It's OK

Two hundred eighty seven miles west of Santa Fe, and after a lovely six hour slide down I-40, we've arrived in Holbrook, AZ. We are now back in Pacific Daylight Time, since Arizona doesn't recognize the daylight savings protocol, but officially we're still in Mountain Daylight Time. Nevertheless, here we are in Holbrook.

The terrain has changed dramatically since we left Santa Fe! Just south of Santa Fe, near Algodones, New Mexico, the landscape was pretty much flat with mountains in the far distance.

But as we progressed further west in New Mexico, we began to see red rock mesas reminiscent of Utah.

Mile after mile, we marveled at the wondrous landscape!

The area had enjoyed an end-of-monsoon-season storm yesterday, and the remaining clouds were beautiful!

Eventually, we got to the Arizona border.

And saw the last of the unique rock formations.

Because the land turned flat again and we began to see more and more tourist attractions!

About 2:30 PDT, we cruised into the OK RV Park on Navajo Drive in Holbrook, Arizona. This park is a perfectly fine rv park, good for a night or two, since there's not much to do in Holbrook. We're in site yellow3, because each row is id'ed by color and number. It's a narrow site, but very long, and with fine utilities. Even the wifi is pretty good! We took Sasha for a long walk just before sunset and were impressed by this awesome cloud formation!

Holbrook was founded as a railroad town, and named for first engineer of the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad. As was the custom in those days, the railroad was given vast tracts of land in exchange for building railroad across the nation. The A&P sold a million acres around Holbrook to a Boston investment firm, who then leased a million more from the government, establishing the Aztec Land and Cattle Company, better known as the Hashknife Outfit, one of the largest cattle ranches ever to have existed. Holbrook quickly became it's headquarters.

Rustling of cattle and horses became a huge problem for the Hashknife Outfit, so dozens of cowboys were hired, many of whom were hiding from the law. These guys patrolled the ranch, and a full on range war soon erupted. When Sheriff Commodore Perry Owens rode into Holbrook on September 4, 1887 to arrest Andy Blevins for horse theft, the situation came to a head. Facing the Blevins brothers alone, Owens stated his intention to arrest Andy. A gunfight began, and when finished, Blevins, two brothers, a friend, and Blevins' horse were dead. Owens emerged from the Blevins house unscathed and became a western legend rivaling the Earp Brothers! The event has become know as the Holbrook Shootout.

Holbrook was known as "the town too tough for women and churches", but by 1912 had calmed down. The Hashknife Outfit had gone broke in 1902, and the land was sold. The days of the range war were over. In 1912, a meteorite exploded over Holbrook, showering the town with over 16,000 fragments. That was the last excitement Holbrook has seen!

Silver Cowgirls

There are so many things to do in Santa Fe that we feel guilty not staying longer! We haven't entered out of town to the trails, parks, petroglyphs, and historical places in the surrounding hills. Not too far away is a ski resort, and as the nighttime temps drop, the aspen trees on the hills of the resort have started to turn gold and yellow. The resorts are making lift trips available for close up viewing of the colors, and if the photos on the evening news is any indication, it is a spectacular sight! We're sorry to be leaving.

This morning we started our day in the downtown area, vowing to walk as much of the area as possible. The downtown plaza is surrounded by a variety of shops, some are of unusual interest.

San Francisco Street is filled to the brim with clothing and jewelry shops!

What appears to be a straightforward business storefront will become a gallery of jewelry, crafts, and clothes unique to Santa Fe. Unfortunately, most of the merchandise is far out of our price range, particularly the jewelry. Turquoise and silver are the predominate themes here, with an occasional diamond or Rolex thrown into the mix!

Most of the shops are in buildings original to Santa Fe, and consequently, they are built in the Spanish style with interior courtyards that are perfect for outdoor dining.

A small shop just across the street from  the Cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi looked to be pretty much a pottery shop catering to tourists wanting a ceramic pumpkin or a hanging ceramic chile rostra.

But tucked away on the back wall is a small plaque.

