New Mexico

My soul lives in New Mexico.  I miss living there.  While others may dislike the 54 shades of brown of the high desert, I revel in it.  I love that I can be in a large city one minute, on top of a 10,000 foot mountain 30 minutes later, or sitting on a hill side in the northern mountains listening to the coyotes yip at each other across the valley.  It is a magical place - and we wanted to show it to Trang.

The northern New Mexico mountains are part of the Rocky Mountain chain - and in early October, it just couldn't be prettier.  The nip in the air is just enough to waken the spirit even if the lungs pant for a bit more oxygen. The golf course at Angel Fire won't be open much longer (though you can play in the snow if you know where the greens are located).  The summer crowds are gone - its mostly locals on the course now.

(As always, be sure to click on each photo - you'll see a bigger image.)

Purely by accident, we arrived when the aspen were in the peak of color.  Another week, and the trees would have been bare.  Trang was in awe - and so was I.  Its hard not to be amazed by such beauty. There are many homes built deep into the woods in the mountains of Angel Fire.  Wouldn't it be nice to pour your morning cup of coffee then sit on the deck and look at the colors?

Angel Fire is near Taos, but we found the famous Taos pueblo was closed.  Not to worry - the ladies had shopping to do - and since the Mystery Guest Blogger knew where the good places were,  she had to take Trang.  There are lots of "junk" stores in the area where pottery, Mexican blankets and such are available.  But, of course, there are also some very high end shops, such as Overland Sheepskin Company.   Trang has been into cowboy stuff since I first met her in Hue, and this place was a treat for her.

Then on to see the Rio Grande Gorge.  This mini-Grand Canyon isn't so mini when you stand on thebridge and wait for 8 seconds for your spit to hit the canyon floor.  I've been there a number of times, but I'm still awed by the deep cut in the earth so near to towering mountains.

Winter comes early at 8,600 feet above sea level.  Though the days are brilliant and warm, the nights are already cold - and this was Trang's first experience with freezing temperatures.  The thermometer read 32 degrees Fahrenheit, but to her (and most of the world) it was 0 degrees Celsius.  She was surprised that she didn't feel colder, but without the humidity in the air she is used to, the dry cold is less bitter, but she still needed a jacket

One last treat before we headed out to Albuquerque for the balloon fiesta - we stopped and watched real working cowboys beginning the drive to lower winter pastures.  Soon, the high mountain meadows will be covered with snow - and much too cold for the cattle.  We watched and listened as they worked, then they disappeared around a bend in the trail.  The old west - real cowboys - real horses - the real deal.

And I still miss New Mexico.

Comments

[layered]

Doug, it must be a real treat for Trang to see the wide-open spaces compared with the high-density of Vietnam, not to mention the temperature changes over the day.
I don't know if you have ever been to Montana. I have never been to New Mexico, but your story and photos remind me very much of the eastern slopes of the Rockies in Montana where I grew up. I will put New Mexico on my must-see list of places to get to someday. Meanwhile, life is good in Viet Nam.
-- Mel

[Bruce]

Enchantment aplenty, for sure !!

[Russ Young]

I miss having you out here. It's great that you got to see some working cowboys. Priceless!