Santa Fe, NM - 11,200 Miles

We spent yesterday in Santa Fe, NM wandering the downtown area including the state capitol. We can add the New Mexico state capitol to the unexpectedly large number of state capitols visited on this trip. New Mexico's capitol building is unique in that it was built in 1966 and has no dome. It looks like a cross between a modern office building and a museum. Also, unlike Colorado which had a metal detector and armed guards at the entrance, New Mexico simply had a security desk in a corner of the entry foyer. When we entered no one was at the desk, but I had noticed a man in a security uniform near the front of the building on a smoke break. Maybe he was just trying to keep a low profile. Other than state buildings, the downtown area was comprised almost entirely of art galleries. That may explain so many artworks hanging in the capitol building. Someone has to keep those folks in business.

The most notable feature here is the architecture. I've seen enough adobe and stucco to last a lifetime. It's a nice change but all of the buildings look the same. I've seen adobe malls, adobe churches, adobe 7-11's, adobe gas stations, adobe office buildings,and adobe IHOP's. I told Terry driving back to the hotel last night, "Watch for the hotel because I'll be 4 miles past it before I realize it."

Fortunately I remembered a McDonald's sat next to the Marriott. I only knew this because of the golden arches in front of a another generic adobe building. When I saw golden arches I knew turning left would put me in our hotel parking lot.

The adobe houses get repetitive also. If I take a quick glance toward an older residential neighborhood, I'd swear I just had a glimpse of Bedrock. The only things missing were Fred and Wilma.

Today we drove up to Taos. Taos apparently used up whatever adobe Santa Fe had left over. We went through town and to the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge. First, I never knew the Rio Grande was anywhere other than along the Mexican border, but I guess it had to start somewhere. Second, in my mind, the Rio Grande Gorge is second only to the Grand Canyon in gorges. I had never heard of it before today. Maybe equally surprising is that, other than a small rest area at one end of the bridge, there are no signs and nothing commercial. We went to Royal Gorge in Colorado and they wanted $24 a person to get to the bridge so we turned around. Here it was just another bridge on a two-lane state road 10 miles from the nearest town, but the gorge was every bit as spectacular. I've learned there's no telling what you will stumble across if you keep your eyes open.






























The bridge was short enough to walk with no problem, but I could have done without the bouncing caused by the occasional semi crossing behind me as I looked over the railing.