Wild Rivers Campground

We are just back from a great overnight...tho it was cold - nice to have the furnace... Wild Rivers recreation area , run by BLM. 25 dispersed sites - in mountain juniper and pinon, on rim of Rio Grande gorge, where the Red River joins it.

It is northwest of Questa, which is north of Taos. There are 7-8 trails of varying difficulty - the most difficult going down to the rivers - with an elevation drop of 800 ft.

There are vault toilets, water, grills, campfires and table - all you would need. Tho not a lot of other sights in Area - north is Colorado, and Taos 30 miles to south...but there is plenty there.

Breakfast in Questa (hardly a town) of breakfast burrito with "Christmas" chile sauces was quite delicious

Juncture of Red River (big speckled trout river) and Rio Grande

This was more than OK!

Green Chile Cheeseburger Ho-Hum

To Jemez Springs area - just past the Jemez pueblo, scouting for campsites. Beautiful countryside, with many an abandoned building . Yet many of these little communities somehow manage to survive

This on the road to Ponderosa, adjacent to reservation land.

An area of geologic interest on the Jemez reservation. This is about 45 minutes from Albuqueruque. Some of the people who live on the reservation, the only Towa-speaking tribe, work in albuquerque.

A campground run by the Forest Service

Lunch in Jemez Springs, a community of artists, back-to-earthers, 2nd homers, spiritual wanderers - there is a Buddhist monastery here and a Catholic convent. And rustic public hot baths. As it is in a deep gorge between mountain ranges, there is erratic cellphone service.

Below, the local haunt of ok food - but am tiring of the green chili cheeseburger, without distinction, that varies from place to place only by a small degree....

I've eaten under a lot of antlered creatures lately.

One of the fancy menu items is buffalo - at a premium price

But this chart pushing buffalo as healthy seems bizarre - need to do some research

And then...The Sandwich - very ordinary. I think I will start focussing on the bun which is usually like cotton balls - flavorless and it falls apart. No more reports until I find a good bun - or the French Fries are outstanding...this much more likely.

Ho-Hum!

El Camino

Huevos Ranchero with "Christmas" Sauce

Here a no-frills huevos ranchero - as are most in local restaurants. No sour cream, or fresh salsa - certainly no garnish. Always with rice and beans and smothered in chili. This restaurant is from 1950 - the dining room for the motel (sign in background) across the street....which is still functioning - but I don't see a AAA sign. And this is on Route #66.

In New Mexico you have a choice of red or green chili - or both - called Christmas . The famous New Mexico green Chile is actually an Anaheim chili, or close cousin, grown all over New Mexico - but the famous locale is Hatch, NM, a village in the south near Las Cruces. The Green Chili is roasted, deseeded, then pureed....then used on the typical green chili cheeseburger or made into a sauce for smothering. The Red Chili is the same chili left on the vine until it ripens, and slightly dry - then it is ground and moistened with water to make a flowing sauce . The renowned red chili comes form the area around Chimayo in the north. Sometimes there is a choice of corn or flour tortilla...corn more traditional. The beans are usually very plain - tho not from a can - the seasoning coming from the chili . This version of rice was more a Spanish rice - not so typical. The whole panopoly of tastes comes together well...but you need it all. It is comfort food of the first order for New Mexicans.....I am working on it!

Santo Nino de Atocha

Wandering the back roads near Three Rivers Petroglyphs, we found a decrepit sign for this chapel. Curious, but not expecting much, we bounced along a side road for 4 miles and came upon this proper building. It was unlocked, and while not a person around for miles, it was obviously cared for...and full of personal mementoes .

Santo Nino de Atocha was originally Christ as a child being held by Mary, this in the Spanish tradition . Eventually the Santo Nino, considered a miracleworker, became an icon of his own. The first statue erected in Toledo around 1100. http://www.ninoatocha.com/history.html

Across the road from the church.
Adjacent cemetary.

Carrizozo in Lincoln County

Carrizozo came into being when the railroad came to town around 1900. It was cattle country and became the county seat of Lincoln County - the area had been the haunt of Billy the Kid, in central-southeast part of state.

Today it is has lost it's luster and livelihood and is trying for a rebirth as an artsy town. Galleries are springing up - and the Burro gimmick is hoping to attract visitors.

A prime candidate for greenchile cheeseburger of the year award is found at the Outpost, a dimly-lit bar with pool tables. Tho a bit oversized - the loosely packed hamburger was crispy on outside (cowboy style) without being dry on the inside. Well-slathered with green chile and the prerequisite mustard, tomato, onion, lettuce. And the French fries were outstanding !

...eaten under one of the many antlered creatures on display . This one a local elk.

Bosque del Apache Landing Practice MLLG

Landing with instructor

Solo Landing

Touch Down !

Permission to Land

Permission granted

Get Ready Class

That's it, slow like a helicopter not a fighter jet.