NEW MEXICO GOAT TRAILS

Day 138 - 2015-09-05 - Mileage 206 (17,509)

Driving mode today – but that doesn’t mean we didn’t have spectacular scenery to keep us company along the way.  We left Cimarron headed east on CO 50 and picked up CO 149 South which took us to Lake City CO, former home of our good friends Robert and Cathy S.  We had visited there a few times in the past (30+ years ago), but honestly, didn’t recognize much except the old downtown area.  Leaving Lake City, we climbed Slumgullion Pass (11,200 feet) and Spring Creek Pass (10,900) on our way to Alamosa CO.  The drive up Slumgullion and Spring Creek Passes was breathtakingly steep and extremely pretty.  We picked up US 160/285 in South Fork and, as we continued on the downslope into Alamosa, we drove through some really nice valley country, but still very high at about 8,000 feet.  We are at the Alamosa KOA tonight which gave us the opportunity to do some laundry before we headed into the San Luis Valley Brewing Company for libations and sustenance.  Bettie had the Valle Caliente Especial Lager, a Mexican lager infused with locally grown Pueblo Chiles.  She had two so it must have been good.  I partook of the Alamosa Amber and the Grande River IPA, both good, the IPA was the better of the two.  No pics today.

Day 139 - 2015-09-06 - Mileage 85 (17,594)

Today’s adventure took us to the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve and to Walmart.  The park was much more than we expected.  This is a most unique geological phenomenon in that it takes a particular placement of mountains, plains, creeks, sediment type and prevailing wind for this to occur.  It makes for a most unusual juxtaposition so see the highest sand dunes in North America and some of the highest peaks (at over 14,000) feet at the same time.

The major activity here is “sand boarding”.  Yep, climb the dunes, slide down on a board – standing, sitting, laying on your belly – all seemed equally popular and garnered whoops of approval or moans of despair from the many onlookers depending on the outcome of the ride.

Won’t say too much about Walmart except that it’s nice to be back in the good old USofA where the shelves are stocked full and you can find what you want.

Tonight’s dinner was Mexican Food at Calvillos.  This place was the most crowded place in town so we decided to give it a try.  Didn’t know until we got inside that they offered a buffet as well as menu service.  Most of the crowd was doing the buffet but we elected for the menu.  Top rate margaritas and absolutely great food.    Colorado Mexican Food is just like New Mexico Mexican Food except they use their locally grown Pueblo Chiles instead of Hatch or some other NM variety.  We rate it equally as good as any we have eaten.

Day 140 - 2015-09-07 - Mileage 221 (17,815)

We left Alamosa on US 285 to Tres Piewdras, NM where we turned east on US 64.  This took us across the Rio Grande Gorge Suspension Bridge.  What a treat.  We didn’t know this was coming up and were surprised to find a big crowd in the middle of nowhere.  Great views of the river and gorge.

We continued through Taos, NM, crowded on this Labor Day Holiday.  Pretty nice looking town, not so pretentious as some other ski towns we have been through.  From there we took NM 434 through Angel Fire, an even less pretentious ski town, toward Mora, NM. 

Bettie is great at selecting scenic backroads, and today may have been her greatest accomplishment.  The further we got from Angel Fire, the narrower the road became.  At one point, it was down to about a lane and a half – pretty much a wide, almost paved goat path.  It was a great drive through beautiful country.  If we ever wanted to see NM off the beaten path, this was the way to do it.

We finally made our way to NM 3 and the Villanueva State Park on the Pecos River.  NM 3 is somewhat better than a goat path, but not by a big margin.  Another fun drive, but through some pretty disadvantaged areas – not so pretty as the outback – at least not until we arrived at the park.  Great setting along the river with cliffs in the background.  Good day.

Day 141 - 2015-09-08 - Mileage 207 (18,022)

Today we drove from Villanueva to Cloudcroft, NM.  Once again, Bettie was able to find some of the lesser traveled back roads and goat paths, so it was a LONG but interesting trip.  We ended up at the Scenic Canyon RV Resort about 6 miles out Hwy 82 from Cloudcroft.  No pics today.

Day 142 - 2015-09-09 - Mileage 57 (18,079)

Did a little sightseeing around Cloudcroft today.  Main stop was the National Solar Observatory in Sunspot, NM, about 20 miles from Cloudcroft out NM 130 and NM 6563.  This place, essentially a small town, was built in the late 40’s/early 50’s.  It was kind of cool to see the old architecture, but even cooler to go inside and observe the technicians monitoring the sun – using modern equipment, but mounted in racks and housed in a building that look like a relics of the Cold War.  I took one picture of the Dunn Solar Telescope.  The tower is 136 feet with another 228 feet underground.