A Memorable Return To Taos New Mexico With Green Salsa

Microsoft OneDrive Memories of this Day which I remember fondly. But, the month was October, not September. I think the year was 1997. Maybe 1998.

What I do remember is this was the last long roadtrip I have tripped on. And boated on.

Houseboating on Lake Powell, followed by taking the Moki Dugway to Mexican Hat and Monument Valley. Then Moab for some mountain biking and hiking. Then Durango and Silverton before making it to Taos, New Mexico. After Taos it was south to Alamogordo. Then west to Bisbee and Tombstone, Arizona. Ending up that day in Yuma, going to Algodones, Mexico the following day. Then north to Las Vegas, staying in Luxor. From Vegas it was north, with a night in Tonopah, or was it Hawthorne? Then a couple days in Reno, before the final leg back to Washington.

I liked everything about Taos. The town square at night seemed like Disneyland at night, to me. Outdoor eating venues, beautiful lighting, lots of people, music.

And then there was bike riding all over Taos, including to the north end of town, to the Taos Pueblo. The Taos Pueblo smelled so good. I think the predominant fragrance was sage. And Indian Fry Bread.

Just about the best Mexican food I have ever enjoyed was at a Taos restaurant called Fred's. Odd name for a Mexican restaurant. The New Mexican version of Mexican food is different than the American Mexican food norm. Or Tex-Mex. There is always green salsa at a New Mexican Mexican restaurant.

And Hatch Chiles always factor into New Mexican Mexican food.

Taos is one of the locations I have enjoyed which I would like to return to. Perhaps I will do that one day soon...

Wall Calendar Triggers Grand Canyon Of COVID Torments

 

That which you see here is on the wall of my computer room.

Which would make that which you see here a wall calendar.

It has now been over a year since I have travelled further than 40 miles from my abode. 

I have not even been to the Dallas/Fort Worth Metromess for over a year. 

And this National Park themed wall calendar regularly torments me with reminders of scenic places I have been. 

For March it is Grand Canyon National Park.

I first saw Grand Canyon when I was 19. I had been to Yellowstone, and seeing the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, and thinking it quite impressive, I suggested heading south a few hundred miles to see the more famous Grand Canyon.

Before getting to Grand Canyon we visited Bryce Canyon and Zion Canyon, vowing to return, soon, with proper hiking gear.

After Bryce and Zion it was on to Grand Canyon. The North Rim. This truly was one of the more overwhelming shockingly scenic things I had ever seen. I was already in scenic wonder overload due to Bryce and Zion.

Ironically, it was just a brief visit to several of the North Rim overlooks, and then on to Las Vegas, then Los Angeles and Disneyland, vowing to return, soon, to Bryce, Zion and Grand Canyon.

It was just a few years later, in, I think, 1979, that I drove the longest roadtrip I ever drove, visiting places like Colorado and New Mexico and Texas for the first time. Just a little bit of Texas, after caving at Carlsbad Caverns National Park. 

Eventually made it to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, and hiked the Bright Angel Trail all the way to the Colorado. Going down was easy, going back to the top was brutal, and did not make it there til an hour after dark.

I don't remember for sure what came after Grand Canyon, that time. Probably Vegas and then on to Los Angeles. I think this was the time I stayed in San Diego for a few days and went to both the San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Wild Animal Park, or whatever it was called. I recollect going to a Sir George's buffet in a suburb of San Diego and driving around in Tijuana for a few miles. 

I did not make it back to Zion National Park til 1992, also visiting the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, before heading to Vegas. I never have managed to hike the Angel's Landing trail in Zion which I vowed to hike some day, after seeing a Ranger presentation in the Zion campground on that first visit to Zion.

I was back at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon the last day of 1993, staying overnight in Flagstaff. There was snow at the top of the canyon and the trails were ice covered at that elevation, so no hiking.

But, that same trip had me seeing this cool looking location on the San Juan River, north of Monument Valley. The San Juan Inn in Mexican Hat, Utah.

That following year I organized a group roadtrip, from which my Internet nickname came. As I made various reservations I would mail out itinerary info to my fellow roadtrippers, calling the mailing "Durango Dean's Wild West Adventure Tour" or something like that.

