocking you.
On our trip out last September, we spent a confusing day trying to, and finally actually, hiking on some of the trails on the outside of the Valles Caldera (during elk hunting season, for a little extra excitement). But we found the trailhead for a nice little hike that takes you from the forest, down to the edge of the caldera. It's a mile down, a couple hundred foot elevation change (easy down, a little tougher back up) through the pine forest. A pretty stroll, even before you get to the end. So nobody really knew what we were taking them to, until we got around that last corner, and saw:
There's rocks to sit on, trees to sit under, so we stopped for lunch. A few of us took off to walk down more into the caldera and to the fence that is the actual boundary. Paul strolled through the field:
and Kelly conquered the big rock:
Trish found part of an elk horn, most likely from the elk herd that lives in the caldera.
Mostly, we just kind of hung out around the bottom of the hill, enjoying the sun and the breeze.
(OK, left to right, that's Jodie, Julie, John, Trish with Audrey, Kelly, Tess, and Paul)
Little Audrey was a real trouper through all this; though she needed to be carried every so often, seemed to love being outside, wandering around with her family.
We stopped at Baskin-Robbins in Los Alamos for a little snack to get us home. We headed back to our respective places, made ourselves presentable again, and met up at Il Vicino on Guadalupe (where they took really good care of us) to finish off the day.
P&T&A (&T&K&J&J&J) In New Mexico
As previously mentioned Paul and Tess and little Audrey have come to Santa Fe from Minnesota. Traveling with them was also Tess' mom Trish (from Key West, by way of Minnesota). And in advance, was her brother Kelly and sister-in-law Julie (also from Minnesota), and Julie's sister Jodie and brother-in-law John (from Colorado Springs).
Kelly, Julie, Jodie, and John arrived in town Friday night, so we met up with them Saturday afternoon, while Paul, Tess, Audrey and Trish were coming in from Tucumcari. The first order of business was food, preferably of the New Mexican variety. The Blue Corn Café, just across from the hotel, took care of that. Quite well.
With a litte time to kill, we took the group on down to Jackalope. Always good fun.
The travelers made it in, and capitalizing on momentum, we turned around and headed to the Plaza. For a couple hours, we ranged about, poking around stores and soaking in the Santa Fe-ness of it all.
A couple hours was our limit. Sitting, and more food, was in order. So, to Zia Diner. Most folks were pretty well worn out and turned in early, but we managed to spend some time that evening catching up with P&T back at our place.
Kelly, Julie, Jodie, and John arrived in town Friday night, so we met up with them Saturday afternoon, while Paul, Tess, Audrey and Trish were coming in from Tucumcari. The first order of business was food, preferably of the New Mexican variety. The Blue Corn Café, just across from the hotel, took care of that. Quite well.
With a litte time to kill, we took the group on down to Jackalope. Always good fun.
The travelers made it in, and capitalizing on momentum, we turned around and headed to the Plaza. For a couple hours, we ranged about, poking around stores and soaking in the Santa Fe-ness of it all.
A couple hours was our limit. Sitting, and more food, was in order. So, to Zia Diner. Most folks were pretty well worn out and turned in early, but we managed to spend some time that evening catching up with P&T back at our place.
7.01.2005
carwash... working at the carwash, yeah
Okay, now that I've got that song firmly stuck in your head for the 4th of July weekend, here's today's story from me.
Now, the Sentra, as you all know, has seen better days. Even with its custom paint job. I've been parking it here at the apartment in one of the few shady spots. Shade is important. Of course parking under a tree usually means one thing: bird plotz.
Santa Fe is, — in case you missed this part — in the desert. That means not much water. Especially when you're in a 20-year drought. Even with the record snows and following spring runoff this year, we're still under "stage 2" drought conditions. I'm not sure exactly what that entails (fines for excess household water usage is part of it, I think), but it is actually illegal to wash your car, yourself, at your house. So, off to Squeaky Clean Car Wash I went. They did a great job, including vacuuming out the interior (which hadn't been done since, oh, I dunno... the Clinton administration, maybe?), washing all the glass, inside + out, removing the 1/8 inch of pollen + dust form the dash + console, and toweling it off after.
Stopped for gas on the way home. Prices in Santa Fe currently are pretty uniformly $2.39/gal for regular unleaded. Ouch. The price has spiked here in the last couple of weeks, and I was hoping they'd drop before I was running on fumes. No such luck. NOTE to DeGEESTS, IF YOU'RE READING THIS ON THE ROAD: Tank up in TEXAS! At the Shell station, pulled in next to this guy, who kindly let me take his picture:
It's a 1939 Chevy flatbed pickup. He said he's only the 3rd owner, and he uses it everyday (not just out for the 4th). It was running while he was filling it (yikes!), because the starter was busted. He also said that his favorite thing to do is drive it up to the Opera, and have the tailgate dinner on the flatbed. So cool, and so Santa Fe.
wooah wo, come on sing it with me... carwash...
Now, the Sentra, as you all know, has seen better days. Even with its custom paint job. I've been parking it here at the apartment in one of the few shady spots. Shade is important. Of course parking under a tree usually means one thing: bird plotz.
Santa Fe is, — in case you missed this part — in the desert. That means not much water. Especially when you're in a 20-year drought. Even with the record snows and following spring runoff this year, we're still under "stage 2" drought conditions. I'm not sure exactly what that entails (fines for excess household water usage is part of it, I think), but it is actually illegal to wash your car, yourself, at your house. So, off to Squeaky Clean Car Wash I went. They did a great job, including vacuuming out the interior (which hadn't been done since, oh, I dunno... the Clinton administration, maybe?), washing all the glass, inside + out, removing the 1/8 inch of pollen + dust form the dash + console, and toweling it off after.
Stopped for gas on the way home. Prices in Santa Fe currently are pretty uniformly $2.39/gal for regular unleaded. Ouch. The price has spiked here in the last couple of weeks, and I was hoping they'd drop before I was running on fumes. No such luck. NOTE to DeGEESTS, IF YOU'RE READING THIS ON THE ROAD: Tank up in TEXAS! At the Shell station, pulled in next to this guy, who kindly let me take his picture:
It's a 1939 Chevy flatbed pickup. He said he's only the 3rd owner, and he uses it everyday (not just out for the 4th). It was running while he was filling it (yikes!), because the starter was busted. He also said that his favorite thing to do is drive it up to the Opera, and have the tailgate dinner on the flatbed. So cool, and so Santa Fe.
wooah wo, come on sing it with me... carwash...
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