Elk and Deer at Chaco

Regardless of security measures at the malls in El Paso, the natural pattern of life goes on at Chaco Culture National Historical Park. The elk take a break in the afternoon after finding a sunny and protected area.

The mule deer look down at Casa Rinconada from the canyon rim.

Modern and Ancient

I couldn't pass up these shots of the jet con trail over the top of the wall at Pueblo Bonito and the interior passageways.

Shopping at the Mall

I think it is important to connect with the local folks and their lifestyle in as many ways as possible. This took me to the Sunland Park Mall in El Paso.

El Paso seems to have a fascination with horses as this center piece
indicates. Right after I took this photo the Security Guard for the
Mall approached me. He informed me that pictures of the general area
were permitted but pictures of the store fronts were not.

I did get permission to take these pictures at the Mexican Sound
store.

El Paso Tramway

Once in El Paso we toured the area over looking Fort Bliss. A highlight was taking the Wyler Aerial Tramway up to the top of Ranger Peak in El Paso's Franklin Mountains. It is operated by the Texas State Parks and affords incredible views.

El Paso will soon be experiencing substantial growth as Fort Bliss
will expand by 35,000 military personnel (this doesn't include their
dependents) to provide a wide range of year round training. A major
issue was the need to be able to guarantee a consistent water supply.
This was accommodated by the building of a desalination plant and
pipeline from a vast aquifer nearby.

Onate or "Equestrian"???

There is an enormous statue at the El Paso airport commemorating the arrival of the Spanish to the area - given the impact of the Spanish as they marched north from Mexico into New Mexico up the Rio Grande from El Paso - there were mixed reaction to the statue. The figure portrayed might have been Onate. The statue is now called "The Equestrian."

It is massive and frightening. I tried to imagine the reaction of the
Puebloan people who experienced the Conquistadors and never seen
before horses first hand. Seems the victors get to write the history.

Ravens and Watchers at Pueblo Bonito

Ravens are very very smart birds. When I worked as the Camp Ground Host I would warn visitors not to leave back packs or backs out as the ravens would come, tear them open and search for food items. Folks talk about the raven duo that could get the lid off a garbage container by jointly flying up while holding the inside plastic bag to dump the contents in the parking lot for a feed.

These people are on the canyon rim looking down onto Pueblo Bonito in
the afternoon - great place to take photos on a clear (or any) day.

Road to El Paso

I -25 south to El Paso is relatively fast and meanders past Truth or
Consequences ("T or C" down here) on toward Las Cruces (also know as
"Cruces" down here). I took the back road NM 28 south from Las Cruces
after stopping at the plaza in Old Messina Sunday afternoon
loaded with tourists and a bit overwhelming.

I drove past rows of pecan trees and stopped at
Stahlman's for a Butter Pecan ice cream cone....

Since it was a clear and sunny day the biker's were out in force and I couldn't pass up the parking lot of this bar.

Bosque del Apache

Bosque del Apache is a managed wildlife refuge. This means that nearly all aspects of the refuge are carefully planned, scheduled and altered to provide a successful environment for the wild residents.

Bosque provides a winter home for Sand Hill Cranes and a wide variety of water fowl including Canada and Snow Geese.

The water fowl held little interest to me (insert waterfowl pic) as
we see them quite often in migration and residence in MN. The same
was true of the relatively large number of Bald Eagles which seemed
to make the water fowl a bit nervous.

I did spot the Aplamado Falcon that has moved into the area.
This interesting little falcon is being reintroduced in this part of
the SW and is pretty rare.

Blog Moves Ahead Without Pictures

I am at a location where I am able to post entries and links but am not able to post pictures. I am cateloging pictures and will add them as I am able down the road.

Indian Pueblo Cultural Center

I was able to do a trip to El Paso, TX stopping in Albuquerque to visit the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center. My goal was to view the nineteen Pueblo communities side by side and to get a better feel for the art/culture of the various groups. As I entered the Center I noticed the Security staff gathered around their video terminal watching a car break-in on the north side of the Center. I went back to my car, moved it to a visible spot in front of the Center and brought my lap top in to be stored at the Reception desk. Pay attention to security. The facility is well worth the trip. The gift shop exceeds expectations with a wide variety of books available and well selected jewelry and paintings. One thing did strike me as odd was the inclusion of a jointly developed display of the Buffalo Soldiers who served in the Southwest.

Views of Fajada Butte

I am situated north of Fajada Butte with a clear view from my apartment. As the sun rises it reveals the many colors of the Butte. This is the sequence from sunrise first glow to full sun up.

Arrived at Chaco Culture National Historical Park (CCNHP)

I was at Chaco Culture National Historical Park in March of 2007 camping in my tent. I worked for several days a Campground Host and was invited back to be a Volunteer In the Parks as part of the Interpretive staff. I accepted. Staying in doors this time of year in the high New Mexico desert is pretty good thing. It is an amazing place of natural beauty and cultural history.

Colleges/Universities

I am always interested in the juxtapositions in travel scenes. This was the contrast between the Sinte Gleska University on the Pine Ridge Reservation and the United World College in Las Vegas, NM. Both are meeting needs - one very local to the rez and the other with a world focus.

'No Country For Old Men"

Tons of movies have been shot in Las Vegas, NM. If you have seen the Coen brothers film "No Country for Old Men", you may recognize this location as the store that Josh Brolin enters to buy cloths after he has slipped out of the hospital "south of the border." I chatted with the owner's daughter who filled me in on all the fun stuff about the shoot. Complete serendipity stopping into the store (not really - I just love Carhardt : )

Weavers and Coffee

I was amazed at the rich and various patterns that the weavers had produced in Las Vegas, NM.

The Town/Hospital

Las Vegas, NM is an old town which was a key stopping place and mercantile center related to the Santa Fe Trail. It also is the location of the state Mental Health Hospital (as the locals say - Albuquerque got the University, Santa Fe got the Capital and Las Vegas got the Mental Health Hospital.) The result is a large number of "drop in" centers available to folks who are in transition from the hospital to the community. It also provides an interesting mix of people on the streets - all very good.

Not Forgotten - The Movie

Las Vegas, NM is a great place to film movies set in the west. I ended up staying there three nights a storm closed roads as I traveled to Chaco Canyon on the west side of the mountains. The crew filming "Not Forgotten" was staying at the same I was staying. A mix of interesting and odd folks. They had clear signs wherever they were needed.

My First Pueblo!

As I headed south I encountered my first Pueblo on this trip and the only one in Kansas - El Cuartelejo. It is located in a lovely valley off the plains and in a good river valley. Pressed on to Garden City, KS and then to Las Vegas, NM.

Rosebud Reservation and Feed Lots

I headed south on Hwy 83 which goes from flat to badlands to hilly to flat to...for quite a ways.
I stopped briefly in Mission, SD on the Rosebud Lakota Reservation. The Sinte Gleska University is celebrating it's anniversary. I pressed on south to Graden City, KS past a number of feed lots filed with beeves ready to be sent off.

Murdo, SD

I stopped in Murdo, SD and stayed at the Day's Inn - highly recommend it. A good jumping off place to head south on Hwy 83. The Pioneer Auto Museum is a pretty big draw too.

Sadly...closed : (

One of the highlights of traveling west on I- 90 across South Dakota is stopping at the lovely Visitor Center/Rest Stop at Chamberlain overlooking the Missouri River. The Center has a ton of Lewis and Clark information and you can look out over the river from the back of a simulated stern of their keelboat.