This trip began with four days of houseboating on Lake Powell, cruising all the way to Rainbow Bridge National Monument, then off the houseboat to the treacherous descent down the Moki Dugway, to the aforementioned town of Mexican Hat to stay at the San Juan Inn. Which had a wonderful restaurant, owned and operated by Navajo, where I learned I like Indian fry bread.

After Mexican Hat it was on to Monument Valley and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, where I had booked us log cabins. This was in mid October of that year. During the night a blizzard blew in. By morning we were trapped, awaiting snow plows to clear the road. It was wonderful, one of my favorite experiences ever.

When we were able to leave it was on to Zion where we had rooms booked in the National Park lodge. We did a lot of hiking at Zion, but still no hike to Angel's Landing. After Zion it was on to Vegas for four days, then an overnight stay in cabins at Stovepipe Wells in Death Valley. That was also one special night. Best swimming pool ever.

I got a flat tire in Death Valley. That turned out to be added fun. After Death Valley it was time to head north, towards home, with a night in Mammoth Lakes, a quick detour into Yosemite, an overnight in Redding, and then home.

That was one fun roadtrip, slightly repeated five years later with a different cast of characters, though some were the same. Did not enjoy the houseboat so much that time. But the Moki Dugway and Mexican Hat were again fun. As was staying several days in Moab, mountain biking. After Moab part of the group headed back to Washington, whilst two vehicles, including mine, headed to Durango, then overnighting in the Imperial Hotel ( I think that was the name ) in Silverton. The high elevation was taxing. Enjoyed it immensely, particularly imbibing in the hotel's saloon. The next day the other vehicle, after heading north on the Million Dollar Highway, began its return to Washington, while I continued on through Colorado, eventually coming to the headwaters of the Rio Grande.

Overnighted that night in Taos. I want to go back to Taos. And would have by now if it were not for the COVID intervention which mucked up a Taos visit plan. After Taos it was south to Alamogordo, overnight. An event there at the National Space Museum turned highly entertaining. 

After Alamogordo is was on to White Sands National Monument, eventually overnighting in a scary border town called Douglas, across the border from Agua Preita in Mexico. Next day discovered Bisbee. Loved it. Then happened upon Tombstone when they were having their annual Hellorado Days Celebration. Weirdest parade I have ever seen. Loved it.

After Tombstone it was on to Yuma, a couple years before my mom and dad moved there. Had a mighty fine time crossing the border to Algadones, Mexico. And then it was time to head north, to Vegas, again, then Tonopah, then Reno, then back to Washington.

I miss taking a good long roadtrip. Some days I get feeling doing such things will never happen again.

I probably should take that wall calendar off the wall, what with its reminders of places seen and in need of being seen. So far, though only in March, I've been to the National Parks on the calendar. those being January was Grand Tetons National Park, February was Sequoia National Park.

Let me sneak a peak at April.

Yosemite National Park. 

I've only been to Yosemite three times. And have only overnighted there once, staying three days in a cabin at Camp Curry. Would love to do that again. Maybe not Camp Curry, but the National Park lodge instead. I forget its name, but it's a famous one, Ahwahnee, that's it...

The Queen Of Wink Is Now A Durango Roadtripping Guest Blogger With Taos Tales

Today the Queen of Wink is the Guest Blogger on my Durango Roadtripping blog in a blogging titled The Queen of Wink Roadtripping to Taos New Mexico.

The Queen of Wink solo roadtripped herself to Taos this past weekend to have herself a three day adventure.

That adventure included getting tossed into the Rio Grande whilst river rafting, drinking copious amounts of coffee, drinking less copious amounts of liquid refreshments at the one year anniversary of the Mesa Taos Brewery, catching wild salmon for dinner in downtown Taos, being awakened by bear splashing in the Rio Grande, experiencing vertigo whilst walking across the Rio Grande Gorge, meeting numerous Taos natives at the Taos Pueblo, along with other stuff you will have to read for yourself in the Queen of Wink's blogging about her visit to Taos.

My one and only time in Taos I also stayed three days. However, it seems the Queen of Wink crammed more into one day in Taos than I did in three.

