Day 133 & 134: Santa Fe, New Mexico

Saturday 16th & Sunday 17th April

Pancakes and bacon for breakfast in Telluride

Coming down the mountains in snow

Santa Fe, snow, and a cabin

Morning in Santa Fe

Plaza

Oldest Church in USA

Oldest House in USA

Art Galleries and architecture, including the 27 shades of brown 

New Mexico History Museum

Governor's Palace

Roswell UFO museum and research centre

Drive down to Carlsbad

Drive-in Cinema

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We should have left Telluride much sooner. But who would leave the nice warm confines of a lodge to face the cold snowy world outside? Especially when you have blueberry pancakes, bacon, maple syrup, bananas, yogurt, and scrambled eggs? We had a good, solid, big, hot breakfast which lasted an hour more than had been planned. That was fine though- we had a long day of driving ahead of us.

Coming down and out of the mountains was beautiful. There had been a fresh blanket of snow over the land leaving everything clean and white and wintery. We drove through this snow, confident in our tour guide who grew up in Michigan. As elevation and exposure changed the snow would come and go, be thin or start coming down again in flurries. The mountains gave way to forests gave way to farm land gave way to rock formations and mesas gave way to winter desert plains. As we entered into New Mexico we were still high enough for the snow to be falling thick and fast. On a straight road in a relatively flat area we passed one large lorry jack knifed on the roadside and another car that had spun and crashed. We saw the drivers walking around at both sites. 

At Santa Fe we were thankfully staying in a tiny cabin which had a tiny heater. It wasn't much. Bunk beds, a little heater, table, chairs, veranda partially covered in a light powder of snow, a fire pit outside.

We huddled in the cabin for a time, getting what heat we could from our heater. 

For dinner we heated up he left overs that had built up, including beans and lasagne. By this point the cabin had actually started to heat up and we were all becoming sleepy. Everyone else went straight to bed, but I've done this cold living before. Showers were free and very hot, so I warmed up under the hot water then changed into thermals and pyjamas before curling up in my very warm, cosy sleeping bag.

The next morning we went out to Santa Fe. The snow/hail was falling but was only building up on plants and in cold corners. It was 1'C, due to build to 9'C at noon. We were all wrapped up warmly against it. This is how we entered the plaza of Santa Fe at 8:30am, before anything was open.

We did a quick look at the small plaza, took pictures of the outside of the Cathedral nearby then moved on.

The oldest church and house in The USA both sit next to each other in the city. The church has been changed, converted, and added to, but has been there since before 1600. It was based on mud, straw, and cattle dung, and much of the outside wall still is this combination. Stone buttresses have been added, a tower, a gift shop, but the centre is still the same. We were there too early to see inside though. 

The oldest house in the USA and its adjoining gift shop had just opened though. Only two rooms of the oldest house remain. There's a long history to this place. It's said to have been built upon a Native Indian dwelling in the Mexican/Spanish Adobe style with several rooms and two storeys. It was built of mud, straw, and cow dung, like the church, on a wooden frame. The wooden frame that presently remains has been carbon dated as around 400 years old. Then as time passed the extra rooms were removed or changed, walls crumbled, and the second floor became unsafe. 

Each section was taken apart in turn- just as gift shops have been built and rebuilt. This house has been designated the oldest house in the USA for over a hundred years. Along with the church this has drawn tourists, and thus people things can be sold to. Trinkets, jewellery, rugs, mini saints, fake fur hats, exotic feathers, ash trays, models, post res, mugs, etc. etc. It's all in there somewhere.

Santa Fe is famous for both its architecture and its art. Buildings here must fit into the distinctive New Mexico theme of 200 years or more ago, painted in a selection of 27 mud-like colours. This keep the idea of an outpost desert town- despite the freezing temperatures and Starbucks.

To explore both art and architecture we visited a road near the town centre where all of the art galleries are. There was a myriad of different arts in different mediums along the street. Statues in steel, some which moved in the wind, alongside stone, brass, and concrete creations. Paintings were displayed in Windows and on walls. Things chimed or twinkled with light. Horses, bears, people, landscapes, Eagles, abstract constructs, buffalo. It was interesting but we eventually had our fill. 

Cold and wanting a rest we dropped in at the Starbucks-not adventurous but we knew what we'd get and how much it would cost.

The New Mexico History Museum was great and I'd have spent far longer there than we did if I could have. We got split off from the girls so Mitch and I explored New Mexico's long history ourselves. Yes, long history. Even compared to European countries this part of America has been around for a long time.There was a little on the Native American history, but not too much is known. It was the Conquistadors of the Spanish that Veni Vidi Vici here first, nearly 600 years ago. They worked hard to be here, not just in various wars but just to grow food and survive. Then came more Europeans who fought over the place. No one ever really came out on top, culturally, though. Hence there are Native American, Hispanic, and European influences on Santa Fe.

