High Desert

Taos New Mexico

March 15-18, 2015

After a long drive from Homolovi State Park, we met our friends Glen and Cathy in the Walmart parking lot in Taos, New Mexico.  We camped for  3 days at Rio Grande del Norte National Monument.  Yes, that Rio Grande, but it’s more like Rio Pequeno (small) at this point.  The canyon it is in is , however, pretty grande.

The first day we hiked a few hours along the river,

Gang eating lunch along the river

 passing up and down among the rocks, with fine views of the river.

We also went into Taos to check out the historic sites, like San Francisco de Asis church, built in the mid 18^th century.

Georgia O’Keefe, among others, painted this church; like me and the pigeons, she found the rear view especially compelling.

Another historic site, El Rincon Trading Post, opened in 1905, and became a place for the local Indians to sell their jewellery and art.  Now it’s a combination museum and souvenir shop.

Nowadays, Taos, is a combination of artist colony and ranching centre. Outside of the historic centre, there are the usual fast food and big box stores, and perhaps the world’s only 

 

adobe McDonald’s.

Also home to this nice old truck.

The next day we hiked along the west Rim of the Rio Grande Canyon.  On the way we ran into a herd of bighorn at the side of the road.

The trail wound along the rim

with views of the canyon below.  We saw bighorn sheep feeding on  a ledge below us, and a golden eagle (Bird of Day) soaring above us.

Here’s a view of the trail and the friable desert soil.

After we got back to camp it began to rain and continued all night.  Our planned steak barbecue over the fire had to be cancelled, but the next morning the sky was as blue as ever.