The famous church at Rancho de Taos

The tri-cultural history of New Mexico is strong here.

• At Taos Pueblo, an ancient lifestyle is maintained, in stacked-cube buildings a thousand years old.
• The church of San Francisco de Asis at Rancho de Taos, a favorite with artists, is a reminder of the Spanish, who first arrived with Coronado in 1540.
• Kit Carson's house stands near the plaza downtown, now a museum dedicated to this sometimes friend, sometimes foe of the Indians in the 1800s.

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Moving forward in time, Taos always brings me back to one of my favorite books, by a very remarkable woman:  Edge of Taos Desert: An Escape to Reality, by Mabel Dodge Luhan.

Edge of Taos Desert

In the early 1900s Mabel was a high-society New York city socialite. She was used to Fifth Avenue, wealth and privilege, and she was a patron of the arts and the avant-garde. Technically, she was Mabel Ganson Evans Dodge Sterne. Her latest husband, Maurice Sterne, was a painter, and her intention was to turn him into a sculptor.

In 1917, Mabel decided to visit Santa Fe, New Mexico, a place hardly anyone in New York had heard of. Little did she know how this would affect her.

'I want a vacation', I said to myself. 'I've had a horrid time lately. I feel like a Change.'
I got it. My life broke in two right then, and I entered into the second half, a new world that replaced all the ways I had known with others, more strange and terrible and sweet than any I had ever been able to imagine."

Mabel fell in love with New Mexico, and particularly Taos - a tiny little backwater of a place at the time. She decided they should move here, and made it happen.

It's fascinating to read her descriptions of Santa Fe and Taos, and the way people lived in those days - the Indians, Spanish and Anglos all. In the nearly 100 years since it was written, life has changed greatly here, and Mabel has a unique way of viewing and describing things that's most interesting. But no matter how much has changed, every once in awhile, she says something that makes me think "Exactly - I felt that too!"

The sky was a burning, deep blue over us and my heart rose higher and higher until I was thrilling all over. It seemed to me I had never been happy before, just from being in good air and sunshine. Really, it seemed to me, I had never been happy before at all."

Mabel was more than an observer, though. She became involved with one of the men from Taos Pueblo, Tony Luhan, and eventually married him.

She also invited numerous friends from her old New York life to spend time with her in Taos, so they could discover this new world that so captivated her. By bringing artists, writers and photographers to Taos, she changed things for Taos, her visitors, and even us today. A couple of examples.

• If Georgia O'Keeffe hadn't visited Mabel in Taos, she might never have painted her stunning New Mexico landscapes.
• If Ansel Adams hadn't visited Mabel in Taos, he might never have found his passion for photography, and created his dramatic black and white landscapes.

This is a great book by a fascinating and influential woman - truly an Adventurous Wench! If you're headed to New Mexico, or even thinking about it, this book is highly recommended.

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We've finished our last women's trip to Santa Fe and Taos for the year. I do love visiting New Mexico, and hope to be back there again before long. The big blue skies, fresh crisp air, and remarkable history and culture keep drawing me back - and then there's the delectable food!
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Related posts:

1. Taos, New Mexico - Rio Pueblo Gorge (video)
2. Veterans Day at Taos Pueblo (video)
3. So there we were... rubbed down in the desert

Shadow of a shaman in Santa Fe

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As the firelight flickered, the slow rhythmic chanting grew louder.  The shaman lifted his arms to the heavens.  He raised his voice, beseeching those in the spirit world to send the rain they so desperately needed.  Soon, they heard a low rumbling of thunder, distant at first, growing closer and louder, and the skies opened...
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Sorry, guess I got carried away!That's what happens when I look at this picture, with some new-age music playing, and a monsoon thunderstorm going on outside!

Seriously, this is the shadow of a sculpture that stands outside a gallery in downtown Santa Fe, New Mexico.  I love the statue itself, but the shadow it casts is even more mysterious, and more like the shadowy world of the shaman.  It's shadowy to us because of the difference in time, place, and culture; shadowy to those circled around him by the fire because they couldn't comprehend his mystical powers.

Santa Fe is full of galleries featuring fabulous fine art.  Of course there are plenty of western themes, and native-crafted or native-inspired pieces, which fit so well with this southwest city.  But it's also one of the largest art markets in the US, and you can find everything from modern art to Asian antiques.  If you're looking to spend $100K on the perfect accent piece for your living room, there's probably someone in Santa Fe who has just what you're looking for.