Attached to the museum is the Governor's Palace. The original Governor's Palace. The building which was laid siege to by native indians after the Spanish invasions of the late 1500's. Since then its been changed little, other than redecoration. On the side facing the town square is a long veranda. This is now used by native indian peoples as a market place. They sit along the wall with blankets out before them showing off the jewellery and trinkets that they have hand made.
Inside the palace are a wide variety of treasures. One of the first rooms we entered had a large wall completely covered in ancient crucifixes from all across New Mexico. Another room had a tapestry made in honour of an early battle. There was arms and armour, an old postal carriage, items excavated within the grounds such as head collars and baskets. We simply didn't have time for it all!

At 12:45, having lost the girls, Mitch and I decided to leave to get back to the bus, which we were supposed to be at by 1pm. Surely the girls would decided the same-that that was our allotted meeting point and time. Once there we found ourselves waiting for the girls. As we ate lunch they appeared. They'd been waiting in the lobby for us to walk back together!

We drove south towards Carlsbad and the Texas border. Along the way, with a minor detour, was Roswell- the famous site of the "alien" landing. Well, we just had to go there! For a few dollars we entered the Rosell UFO Museum and Research Centre- a hall filled with an array of "evidence" and records of not just the original Roswell incident, but also other UFO sightings and alien encounters. They included exhibits about various films about extraterrestrials and UFOS, as well as quotes from high ranking statesmen and military men who apparently believe in aliens. Its hard to tell if they are being serious or if this is all tongue in cheek humour. Its all so silly and weird that you'd think it was a big joke. Yet they will be hosting this years convention for alien researchers, including lectures by university professors and other specialists.

We got down to our campsite near Carlsbad in good time. That evening we were going to one of the USA's remaining Drive-In cinemas. There was once thousands of these. but now there are only 8 left in the country. We picked "My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2", drove around to a parking lot under a screen, and parked up. The receipt given to us had a frequency to set the bus radio to which blared out adverts. Around the parking lot were the other two parking lots, with their own screens. In the middle was a small building with the toilets and snacks. We shared a ginormous tub of very buttery popcorn and got small cups of soft drink. It was free refills on the drinks-who was going to buy the litre extra large? Oh, right, the people who were too fat to easily walk back for a refill.
We had a great night, sat in warm clothing on camp chairs, stuffing our faces with endless popcorn.

Day 139: House Party! Meeting up with another tour group

Friday 22nd April

Cabin in the woods

Dress up with thrift shop attire

A different group, mostly Brits

Corn hole

Chatting and drinking games

Early morning of hangovers and cleaning 

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We arrived from Austin, Texas, in the middle of the afternoon. After driving through some confusing roads through the forests of the state park. Eventually we made it to a rather nice cabin, alone amongst the trees. It had 8 bunk beds, 2 double beds, a fold out double bed, a kitchen, an open veranda at the front, and a veranda at the back surrounded by fly netting. This was not only for the five of us. We would soon be sharing it with another group. They had started in New York, travelling across country, down to New Orleans, from which they were coming to us now.

We unpacked our gear before dressing up in the random bits of cheap clothing we had picked up from the thrift stores of Austin. Mostly we had managed to gather animal print outfits- which nicely surprised the other group as they arrived.

The other group was mostly Brits, with one Korean guy in tow.

We played "corn hole" for a while, our group having our own set. This game involves two wide wooden boards, each at a angle, with a hole in the middle. The boards are placed a distance apart and each player stands by a board, with four bean bags. Each then takes it in turns to throw bean bags. Getting a bag on the board is one point, and into the hole is three points. We'd gotten quite good at this over the last few weeks, so it was good to show off to another group.
(NB There's a few different ways to play Corn Hole, depending on State.)

We had a dinner of pasta and garlic bread, before having a quite British party of drinking and chatting, interspersed by both British and American drinking games.

Come the morning, as the first one up, I began the great clean up. Some how we managed to get the place back to ship shape before leaving, each group going our separate ways.

Day 135 & 136:Carlsbad Caves, New Mexico and into West Texas

Monday 18th & Tuesday 19th April

Carlsbad Caves

1.5km track, 800feet down

Caverns, rock formations, and bats

Drive into West Texas then Austin

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We drove out to the small state park of the Carlsbad Caves. These caves are enormous, going 800 feet down. Normally everyone walks this distance down then gets a lift back to the surface. However whilst we were there the lift was broken. It was like the Grand Canyon all over again!

At the entrance to the caves is a small amphitheatre, facing the mouth of the cave. This is for the evening when one of the world's largest bat colonies leaves its roost. The bats swarm from the entrance hearing for the horizon to go eat. Videos at the information centre showed how the sky went black with the bats.

We descended down a number of switch backs into the dark. The sun light disappeared as the smell of guano intensified. In one direction the cave carried on- presumably this is where the bats are. We went in the other direction, going deeper. Steadily paths and switchbacks took us between features created in the caves by water slowly seeping through the rocks. All were lit by low level lights, orange to match the colour of the rocks. We passed great swarms of stalactites and fat round stalagmites. At moments we passed small pools of highly concentrated water. There were a lot of signs telling us what not to do- no touching, no going off track, no throwing pennies in the pools, no eating, no drink other than water. These are very important to have, but do you really need so many? Do Americans require so much reminding? So much controlling?

