Farmington, NM

September 21, 2023 – Thursday, Farmington, New Mexico

 

A passable breakfast (for a change) at the hotel.  Scrambled eggs, bacon, potatoes.  A lovely day, with scattered cumulus clouds.

 

Out of Albuquerque (with many balloons in the air; the annual balloon-fest will be in early October), heading north on Highway US-550.  It turns out that R traveled this route in 1969, as he drove back to Chicago after observing at McDonald Observatory in west Texas.  A lot has changed in 54 years!

 

Crossed the Continental Divide – Back in the West – and heading to Chaco Canyon National Monument – site of major Indian ruins occupied between ~ 850 A.D. to 1150 A.D. by the ancestors of the present-day Pueblo peoples.  A severe drought beginning in about 1130 A.D. is the probable cause for the culture to disburse, possibly linked to the rise of Paquime in Northern Mexico.  The ruins at Chaco Canyon are huge and well-preserved, featuring many walls and building (many of which are circular).

 

The road from US-550 to Chaco Canyon was a first class challenge. It started as paved, then well-graded gravel, then not-well-tended gravel that – in places – was absolutely awful.  Apparently, heavy rains last week caused considerable damage.  One of the Rangers at the Visitor Center (which I honestly thought we would NEVER see!) told us that the road was so bad that several of the staff members got stuck – which really tells you something, as these people live in the park full-time!  The road was so rough that the bouncing caused a jar of raspberry jam in the cooler to open and dump the contents.  Fortunately, the road within the National Monument itself is paved.  

 

We spent a bit of time at the Visitor Center, and then hiked the short trail next to the Center hoping to see petroglyphs.  They were labeled as being along the route, but we never saw any – and I’m pretty good at spotting them, actually.  Very disappointing!  We then took the circular drive through the Canyon, stopping at La Bonita to hike the 1/3rd mile to the big excavation.  Very, very impressive!  Apparently at one time it contained something like 600 rooms – many of them circular, and went 4 – 5 stories high in places!  The construction itself – the walls and circles of stone – were spectacular.  It is so amazing to think that Chaco Canyon was once the center of a thriving community whose roots spread out for hundreds of miles – and whose trade connections reached thousands of miles – to include even parrots from southern Mexico!  After that, we decided we had had enough exercise for the day, and that we should head out to Farmington for the night.

 

Thrashed our way back to US-550 and headed to our next hotel, the Home-2-Suites in Farmington, a place we stayed at in the past and very nice.  By about 3:00, we realized we both were hungry and, after reviewing the options listed on Trip Advisor, decided on Red Lobster!  So, off we went, with a stop at Mr. Car Wash for a much-needed bath (the car, not us).

 

Dinners were essentially identical: Clam chowder, Endless Shrimp [grilled, garlic and Dragon (Asian)] and baked potato.  One is supposed to order as many more shrimp as desired but our portions were more than enough.  Wonderful meal.  All washed down by bottle of Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc!

 

Back to the hotel for much-needed rest; we are definitely in for the night!



Heading to Chaco Canyon



Beautiful day; stunning roads ... 













Along Una Vida trail

Una Vida



Pueblo Bonito

A friend...

Pueblo Bonito



Pueblo Bonito


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