North to Santa Fe

I woke up early and went for a little run around the area. I started along the creek, past the apple trees,

until the creek road joined the main paved road about half a mile down. From there I went to the cemetery road, which was another half mile up a gradual incline that left me breathless. The farm is at 4,600 feet and I live at sea level, so even the slightest gradient was a challenge. But I finally found myself at the cemetery gates. They were locked, so I had to content myself with waving in the general direction of my grandparents' graves. Then I went back down the hill to the road, checked my GPS and started plotting how to make this a three mile run. A little later I was trotting along the road when I found my Uncle Bill and his wife June out for a morning walk. I said good morning and we talked for a moment. I told them to come around for breakfast and they said they would. Then I finished my run, took a shower and joined Dan and my father for coffee.

Bill and June showed up a little later and we all had a pleasant visit. After they left, we had a simple breakfast of cereal and yogurt. I was keen to stay based at the farm for a few days before going on to Santa Fe, but Dan was eager to get back to his old stomping grounds, so I reluctantly started packing. I was just starting to drag my suitcases out to the car when another uncle, Lorenzo, showed up. So we all sat back down at the table and more chit-chat ensued. Finally Dan and I figured we had better get on the road because it was almost noon. So we left Dad and Lorenzo changing the filter for the well and we took off.

We took the old Turquoise Trail to Santa Fe, instead of the intertstate. This was a beautiful, scenic route that allowed us to stop in the former ghost town of Madrid to see the coal mining museum and have some coffee at a little cafe. Then we were on to Santa Fe. We got checked into our hotel and headed in to town where we walked around for awhile and watched the artsy tourists buying overpriced wares in the galleries. We had a very nice dinner at an Indian restaurant a block from the plaza, then went for a drive up the mountain to Hyde Park. As we got near the ski area we found areas of patchy snow still on the ground and it was cold when we would get out and walk around. We were hoping to see the sunset, but with rain moving in, I finally had to tell Dan it was hopeless. He teased me that I was being "an Aspen in the mud," but finally agreed when he saw the rain sweeping across the mountain range.

We got caught in a few showers back down in Santa Fe, but by the time we got to Whole Foods to pick up some things for breakfast in the morning, the rain had passed. We did our shopping, headed back to the hotel and settled in.

It's really amazing how green everything is this spring and how high all the creeks and rivers are. Neither of us has ever seen anything like it. I'd love for it to be the start of a permanent climate change for the region, but I suppose it's not likely.

I have a few pictures I had hoped to post, but it's turning out to be more involved than I had thought it would be because I'm on a strange computer. Since it's late, you'll have to take my word for it that I've got pictures. I'll try to get online a little earlier tomorrow night so I can get the photo stuff set up to work with blogspot.

Time to hit the hay. I've got an early run planned, then travels to Espanola and Taos.