 Outside, the Cathedral dominated the Plaza area, so we decided to visit.

We were not able to go into the interior because a funeral mass was taking place. We took a photo from the entry through a window etched with the figure of Pope John Paul II.

Back outside, we were notified by our stomachs that lunch was in order, so we strolled southwest out of the Plaza area, passing a former movie theater with interesting architecture.

And a casual lion lazing in the sun...

Our destination was Cowgirls BBQ restaurant! The restaurant is a bit of a hodgepodge of buildings and rooms that have been connected over the years. We chose to sit in the patio and enjoy the cool breeze. We were searching for food that was different from the New Mexico cuisine that we've been having the last three days, but we didn't want to go to far afield, so we compromised....

A bowl of Chuckwagon Chili with jalapeños, red onions, sour cream, cheddar cheese and jalapeño cornbread came to the table, followed shortly by The Mother of all Green Chile Cheeseburgers! This burger is a secret blend of black Angus, antibiotic and hormone-free, grass fed, grain-finished, and custom ground with locally raised buffalo and applewood smoked bacon! Serve it in a pretzel bun with melted brie, chopped green chili, a slice of heirloom tomato and a drizzle of truffle oil. Throw in some hand cut french fries, and you really have something! The Chili had chunks of steak in it along with some savory spices. Yum! I've got to admit, though, that we cheated and split lunch between us! It was absolutely a delicious blending of traditional BBQ and New Mexico flavors!

As we walked back to the Plaza, we stopped in a small shop where an unfortunate sign reminded us of the pitfalls of eating out in Santa Fe!

A quick stop at 35 degrees coffee shop finished our afternoon, with a last stroll by the Palace of the Governors, the oldest government building in the US. The veranda is lined with local artists displaying their handiwork. Very beautiful silverwork and pottery.

We will sorely miss Santa Fe, and plan to return one day to expand our explorations. We'll be sure not to eat for a month or so before arriving, so we'll be better prepared! The people have been very courteous and friendly, the food has been great and the architecture is quintessentially Southwest. This is a destination!

An Easy Day

The morning dawned (although I didn't see it) bright and clear. As only it can in the high desert, the early morning contained promises yet to be fulfilled. We've been going a bit while in Santa Fe, and Sasha has been very co-operative, but today we decided that she should have a playday. The local SPCA maintains an area near the animal shelter that includes large and small dog play areas, as well as smaller individual areas for dogs that have not learned their social skills just yet. All of this is fenced and cross fenced, and is quite large. The particular park that we went to has a gravel path around the perimeter that is 1/2 mile long, so that owners can walk a bit while their dogs play.

The setting is true Southwest, with the Sangre de Cristo mountains in the background. Sasha made immediate friends with a 12 week old German Shepard-Husky mix. "Gordon" is still learning how to play, and Sasha taught him a few tricks! Gordon got just a bit too rambunctious at one time and Sasha got a good grip on his lip....Gordon got the picture! The two dogs played for about 2 hours, which was a great thing to see. Water bowls are provided with a cold water faucet near the gate, and necessary bags in a dispenser. While it was surely dusty and dirty, the pups enjoyed their time together!

We brought Sasha home for a bath and a cleanup for ourselves and then took off for lunch. Acting on the suggestion of an unnamed relative, we headed for the Railyard and lunch at La Choza, with their award winning chile and New Mexican food. The day continued to be pleasant, so we chose to eat out on the patio.

The food, as expected, was delicious! Donna's plate included a soft taco and an enchilada, while I had a go at a plate of Chili Rellenos. We simply sat and enjoyed the cool day, the excellent service, and each other's conversation. What a pleasant experience!

We walked around the Railyard district, looking at shops, art galleries, and the nice park that has been created out of what was once a Santa Fe switch yard. Now the tracks end at the Railyard, and are used by the Rail Runner Express, a commuter train that serves metropolitan Albuquerque and Santa Fe. At about 4 pm, we drifted over to the Santa Fe Farmers Market, expecting to shop a selection of farm to table products. Well, I guess it's late in the season or something, but we had seven vendors to choose from! We did manage to encourage the economy in the area a bit, buying some heirloom tomatoes and some Frying Peppers. Now, we've never fried a pepper before, but the farmer said "hey, it's easy!", so we'll give it a try.