I'm not usually in the market for serious art, but I do enjoy looking. I'm happy that they put this sculpture by Bill Worrell out in public, where we can all enjoy it.  It's come to seem like a part of Santa Fe to me, and I hope it's still there the next time I'm back in town.

You can also see similar works by the same artist in uptown Sedona, outside a gallery close to where we stay on our trips there.

See more works by artist Bill Worrell...

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We'll be back in Santa Fe in just a few weeks for our Southwest Hiking Adventure.  We still have one space left open on that trip, so if you want to join us and discover some New Mexico awesomeness, this your chance!  See the Santa Fe trip...
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Related posts:

1. Dreaming of Santa Fe spring rolls
2. Mining and New Mexico - have times changed since 1872?
3. Ancient Southwest Indian beer?

In honor of Veteran's Day, here's a different type of remembrance ceremony than most of us are used to.

At Taos Pueblo, New Mexico, tribal officials of the pueblo honor America's military veterans with a procession through the pueblo. On this day, it's good to remember our many brave military people, who came from all regions and walks of life.

If you've been to Taos on one of our Santa Fe trips, you'll recognize most of the sights, though it looks a lot chillier here in November, with snow on the mountain behind!

Video is from Nov. 11, 2008 at Taos Pueblo, New Mexico, USA.
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We visit Taos Pueblo every year on our Santa Fe trip. It's at least 800 years old, and people in the town follow traditional ways of their ancestors. It's tranquil now, but hasn't always been so.
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Related posts:

1. Taos, New Mexico - Rio Pueblo Gorge (video)
2. Edge of Taos Desert, a Woman's Adventure in Taos
3. Savannah - Garden of Good and Evil video

This video is from the Rio Pueblo Gorge, near Taos, New Mexico. This river comes from Taos Pueblo land and runs into the Rio Grande River. This is a deep gorge, but not as deep as the Rio Grande Gorge, which is a spectacular gash across the high desert -- almost shocking when you first see it.

On our Santa Fe trip, we go rafting on the Rio Grande. Even though this is a tributary canyon, the video is nice in that it gives you the feeling of the land there. The warm, languid, relaxing feeling you'd get sitting on the side of the river, just enjoying a sunny fall day. It's the same feeling you get floating downstream -- in the calm spots, when you're not paddling the whitewater, that is!

Lovely Taos Pueblo Flute Music from WindWalk: Music of Blackhill Albino Lujan of Taos Pueblo

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We'll be back in Santa Fe and Taos for our women's trip to New Mexico in September. I can hardly wait! It's a captivating place, and each time I'm here, I wish I could stay longer.
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Related posts:

1. Veterans Day at Taos Pueblo (video)
2. Edge of Taos Desert, a Woman's Adventure in Taos
3. Rockin' New Mexico Sheriff

Thank goodness we had a guide with us!

Today started out as a beautiful blue-sky Monday morning.

But by this afternoon I realized it was really a black day.  Or perhaps a black & blue day?

The bailout plan went down to defeat, as did the stock market. Shock waves are circulating.  For many, it's a day of profound uncertainty. Insecurity. Doubt. Fear.

Our economy is certainly on a wild ride right now. It reminds me of the white water rafting trip we took last week, out on the Rio Grande. I'll tell you now -- whitewater rafting seemed a whole lot safer!

On the rafting trip, our guide was in control, and knew exactly what he was doing. He'd calmly give instructions as we approached a set of rapids. "Everybody ahead 3 ... Ahead 2 more... Now all back hard!" Before you knew it, we'd successfully twisted & turned & navigated another rapid. After a few of those, we all had complete confidence in him.
- - The difference with the economy is that we don't know who's in charge. It's like our guide has fallen out of the boat, and we're left with us beginners trying to get through the rapids. People mean well, but nobody has the expertise.  Some are doing "ahead 3" while others are doing "back hard", and the net result is that we're not navigating anything - we're just going as the rapids take us.

In the safety talk before the rafting trip, they showed us the line they can throw if you fall out of the boat. They also said it rarely works, so if you fall out, plan to take care of yourself - don't count on getting a lifeline.
- - Gee, that seems a lot like this economic situation. The big guys may get lifelines, but us normal people are on our own.

If you fall out of the boat in the rapids, the advice is (a) don't panic, and (b) lie on your back and float downstream feet first, using your feet to fend off the rocks.
- - OK, we're trying, but floating was a lot easier when we learned it back in a swimming pool. It's a whole different story when you're shooting through the rapids, trying to see ahead enough to fend off those rocks, absorbing various bumps & bruises, and trying to keep your head above water.  And the "don't panic" advice is easier said than done!

