Road Trip, part 2

Along the high road to Taos is the Santuario de Chimayo, a small church where thousands visit each year to take home some of the dirt from a small well inside the church that is said to have healing powers.  There is a side room that contains crutches, pictures, and baby shoes that visitors have left during their visit. It is a very touching sight. We happened to be visiting one Easter weekend and were able to watch as people walked from Santa Fe, some carrying large crosses, on their personal pilgrimage. Older folks would walk a short distance, ride in the car a while, walk some more, but always walk the last  distance to the church. Every time we visit, I am moved, and find it a beautiful setting.

Chapel de los Ninos.

A picturesque store where you can buy mementos of your visit.

Continuing on along the high road you come to Truchas. It has always been intriguing--like it's in a time warp of some sort, though it is now becoming more of an artist community.

A memorial in the cemetery as you go in to town.

The town sits on top of a ridge and has a beautiful view.

Back in Albuquerque there was more food...

And shopping on the plaza.

And here is a dish that doesn't look like all the others--and chances are you won't find elsewhere, either.

This is the "Travis" at Grandma's K & I Diner, where they cover just about everything in french fries. The Travis is a beef and bean burrito, with the standard lettuce, tomato and cheese. Then they put both red and green chili on it and top it off with french fries--and it is really good! Even though it comes in various portion sizes, it is pretty hard to finish whatever size you pick! 

After this little gem, we went to the state fair to walk it off. New Mexico puts on a pretty nice fair, but we cut our stay short when they announced for everyone to take cover as there was an unexpected wind storm heading our way.  

We traveled home on a different route and made a stop at Bosque De Apache National Wildlife Refuge. They get a lot of Sandhill Cranes here in the winter. It was too early for the cranes, but we did see these guys.

 Turkeys always surprise me with their long legs and overall size.

I really love New Mexico, but to appreciate it you have to look closely at what it has to offer--like the different grasses...

                                         

And the blue sky...

We drove past here.

And in Capitan stopped at the Smokey Bear museum and grave site.

My husband saw Smokey when he lived at the National Zoo in Washington, DC. (Smokey lived at the zoo, not my husband). There are of pictures of Smokey right after they found him, of the firefighters and the burned forest, then you walk outside to his grave. Of course I cried.

On our final day on the road we drove through the small town of Brady, TX and I was amazed to see a billboard advertising wool and yarn! Well, we had to stop and this place had a fabulous selection of wool!

 I should have gotten more--great selection, great price, but when faced with so many colors and shades, and without a plan in mind,I couldn't make up my mind. I got a few pieces and may have to order some online (www.originaldesignsbydeborah.com).

Since we were driving right by, we stopped in Comfort at the Tinsmith's Wife. Cute yarn store with a great selection of yarns.

There are two resident cats. This one was doing quite the balancing act and wanted to be petted from up here.

 New Mexico is proud of their green chili burgers. We had one in Santa Fe here--

 And here at the Owl Bar in Magdalena, NM

But no place can compare to the Cheddar Cheesy at Chris Madrid's in San Antonio, TX.

And as eager as we were to get home, had to stop and have one. 

It was a great vacation, the road trip was fun, but it was nice to be home. The cats were glad to see us, and didn't even give us the "you left us" cold shoulder.

Thanks for coming on our trip with us. I have another fall wool piece finished, so I'll be back soon to show you. Then I have to start on some wintry, Christmas stuff!

See ya!