The Queen of Wink is barely 25 years old, hence her ability to be so active without collapsing in exhaustion, including staying up til 2am in downtown Taos, while I am 22 years older and get tired just thinking about staying up til 2am.

The Queen Of Wink Is Tempting Me To Fly To Midland & Drive To Taos

To the left you are looking at the Lumina Sculpture Garden, near the Mabel Dodge home, in Taos, New Mexico.

Taos is one of my favorite places I have ever visited. The Taos Pueblo, alone, would have made this one of my favorite places I have ever visited. Add the actual Taos town to the Taos Pueblo and you have a magical location on the planet.

I have only been to Taos once. A planned one day stay turned in to three, because I was having myself such a mighty fine time.

Last night I got myself a very tempting invitation from the Queen of Wink to fly to Midland, where the Queen would meet me and then we'd proceed to take a Roadtrip to Taos.

It is widely known that there are few things I like better than a Durango Roadtrip.

Hence the feeling tempted.

The Queen of Wink is planning on roughing it in her personal version of an RV. Electricity will be required to run the essentially needed Keurig coffee maker.

Apparently a lack of water has the bears in the Taos zone a bit riled up and aggressively visiting potential sources of that which they need.

My one and only time in Taos I stayed at a motel about a block south of the Taos downtown. It has been at least 2 decades since I have camped.

The closest I have come to camping in the past 2 decades were two Lake Powell Houseboat floats. The houseboats have beds with thin mattresses, but that still felt like roughing it.

I just remembered. I have gone camping since I have been in Texas. There was a weekend at my former Texas abode where I felt the need to escape. So, I drove to Dinosaur Valley State Park and camped for 3 or 4 days. I had a thick mattress on the floor of the van, so I had none of the aching experiences I had on a Lake Powell Houseboat or the last time I went tent camping. That being at Alta State Park in Eastern Washington, where I learned I was no longer able to sleep on the ground with only a sleeping bag as a cushion.

Now, I am off to see if there are any planes available flying to Midland.....

October 25 Mom Call Talking About Texas Tornadoes & Taos

It is the morning of October 25. You are looking out the bars of my patio prison at a nice clear semi-blue sky day in Texas.

I just got off the phone with my mom. No. I did not get gas. Mom called last night and left a voice mail. I did not hear the phone ring due to it charging due to Elsie Hotpepper talking to me til the battery went dead last night.

My mom and dad have an incoming aunt of mine arriving in Phoenix today at 3. Tomorrow they are heading to New Mexico, to Albuquerque, where all my dad's siblings, except my favorite aunt, will be.

I asked my mom why Albuquerque? She did not know. I asked why not Taos? Mom did not know anything about Taos. So, I told mom about Taos. They'd already planned on going to Santa Fe on their way back to Phoenix. Now Taos has been added.

The news of our Saturday tornado action had reached my mom. Which is why she called. I was surprised the news of my stolen bike had not reached Phoenix.

The pool was quite pleasant this morning. I see a Tandy Hill in my future today.

The Top Ten Places I Want To Escape To

Washington Mutual's Problem Resolution Center called and left a message. I called back. And left a message. I've no clue as to which of the Washington Mutual Problem's the caller was seeking to resolve. Right now I don't care.

Instead I'm in the mood to muse as to where I'd like to go to escape here, someplace fun that I've already been to and know is fun. I'm not in the mood for anything new right now. Though I am taking the TRE train to Dallas tomorrow morning. I live on the edge.

So, where do I want to go if I could right now? I'll try and think of the Top Ten. That should occupy 10 more minutes of waiting for Sarah Palin to have her meltdown.

In no particular order.

Bryce Canyon National Park. I love everything about this place. It's otherworldly scenery. It's great hikes. Ruby's Inn. I spent an Easter weekend at Bryce Canyon a few years ago. It was in late Spring. There was still snow at Bryce. It's at a high elevation, as in over 9000 feet above sea level at the highest.

Grand Canyon National Park. I've been there several times. Have stayed overnight twice. Once at the South Rim. Camping. I hate camping. And the most recent time, at the North Rim, staying in log cabins. A blizzard roared in overnight leaving us snowbound til snowplows from Utah could rescue us. I've only hiked down into the Grand Canyon once. It's a real good thing.