Once you reach calm water, turn over and swim aggressively toward the boat.
- - OK, so economically speaking, where's the calm water? When will we get there? Since our guide fell out of the boat, none of us have a clue.

Then there are the experts, who can shoot the rapids in their little kayaks.  No need for a guide, they're having a great old time.
- - These are the people who did really well today, talking about how much $ they made short selling as the market plummeted.

The rest of us are back here floundering - either in the boat, arguing about which way to paddle as we bounce off the rocks, or floating downstream on our own, fending off with our feet, and trying not to panic.

I really wish our guide was back!

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We were rafting as part of our Santa Fe & Taos tour, and it was a lot of fun!  Santa Fe is a lovely city with a unique atmosphere, and there's a lot more in New Mexico, too.  Geez, I wish I was still out there in the high desert, blissfully unaware of the stock market news!
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Related posts:

1. Arizona water policy = don't ask
2. Moving forward in today's economy
3. Taos, New Mexico - Rio Pueblo Gorge (video)

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The New Mexico connection:

Dawson, NM was a booming coal mining town in the early 1900s. The population was as high as 9,000 people, and there were schools, churches, a hospital, hotel, even an opera. After a couple of tragic mine explosions, the town was abandoned. Today there's nothing left but a graveyard.

Dawson hotel

I just found out that my grandfather built a family home out of Dawson's remains.  Here's my dad's version of the story (so "my dad" in this tale is MY grandfather):

Around 1952 my dad's best childhood friend, an adventurer named Gene Prather heard about a mining town in NM that was being closed -- Dawson. Phelps Dodge wanted the place cleared out entirely, so Gene bought the hospital and my dad bought the hotel. They each took a bunch of workers (in our case a few nephews and some others) and took off. As I recall, it was late fall, the elevation was above 8,000 ft and it got COLD at night. All of the houses in town were simply abandoned, so we had our choice of residences while the work progressed.

No-one had any experience in dismantling multi-story brick buildings, but my dad figured to make a profit off the furnishings, etc. Of course, by the time we got there (I was only a part of this experience for short periods of time), various vandals and cannibals had already made off with most of the stuff that had supposed value -- the telephones, radiators, the best furniture, the x-ray machine from the hospital, etc. But the buildings remained, and they were disassembled board by board and the stuff was all hauled back to Tulia, TX.

In addition to saving any reusable lumber, the wrecking crew also saved any larger nails that happened to come out straight.  And the hotel had, of course, wonderful hardwood (probably oak) floors.  As the crew tried to take these up, the wood splintered and became unusable.  Some wise man advised my dad that some evening before they stopped working they should pour buckets of water over the floor.  The next morning, the wood had swollen so much that the nail heads were popped loose and came out easily.

At the time, we lived in a nice house on Gaines. But my dad used the materials from Dawson to build a new house for us at 17 Norfleet Drive. That hardwood flooring from the hotel was used in our new house. Aside from some fleeting occasional help, I believe he did everything himself.

Prather ended up in Brazil, occasionally dropping by with cases of aquamarines and emeralds ...."

Grandparents & house built from Dawson hotel

Photos: Dawson, NM -- then
Photos: Dawson, NM -- now

Is that cool or what? It makes me want to go visit Dawson, and imagine the town full of people, and the old hotel when it was in business.  Probably all the mining officials and opera singers who came to town stayed there.

Then my relatives taking it apart, and hauling it board by board to Texas, where my grandfather reincarnated it as their family home.

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I'm in New Mexico now for our Santa Fe and Taos tour. Afraid I won't have time to check out Dawson on this trip, but I can tell it has the makings of a cool future adventure!
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Related posts:

1. Mining and New Mexico - have times changed since 1872?
2. Ahhh... back to the red rocks
3. Photo: The miraculous Santuario de Chimayo

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I just ran across this post from Wanderlust and Lipstick, where Beth talks about some of her favorite foods in Santa Fe.  Pictures, too -- it's enough to make me hungry!

Wanderlust & Lipstick:  Santa Fe foodie

People in Santa Fe take their food seriously, and with good reason!  It's a distinctive regional cuisine, and you'll find variations from traditional to avant garde.  The city has more than its share of excellent restaurants, and you don't always need to spend a lot to get some great food here.

A couple of pointers:

*  Chiles - With an "e", not "chilis" with an "i" like the restaurant chain. Chiles are a staple here, and I'm not sure there's a restaurant in town without chile-something on the menu. They can be spicy, but aren't always, so you can ask your server for guidance.

* You often get a choice of red or green chile sauce with your dish. If you can't make up your mind, ordering "Christmas" means half red, half green.

