Taos, New Mexico: 10/26 – 10/28/18

We left the Grand Canyon after eight fun days and headed towards Taos, New Mexico.   Every time we cross over a state border, I take a picture at the point of entry.  Well, here is what New Mexico’s sign looks like:

This is what we saw as we crossed the border from Eastern Arizona.

I was surprised and saddened by the graffiti.  It was a first for me to see a state welcome sign altered in that way.  It was also a wake up call for me when we passed through Navajo Nation.  We drove miles past open land with small basic communities.  Every now and then there would be a hand painted sign for “Handmade Jewelry For Sale Up Ahead”, but some stands seem deserted and only a few had one or two parked cars in their lot.  I have a new perspective on our nation’s history, and I have lots of questions about how things progressed so many years ago.

Another landmark we passed is called “Ship Rock” which looked like an isolated boat that was shipwrecked on wide-open land.  Zoom in for a clearer view.

When we were done driving for the day, we spent one night off the highway on BLM land in Farmington, NM, where we saw a most beautiful sunset.

There was not much else around, so we were up early the next day to continue on.   When we got to Taos, we booked two nights at a very run down Sierra Village Lodge and Campground about a 15-minute drive away from the town center.

We drove into town and mused about the Southwestern Pueblo homes and the painted walls.

Taos is a historic little town filled with art galleries, restaurants, and various small shops.   Town Center was decorated for Halloween.  This was taken just around the corner from Town Center.

Before heading back to the trailer, we stopped at Parch’t, a little wine bar that served wine and snacks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The next morning, Scott dropped me off at Shree Yoga in town for an amazing 90-minute yoga class.  Afterwards, we went to Black Mesa Winery which was a 40-minute ride from town.

When we left the winery, I realized that it would be our last chance to take a hike in Taos.  We went back to the trailer, changed clothes, and drove to a nearby trailhead that we spotted near our campsite.

We parked in a lot at this trailhead, but crossed the road hike a different trail, Devisadero Loop, a 5.7 mile hike.

It was around 4:30 p.m. when we started, so we brought our headlamps just in case.   This trail was like rolling hills…up and down and up and down as it traversed the tiny mountain.   Good workout for sure.

As we approached the peak, we heard music.  The violinist can be seen in the next picture.

Time to head down for approximately 2.5 miles, and dusk was quickly approaching. I  don’t always enjoy being in the woods at night, but the sunset  was simply spectacular. My pictures don’t do it justice.

Below is Scott’s sunset picture.

We must say goodbye to New Mexico and start our return to Estes Park, Colorado.  There are many other places I wanted to see, but it will have to wait until next spring.  Our adventure will hit the pause button for about five weeks. Scott will be staying with his dad, and I will be traveling to New Jersey to visit with my mom.  We are both looking forward to December 11th when we will reunite and continue our adventure.  Stay tuned for more.  Goodbye Colorado.  See you again soon.