2010 New Mexico Trip Part 1
Friday 27 August 2010
After a leisurely get up and pack I violated my own rule - if a shower facitlity is available use it, you never know... - and headed south along NM84 with no particular destination in mind, just a general plan.
And you know what they say about plans and vacuums.
The RV Campground office was a WiFi hotspot, so on my phone I was able to locate a Youth Hostel in Santa Fe, and determine that the two (12:15 and 4:00) American Eagle flights had open seats. I 'planned' to ride south, pick up some dirt, and then camp out at the hostel until Saturday but IF things worked out I could take the 4pm flight home and be able to watch my son on stage at Pirate Days in Grandbury Tx.
A can of fruit cocktail and some hand picked blueberry's later and I was on my way. The blueberry's warrant a little explanation.
Last night as I was checking emails and weather I noticed a woman, about my age, walking tenuously out the gate towards town, and then returning a very short time later. I asked if everything was ok and she said she'd only gone out to get a view of the sunset. We chatted and it turns out she's traveling solo, either tenting or sleeping in the back of her Saturn, getting away from Santa Fe for the first time in 7 years - after taking care of her ailing aged mother. We chatted about roads, destinations, careers (she and her ex-husband had had an eclectic collection of jobs from interim B&B managers to art shop clerks), and taking care of loved ones. The next morning (today) I offered coffee (refused - she's a tea drinker) and she countered with the berries. When was the last time someone at Starbuck's bought you a muffin?
Read Steinbeck's TRAVELS WITH CHARLIE, you'll be glad you did.
There was a little dirt road by Cebolla that went 9 miles in to a trout lake. When I got there it was actually fairly developed with a potty and picnic area. Someone had not read the signs admonishing that campfires be drowned, stirred and drowned again, and I spent 15minutes shuffling water from the lake to the smoldering fire ring in a coke-can.
Further south I left pavement for dirt again on 115 at Canjilon, and spent the next 40 miles alone with the pines, mesas and cattle, emerging again near El Rito and Las Placitas on NM554, which lead me back to NM84 south. Having accomplished all the plans I'd made pre-trip, and having time and seat available, I simply headed back to the SAF (Santa Fe) airport, tucked the bike away (gas taps off, electrics disconnected, leave all hazmats), and got listed for the 4pm flight by 3pm. Like a charm. In an hour thirty I covered all the ground it'd taken me a day to do on the bike, with a soda in my hand and Kindle on my lap.
After a leisurely get up and pack I violated my own rule - if a shower facitlity is available use it, you never know... - and headed south along NM84 with no particular destination in mind, just a general plan.
And you know what they say about plans and vacuums.
The RV Campground office was a WiFi hotspot, so on my phone I was able to locate a Youth Hostel in Santa Fe, and determine that the two (12:15 and 4:00) American Eagle flights had open seats. I 'planned' to ride south, pick up some dirt, and then camp out at the hostel until Saturday but IF things worked out I could take the 4pm flight home and be able to watch my son on stage at Pirate Days in Grandbury Tx.
A can of fruit cocktail and some hand picked blueberry's later and I was on my way. The blueberry's warrant a little explanation.
Last night as I was checking emails and weather I noticed a woman, about my age, walking tenuously out the gate towards town, and then returning a very short time later. I asked if everything was ok and she said she'd only gone out to get a view of the sunset. We chatted and it turns out she's traveling solo, either tenting or sleeping in the back of her Saturn, getting away from Santa Fe for the first time in 7 years - after taking care of her ailing aged mother. We chatted about roads, destinations, careers (she and her ex-husband had had an eclectic collection of jobs from interim B&B managers to art shop clerks), and taking care of loved ones. The next morning (today) I offered coffee (refused - she's a tea drinker) and she countered with the berries. When was the last time someone at Starbuck's bought you a muffin?
Read Steinbeck's TRAVELS WITH CHARLIE, you'll be glad you did.
There was a little dirt road by Cebolla that went 9 miles in to a trout lake. When I got there it was actually fairly developed with a potty and picnic area. Someone had not read the signs admonishing that campfires be drowned, stirred and drowned again, and I spent 15minutes shuffling water from the lake to the smoldering fire ring in a coke-can.
Further south I left pavement for dirt again on 115 at Canjilon, and spent the next 40 miles alone with the pines, mesas and cattle, emerging again near El Rito and Las Placitas on NM554, which lead me back to NM84 south. Having accomplished all the plans I'd made pre-trip, and having time and seat available, I simply headed back to the SAF (Santa Fe) airport, tucked the bike away (gas taps off, electrics disconnected, leave all hazmats), and got listed for the 4pm flight by 3pm. Like a charm. In an hour thirty I covered all the ground it'd taken me a day to do on the bike, with a soda in my hand and Kindle on my lap.
So now I look forward to 9September and my flight back to collect my bike, enjoy the Land of Enchantment Riders BMW Rally in Sipapu NM (just south of Taos), and bring it home for the winter.
Until next time - Bien Viaje!
Until next time - Bien Viaje!
posted by Randy Masters at 6:47 AM
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