The centerpiece of the Railyard is the water tower. Set among unused tracks, it harks back to the old days of steam locomotives.

The old rail yard has been turned into an attractive park, with paths, trails, and paved walkways.

Some of the old rails are still in place with concrete sections that are reminiscent of railroad ties. A great way to revitalize an urban area!

Tomorrow is our last day in Santa Fe, so we have to visit downtown one more time. While there are thousands of shops, hundreds of restaurants, beautiful mountains, and miles of hiking trails in the city and surrounding areas, we will have to put most of those on the "next time" list. And there really should be a "next time" for Santa Fe!

Culture!

Today we wanted to visit Canyon Road in Santa Fe. Since its early Native American and Spanish roots, Canyon Road has been a trail of abundance - from its beginnings as a farming community, later as the site of an art colony, and today as the country's top art destination with more fine art galleries and studios in one short mile than any other place on earth. Their motto is "100 years, 100 fine art galleries".

We found a parking spot along the street, and took off on foot to explore; we had a lot to see, so do we go east..

or west?

We elected to head east, and stopped at Tresa Vorenberg Goldsmiths. As well as intricate jewelry, this gallery exhibits work of 35 other artists working in other media.

We visited so many galleries that our heads began to spin. Some were interesting, and some were spectacular, but all were certainly worth a pleasant walk on a cool southwest morning!

Near the east end of Canyon Road, we saw a restaurant recommended by our Santa Fe tour guide, Chuk, so we decided to check it out!

We ate on the front patio with a great view of the turning foliage. Is it Fall already?

Donna ordered chicken enchiladas and pronounced them very edible!

I noticed that one of my favorite dishes, seafood Paella, was on the lunch menu, so guess what....

It was very, very good!

We had a bit of time left in the afternoon, and went a mile or so west to the Georgia O'Keefe Museum.

The building is an inviting southwest style structure, with an archive of more than 3,000 Georgia O'Keefe works.

I wish a few photos could have been sneaked in, but no such luck. If you know something of Ms O'Keefe, you know that she had a fiery career that spanned decades. Her work changed as she moved from New York City to the Southwest, opening up a whole new vista for her. She didn't live in Santa Fe specifically, but had her studio in the area.

The Georgia O'Keefe Research Center is housed in a nearby building that is probably one of the most attractive structures in Santa Fe.

Here's a story: Notice in the next pic that the large sign, the one with the flashing red lights and the crossing arms, says "Do Not Stop In Box". That refers to a large rectangular area, painted in white paint, with large X's running from corner to corner. This morning, as we came to this railroad crossing, we noticed a large motorhome stopped ahead of us.

The motorhome, towing a Jeep, was parked precisely in the "box", hoping to make a right turn. At that moment, the red lights began to flash and the crossing arms started down. Mr Motorhome probably should have immediately turned, and got out of the way, but he didn't, and the crossing arm came down exactly between the motorhome and the tow vehicle! Now we're stuck! The pickup ahead of us, and immediately behind the motorhome, began to back up. Several of us scrunched together, expecting the worse. At this point the motorhome occupants bailed out of the coach and moved away, just as the train came through, just inches ahead of the motorhome! We all sat there, petrified, until the train passed and the crossing arms lifted. The rv occupants climbed back in, made their right turn, and disappeared from sight! Oh, Boy! I was unable to think straight, so I didn't get a photo. Should have done a video!

Downtown Santa Fe

We were told yesterday that we would have to move to another site this morning, so we waited until checkout time at 11 to go to the office and find out where we should land. Surprise, surprise, we were told that a new review of the schedule shows that we can remain where we are! Good news, but it meant that we were a few hours behind in our exploration of Santa Fe. Finally getting on one of the busiest roads in the city, Cerrillos Blvd, we headed north into downtown.