Personally, my all-time, hands-down favorite dish in Santa Fe? The one without which no visit to the city would be complete?  (drumroll...)

Shiitake & Cactus Spring Rolls with Southwestern Dipping Sauce
(Santacafe restaurant)

Now that I've got this in my mind, I won't be able to rest properly until I get to Santa Fe, and have myself some spring rolls. Good thing I'm heading there in a few days!

When the city's finally sleepin'
All my thoughts begin to stray
And I'm on the train that's bound for Santa Fe
~  From Newsies soundtrack

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I'm heading to Santa Fe for our annual women's Santa Fe & Taos trip. I am SO looking forward to some fresh high-desert air, hiking in the mountains, rafting on the Rio Grande... and of course that Santa Fe food! Mmmmm
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Related posts:

1. Shadow of a Shaman in Santa Fe
2. Holy healing dirt?
3. Photo: The miraculous Santuario de Chimayo

Even when an image seems clear, its meaning isn’t as easy. Does a glyph that looks like a deer mean this is a good hunting area, frequented by deer? Does it record a specific hunt? Perhaps it honored a deer-related god? Or was it just the idle chippings of a bored and artistic traveler -- ancient graffiti?

In most cases we’ll probably never know, but one group of petroglyphs may have yielded up its secrets. A couple of amateur Arizona archaeologist say these "water glyphs" were used by the ancient Anasazi used to find scarce water sources in the desert.

The markers seem to act something like a map of motel locations. Just as a modern traveler could look at such a map and decide where he would be assured lodging for the night, one of the Anasazi well-versed in reading these symbols would have known where he could next stop for water and shelter."

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Bob Ford and Dixon Spendlove have identified and studied more than 270 examples of these symbols, across more than 2,000 square miles, throughout the ancient Anasazi homeland. Each glyph is at one water source, and points to another, enabling you to hop from water to water across the desert.

Just take a quick walk in the desert today, and imagine heading off on a lengthy trek across the forbidding (and potentially deadly) desert. You’ll wish you had a reliable water map.

A thousand years ago, they did.

Wilderness Utah: Water trails of the Anasazi

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Our desert hiking trips in Arizona and New Mexico come supplied with plenty of water, but you’ll quickly get an idea of how hard it must have been for earlier travelers without all our conveniences. It’s spectacular country, but not easy for the unprepared!
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Related posts:

1. Tuzigoot - Ancient Sinagua Ruins in Arizona
2. Ancient Southwest Indian beer?
3. Ancient Irish motels?

(click for larger image)
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The tiny town of Chimayo, not far from Santa Fe, is home to a shrine known for its miraculous healing powers. The Santuario has been healing people's ailments for centuries, and thousands of pilgrims visit each year seeking a cure. Many believe the secret is in Chimayo's healing dirt. (I've got my bag of dirt at home!)

Whether you're one of the fortunate who can leave your crutches behind here or not, it's a beautiful place to visit. The photo gives you an idea of its serene charm.

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We do women's trips to Santa Fe and Taos, New Mexico. I love the southwestern feel, the wide open spaces, the spectacular hiking, and the rich multicultural history and ambience. And then there's the food -- mmmm.
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Related posts:

1. Holy healing dirt?
2. Photo: Napa Valley, vine-covered winery
3. Photo: Iguana watching from a tree

“When the law was passed, it was lone prospectors with pack mules, and today, it’s a modern mining industry.” Currently, international corporations are allowed to take resources from US public land, without compensating taxpayers.

New Mexico has been one of the states hardest hit by pollution from old mines, and the new legislation would charge royalties to companies, and use some of that to pay for cleanup. It would also help protect the public interest - e.g. to protect the water supply. Right now, if a mine is staked on public land, you can’t say no.

That’s right - you could put your uranium mine anywhere on public land, and the public can’t have a say in it, and the public doesn’t get any $ for it, and the public is left with the cleanup costs. Does the phrase “public land” seem like a misnomer?

Predictably, opponents think that charging royalties will cut into their profits a bit too much. Seems like they’ve had it their way for the last 135 years.

Insight New Mexico: Updating Old Mining Law has NM Implications

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We visit northern New Mexico each year on our women’s tour to Santa Fe & Taos. It’s a unique and beautiful area, and I certainly hope that we can all keep it that way. And yes, I agree that times may have changed a tad since 1872 - no blogging back then!
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Related posts:

1. Rockin' New Mexico Sheriff
2. Taos, New Mexico - Rio Pueblo Gorge (video)
3. So there we were... 1500 ft in the hole