we kept driving towards Holbrook, we saw a train on the side. Having seen
Giant Logs, going towards painted desert, we saw the rail road underneath,
Santa Fe Railroad. As we drove into New Mexico, the train with four yellow engines and may be more than fifty freight cars connected to it. All UPS and Fedex in one place. This train followed us alongside for a long time and then it was
Rio Grande's turn.
We took the
Sandia Peak Tramway which also welcomed us into the
Cibola National Forest. We stayed at
Rio Rancho. everywhere there's an Intel, they seem to have an Intel Drive road. I would have moved to NM if not for the ever present traffic cops.
I-528 has an easy connection to I-25. Our plan was to stay in
Corrales and get a pastoral sense but the drive into New Mexico filled us heartily with sights of a horse on the plains like mile post.
Man proposes Hotwire Disposes.
The next morning on our way to
Tent Rocks National Monument, just 4 miles short of it, we reached a road block sign. Onto the left was a collection of offices but nobody, it being a sunday. We were going to be content with th huge black wall, a bank of a raised railroad? and the Rio Grande, and then I found the sign we missed to the Tent Rocks. The slow entry also had a 'pay it forward' with park fee paid ahead. Even with acres and acres of land, the parking wasnt enough. I didnt pay attention to the trails map. duaghter and father team were tackling tantrums while the sisters forged ahead. There was a trail which would led us back with no effort but no experience of the tent rocks too. As we hiked, there were places here we thought of
127 Hours and
Jemez Mountains which caused the layers with its volcanic ash. Fellow hikers thought that when the path got too constricted and required us to step high, the rocks on either side were just arms away. Felt semi claustrophobi in a place or two. Before starting the hike, we had seen some people on the ridge and wondered how some got there. On the way we asked a party, if they were going up, if they knew the way to that. another party said that the trail we were on would not go to the top and cut across back. They were under a misunderstanding. They were referring to the window shopping trail. At some point we turned back when we realised the return was a known path and forward was steep. NM-22 got us there from I-25 and NM-16 would take us back to I-25 without repeating the route. From here on you are transported into the world of
Coronado.
Ecco Gelato serves Avocado and Watermelong flavor gelatos and uses local coffee.
Santa Fe was alet down with the curator at
Georgia O Keeffe Museum was a let down with the curator asking back for a sketch book given as a disocvery packet back from a toddler. Hello.
We didnt expect Rio Rancho to have an Indian restaurant. The ladies at
Namaste were very cordial and managed the restaurant very well each following the others steps like the same person, filling the water jugs on a side table when the jugs cleared. We had Matar Paneer, Samosa, Malai Kofta.
