A Trip to New Mexico

Daniel and I have prioritized our travel to explore places we’ve never been before.  Our latest trip was to New Mexico, which neither of us had ever visited.  Friends have been telling me about Santa Fe for years.  I originally planned to visit in the summer of 2021, but the Delta variant reared its ugly head and I decided to forego that trip.  We finally got around to visiting New Mexico this month, partly for leisure, partly to investigate a possible winter home.

If flying, the most efficient way to get into New Mexico is to fly to Albuquerque (ABQ).  Santa Fe has an airport, but it’s very small and we found if we were to fly there, the price would have been higher, and our layover would have gone on forever.  So, we flew into ABQ via Denver.  Upon landing in Denver, we had to wait 20 minutes before our gate was ready, then had to rush to the other terminal for our connection – only to discover that that flight was also delayed.  No worries, we arrived at ABQ’s charmingly westernized airport only slightly late, got our rental car, and enjoyed a leisurely drive to Santa Fe. 

By the time we got into Santa Fe, we were hungry, so we headed to Santa Fe Plaza, near the Palace of the Governors and parked our rental.  We selected Coyote Cantina, where I enjoyed some fine drinks, and I sampled my first ever Frito Pie.  Delicious!

A Frito Pie

Dan in a hare-ey situation.

We started Friday with a hike at Cerrillos Hills State Park.  Exercise was necessary, because we ate so much during our trip that we ran the risk of sabotaging our diets.  Then we headed to Meow Wolf, a sort of combination art gallery and funhouse, which was the highlight of our trip.  This is the kind of place that can be enjoyed by people of all ages and persuasions.

Outside Meow Wolf

Dan in the cotton candy room

We were unaware an annular eclipse was going to occur during our trip, so we neglected to bring solar viewing glasses and, despite looking at numerous places, were unable to find any.  We went to an empty parking lot Saturday morning and enjoyed it as best we could without harming our eyes.

That evening, we took a break from our sightseeing to take in the new Exorcist film.  It was totally unmemorable. 

Sunday morning, we packed up and headed to Albuquerque for the last two days of our trip.  Instead of taking I-25, we took state route 14.  This proved to be interesting as it took us through the tiny town of Madrid, once a mining town, later a filming location for Wild Hogs, now mostly an artists’ colony.  Continuing our journey south, we took a detour and drove to the top of Sandia Crest, then back down again.  By the time we got into Albuquerque, our appetite needed to be satisfied and we stopped at the 66 diner.  The experience was more notable for its vintage Route 66 décor than for the ordinary Chicken Fried Steak I ate. 

On our way to ABQ from Santa Fe

Comfort food

Albuquerque is quite a bit larger than Santa Fe – its population is greater than municipal Cleveland, yet it retains a small-town feel.  With the roads largely laid out in a grid pattern, it’s easy to navigate.  (Just about every road we encountered in New Mexico was far superior to Ohio’s counterparts.)   Old Town was quite crowded on Sunday, with vendors and activities aplenty.  Yet we found most were selling the same things as in Santa Fe. 

Monday was our last full day in New Mexico.  Dan had been wanting to try blue corn pancakes, so we headed to the Range café for an early breakfast.  Although I’ve been on a low-carbohydrate diet since 2021 (and have lost almost 40 pounds), I tried the pancakes and greatly enjoyed them.  We then headed to the Sandia Peak Tramway for a ride to the top – some 10,679 feet.  Yes, our ears popped on the way up and on the way down.  Unfortunately, due to a minor injury I wasn’t able undertake a hike to the Kiwanis cabin, built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s.  Still, the vistas from the peak made it one of the highlights of our trip.

View of ABQ from Sandia Peak

We flew home Tuesday, connecting at George Bush Intercontinental Airport – a fine, well-run airport.  During our brief connection, I had the need to use the restroom and walked in to hear Beethoven’s last string quartet on the overhead speakers.  One wonders what the Master would think to have his music playing in such a place.