Arches National Park and Moab. Well, also Canyonlands National Park. Moab is your base town and in all directions there is good stuff to do. Like the photo at the top, that's me biking the Slick Rock Trail by Moab. That's a group hike in Arches NP, called The Fiery Furnace, on the left. You have to pay a fee and it has to be ranger led. You can get lost in there.

Yosemite National Park. The first time I saw this place was in fall. I was not all that thrilled. Then sometime in the 90s we rented a big ol' Cadillac, 3 other guys and me, and went on a road trip, ending up in Yosemite at Curry Village. It was spring, the waterfalls were out of control. I loved it.

Disneyland & California. I've not been to Disneyland since 1994, not since they've added Disney California. I've loved Disneyland ever since I was 13 and got taken there on what was to be my next to the last family vacation. We loved Disneyland so much we went again the next year. I was 14. I never went on a family vacation again. 7 years later I was in California on my own, staying at San Clemente State Park. And remembering back 7 years prior. That seems like such a short time now, but then it seemed like so much had changed. Over the following years I've lost count of the number of road trips to California and Disneyland. I guess the last one was in 2000. But I didn't get to go to Disneyland. Yuma instead. To spend Christmas with my mom and dad. It was real tempting when you saw road signs saying it was only 120 miles to Anaheim to take a right and skip Yuma. But I'm not one to ignore my mom and dad. Even though, apparently, they and others think I do. (That's called slipping in an Easter Egg to see if anyone reads this drivel)

Lake Powell. You need to, at least once in your short life, go to Lake Powell. You don't need to rent a houseboat to have Lake Powell reveal its charms. But a houseboat helps. Good housemates on the houseboat are important also. I've houseboated Lake Powell twice, both times in the 1990s. The water is warm and clear. The scenery is among the best on the planet. Which is why you'll be sharing the lake with so many darn foreigners.

Las Vegas. Any longer than 4 days and Vegas wears out its welcome. But I always have fun there. It can be exhausting. It's not the gambling that attracts me, it's the way over the top over stimulating nature of the whole place. I've only been to Vegas once since I moved to Texas. That was on a roadtrip back to Texas after spending a week or two in Washington. Those trips back were so much more pleasant than the more recent ones. Why? I do not know. That's Nephew Joey and me riding the roller coaster at the New York New York casino when I took Joey and his brother to Vegas the summer before I moved to Texas.

Taos, New Mexico. There was nothing I did not like about Taos. I love the southwest adobe style. The great places to eat. How fun it was to ride my bike around Taos and discover interesting things, like the grave of Kit Carson. And the Taos Pueblo. Even the Taos McDonald's is special.

Yellowstone National Park. I've not been to Yellowstone since the fall before wildfires burned most of the park. Yellowstone is one place I don't mind camping. Hiking over all the boardwalks to see the bubbling water and exploding geysers, loved it when I was a kid, loved it when I wasn't a kid. Yellowstone has been a fond memory ever since my little brother and me were awakened by our mom screaming, standing on top of the picnic table, because a bear was running through camp.

Bears remind me of Stehekin. I've only been there once but everything about it was perfect. A long boat ride up Lake Chelan, staying in the National Park Lodge. Stehekin is in the North Cascades National Park zone of Washington. We brought bikes and pedaled daily up to one of the best bakeries ever, the Stehekin Pastry Company. For dinner each night we'd take a long bus ride up the valley to the Stehekin Valley Ranch where the Courtneys would make a real good dinner for us and a lot of other people.

Stehekin is related to another place I'd like to escape to right about now. That being hiking deep into the North Cascades. The trails are good. What you see when you get to the end of the trail is amazing. Some summers I would go on a hike up in Cascades several times a month, til the snows returned in October. It always amazed me, when I lived up there, how many northwesterners had never experienced the sea of peaks, that being the seemingly endless sea of mountain peaks that extends north and south, with things like Mount Rainier sticking up higher.

I've gone up to 10 places I wish I could escape to right now and I left out Zion National Park. It should be in the Top Ten too. I don't remember ever being so surprised by a place as I was by Zion the first time I saw it. The tunnel into the canyon remains one of the finest moments of my pretty much un-momentous life.