Back Down to Earth

 

Preserved Conoco Gas Station along Route 66

We arrived last Saturday in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where we spent four nights. Sunday the annual Indian Art Market was going on in the plaza. We wandered about with our dogs to check out the scene. It was crowded but lively, and both the dogs and we enjoyed it. Neither of us had ever been to Santa Fe before. It has more art galleries than anywhere we have been and provides great food, great strolling, and great people watching. Monday I drove down to Albuquerque and finally got our punctured tire replaced after driving more than 500 miles concerned that the repairs would fail in the middle of nowhere. Laura Lee visited the Georgia O'Keefe museum that afternoon while I watched the dogs.

Tuesday we drove up to Taos, another spot we had not seen. I had always wanted to ski there but the ski area was an additional 20 miles up the mountains so we did not make it there. We had a pleasant lunch and I took the dogs to a park while LL visited The Fechin House and museum. Later she went through the Maybel Dodge Luhan house and hotel. The highlight of the day was stopping at the Tesuque Village Market to share a house Margarita with chips and salsa. Perfect ending to a great day.

After nearly two months of fantastic scenery and being at elevations from 5,000 to 8,000 feet, we left Santa Fe yesterday morning and descended to Amarillo, Texas, at around 3,200 feet above sea level. I must say the re-entry was jarring. The spectacular scenery and cool mountain air have been replaced by flat grasslands and hotter temperatures.

The Cadillac Ranch

 The most interesting scenery yesterday was the Cadillac Ranch, shown above, and miles and miles of giant windmills generating electricity.

Tonight we are in Oklahoma City, and the transition back to earth is complete. We are expecting to be in Arkansas tomorrow night, Memphis Saturday night, and home perhaps Monday or Tuesday.