At the bottom was a 1.5km track through the cavern at the bottom. The loop goes around a huge number of a great variety of features, holes, and pools. In the low light pictures don't come out very well, but I did what I could.

It was nearly noon when we were finished and felt hungry. The only place one can eat in the caverns is a small cafe, with toilets, built into a corner of the caves. I wonder what they had to destroy to put that in there? We got a few sandwiches and cookies to share, then made the ascent towards the surface and a proper lunch.

After lunch we just had the long drive out to West Texas. We passed numerous small farms- far smaller than I ever expected to see in America. They had tiny combine harvesters in sheds, a few acres per field separated by ditches. Yet these sort of farms went on for most of West Texas. Seemed odd given everything I've heard of Texas.
Our campsite was a small place on the plains surrounded by tall grasses. We relaxed, made dinner, then just went to bed. Easy.

Day 137 & 138: Austin Texas

Wednesday 20th & Thursday 21st April

Ah, carp

Drive in to Austin, Texas

Hostel

Post office visit

Night out

Capital building

Wholefoods, the home of the rich but not famous

REI outdoor sports gear

Thrift stores

Distance:

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Like my father before me, I don't cry over much beyond sad books and the odd film. Mostly this is fine, but there are times when I wish I was like I was as a child. Able to sit in a corner and let it all pour out. Let the tears wash away my worries. But I can't. So, forced to bear the weight without a simple way to let it go, I carried on as best I could.
On Wednesday night I lost my wallet. At home that would have been fine. But here, in America, it left me penniless and vulnerable. I was so tired after so long away from any sort of home. I just wanted the trip to be over. Just wanted to go and be surrounded by family and friends. People I trusted, could depend upon.
In the end it would be ok. Not easy. Stressful and hellish, but ok.

It was another long drive to Austin, Texas, the state capital. The slogan for the city is "Keep Austin Weird", unusually. Unlike the usual view of Texas as a bunch of Bible bashing, redneck, cowboys, the city attempts to keep things different, slightly liberal, and modern. It's certainly not keeping up with Melbourne, Wellington, or even New Orleans, in this regard, but it seems likely to be worth the effort given the rest of the state.

We were staying in a small hostel by the river some distance from the centre of the town. Down the road was a small post office. I hoped to send a parcel home as I had done in the other countries. Just a few bits and pieces, presents, trinkets, nothing much. It was in a small kiosk that I found the couple who had been running the post office for many years. There was a drive by facility for anyone who didn't want to make the three strides from the parking inside. Within I found them to be having a small argument, surrounded by boxes. Beyond the desk that divided the public from the post was a small wash basket. From it came a tiny bark-a chihuahua poked its head out from underneath.
We had a good chat about dogs and travelling as a box was found for me. They weighed it as I filled out the paperwork. Then they, thankfully decided to warn me. It was going to cost over $70 to post it home! I wasn't even sending that much! In NZ or Aus it might have come to half, probably even less, than that. So no, that was off. I returned to the hostel and pushed the little package deep into my rucksack.

That night we went out into Austin. We wandered up and down the dark, dingy street, beign offered "cheap" "deals" by the few promoters. The girls weren't too keen on anywhere, but eventually we found somewhere and had a few drinks. We met up with a friend of our tour guide, and met a few students from the local university.
Later on in the evening the students would take us down to the Capital Building. this is the centre of governance for Texas state. It is designed based on the Capital Building in Washington D.C., but is a little bit bigger. Apparently everything in Texas has to be bigger.

It wouldn't be for a few days that I would decide that I must have lost my wallet in the taxi ride between here and the hostel.

The next morning we went to Wholefoods. This is a supermarket chain in America which specialises in selling the best of the best, for the appropriate price. Its not cheap, but it is good. As well as the normal supermarket area it has a self service deli area with a wide selection. We had soup, yogurt, thai, chinese, pasta, salad. it was all excellent.

Afterwards we went next door to REI. This outdoor sports shop used to believe it had such high quality goods as to offer a lifetime warranty on everything. If you bought a jacket from them you had a jacket for life. Should a zip fail or you tear the jacket they would replace it, free of charge, no questions asked. Apparently even if you simply didn't like something you could take it back and get an alternative. Now that warranty has gone down to one year-but the same rules still apply. The price is really good too- less than for similar items in the UK.

At this point I headed off to the Police Station to report my wallet missing. My tour guide didn't seem to understand why I would bother, nor did the police. I'd already rung the taxi company, another move people didn't seem to understand why I'd bother. This is America. No one cares. No one was going to hand it back in. They'd take the cash I had and probably throw the rest. This is the level of faith in humanity America turned me towards. In some ways the UK can be like this, but less than half the time. In Australia and New Zealand I never felt like this-everyone was always so helpful and happy. I'd had enough of this country a long time ago. This was getting to be too much.

Finally we headed to the thrift shops. This was to be prepared for tomorrow night. We would be dressing up for a party that we would be having with another Trek America tour group. The other group would come from the opposite direction, starting in New York, taking the shorter route than ours, going inland and down to New Orleans, then west towards us.