A weekend in Northern New Mexico

• Land of Mesas and Canyons

• Land of enchantment

• Land of color

This is just the place to reconnect with one that means so much to me. We took off one Friday morning from Denver, chatting non-stop for 5 hours straight. Once best of friends we both had stories to tell. This was to be a weekend of shared exploration and this is what we found;

Taos

The Plaza, a short walk from our rental, was where we;

• Watched the cruisers circle the plaza Saturday night

• Ate chocolate at Chokola

• Admired art, fine to kitschy

Echo Canyon amphitheater

Saturday morning we drove to the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge, it was completely fogged in. Much to Garth’s delight we would not be able to to take in the grand views from one of America’s highest bridges, instead we continued through the fog along Old Highway 64 turning south on hwy 84 where we found the Echo Canyon Amphitheater. A theater carved out of rock millions of years ago by Mother Nature. We enjoyed an easy walk amidst the natural landscape encompassed by the aroma of sage, herbs, juniper and pinon trees.

Rock Art

Our Spanish ancestors interrupted a natural continuum that some would argue in the most disruptive manner possible. New Mexican history runs deep, it has never been passive.

Ghost Ranch

Named for the brujas or witches that once inhabited the valley. Georgia O'Keeffe maintained a small bungalow on Ghost Ranch taking her time to portray the surrounding landscapes in her art. Numerous artists, past and present, have been inspired by this valley.

Abiquiu

Georgia O’Keeffe lived and worked in this village, on top of a mesa, for 40 years. Her historic adobe house is now a museum.

Dixon

Highway 68 follows the Rio Grande gorge, we pulled into Dixon for lunch. The Spanish dialect spoken here, and throughout Northern New Mexico, reflects the language of the 16th century Spanish settlers. We happily:

• bought organic apples at roadside stands including Velarde Orchards, an orchard dating back to 1598

• shopped for New Mexican goods at the Dixon Market, a locally managed Co-operative

• ate enchiladas at Zuly’s Cafe

Rio Grande del Norte National Monument

On the way home to Colorado we stopped at the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument for an invigorating hike down and then up the gorge.

There is a beautiful mosaic of cultures in Northern New Mexico where the Spanish and the Native Americans have forged relationships since the 16th century, sometimes in harmony and other times not. The Anglo minority have assimilated into this patchwork creating a sense of community like no other region in the American South West. We felt revitalized by the people we met; by the expanses of pinon trees and sage brush. Perhaps some would see a harsh environment but there is a pureness to be enjoyed. It is the place where we are welcome, where we belong.