Our first stop was at the State Capitol of New Mexico.

The building, renovated in the 1990's, is a perfect example of Southwest Style. The only round Capitol building in the country, it is also unique in that it contains one of the most extensive collections of contemporary art by New Mexico artists.

Pieces are on display on every wall of the three floors open to the public, down side hallways, and on the walls of staff offices.

Under the rotunda dome, in the travertine tile floor, the Seal of the State of New Mexico is a Zia sun symbol found on a 19th century water jar from Zia Pueblo. It represents a circular sun with rays extending in four directions. Each set of rays is made up of four lines; four is a significant number to Zia people as it embodies the four directions of the earth, the four seasons, the four times of the day (sunrise, noon, evening, and night), and life's four phases of childhood, youth, adulthood, and old age.

After the State Capitol, we walked to the oldest church structure in the country, San Miguel Church. Built in 1610 under the direction of Franciscan Padres.

The interior, while simple as one would expect, is magnificent nonetheless.

Just down a street named Santa Fe Trail is the oldest house in the United States. Built in 1646, it is a maze of small rooms connected by very narrow and short doors. The house rests on part of the foundation of an ancient Indian Pueblo dating from around 1200 CE. Somewhere around 1435 CE the site was abandoned and wasn't resettled until about 1598, when Don Juan de Onate led a party of Spanish settlers into the area. The De Vargas Street House is rumored to be haunted by Juan Espinoza, a man whose head was removed by two admitted witches who lived in the house in the late 1600's. Juan had approached them with a request for a potion to insure the love of a beautiful young lady. When the potion didn't work, and she married another, Juan went back to the witches and demanded his money back. When they refused, he drew his sword and lunged at them. Tripping on the irregular floor, he lost his sword, which was immediately picked up by one of the witches, who quickly dispatched young Juan!

A little farther along Santa Fe Trail, we stopped at Loretto Chapel, the first Gothic building west of the Mississippi River.

Now in private hands, a small admission fee is charged to enter and view the miraculous Choir Staircase. Defying engineering logic, the staircase does not have interior or exterior support, yet stands today as a tribute to a shabby looking stranger that appeared at the doorstep of the Roman Catholic church shortly after it was realized that the original architect had neglected to provide any way to reach the choir loft. You see, the nuns prayed for nine straight days for guidance, and on the 10th day the stranger appeared. He said he would build the Sisters a staircase, but demanded total privacy. Locked in the church for three months, He used only a square, a saw, warm water and non-native wood. When the stair was finished, he disappeared, leaving a work of art constructed with wooden pegs and a mystery. Engineers have analyzed the staircase, and can only surmise that the entire structure acts as a "spring", absorbing the stresses created by climbing the stairs.

 The Chapel is now used for special events such as formal weddings.

Continuing down the route of the Santa Fe Trail, we arrived at the Plaza.

Filled with visitors and vendors, the Plaza is the center of Old Town Santa Fe.

The Plaza is surrounded by beautiful shops, hotels, and restaurants.

The Plaza area is an historic and vibrant district. We needed lunch about this time, so we headed to The Shed, located in the historic Sena Plaza, just adjacent to the main plaza. New Mexican food, as you may know is unique, using chilies in creative ways, including their famous red or green sauces. We "managed" to finish a plate of Carne Adobada, and a taco/enchilada combo plate. Both sauces were spicy, and delicious! This was among the best meals we've had on our trip this year. We are looking forward to trying several other restaurants, including those recommended by our Nephew and his lovely wife. They regularly visit here, and know all the tricks!

We had left our car in the parking lot adjacent to the Capitol, so we had to walk the six or eight blocks back. Not a big deal on a cool, clear, crisp afternoon, and we enjoyed taking a few backstreets. This set of doors, whether original or of newer construction, presented themselves on a side street, and demanded a photo.

There is much to see in Santa Fe, and much food to eat. I'm glad we'll be here for a few days!