Where is Wolf Creek Pass?
Annie and I went to Wolf Creek Pass, East of here on US 160. This pass is over 10,000 feet altitude, with a six mile, constant 7% grade approach from both sides. Quite the impressive hill.

We went on a trek in the jeep to a peak (name forgotten – guess I need a recorder to carry with me). Of the three miles up the forest road, the top 1/2 was still snow covered. I think this was the first snow that Annie has seen, but she adapted rather quickly, after sinking in to her stomach a few times.

At this altitude, the hike for the final 1/2 mile on snow was about all I could possibly do. Annie kept looking at me as if I were crazy, or perhaps looking for signs of breathing, I was moving so slowly. She, of course was impatiently running circles around me.

No pictures, as I forgot my camera. However the drive up the mountain is really beautiful, as is the entire area. Very green in these river valleys. Depending on whether I go East or West from here, I may get to see the other side.

Where is Blanco River RV Park?

NOTE: No cellular phone reception here.

I moved today to the Blanco River RV Park, near Pagosa Springs, CO. I was in this area once before, but had forgotten. Wolf Creek Ski Area is only about 30 miles from here. I was there probably 30 years ago.

I paid a visit to Albuquerque yesterday. It was a longer drive than I anticipated. I probably should have driven the Barth close to town and parked in some shopping center on the way here rather than round-trip in the Jeep. But that is easier said than done when one does not know the town.

In Albuquerque I went to the Atomic Energy Museum, the Tram, and Old Town. It turns out that the Atomic Energy Museum has been relocated from Kirtland AFB to near Old Town due to the base closure after 911 (as was Ft. Huachuca). That was convenient and saved time, allowing the trip to the Tram. On the way North I breezed by Santa Fe, taking the truck bypass.

Weather and view is perfect here, except for a breeze that is bordering on “take the awning down” gusts. I went to Pagosa Springs, about 10 miles, to pick up a few groceries. I got info on the 4 July activities while I was there. July 5 is an awkward date to have to move, but I’ll manage. This location is booked up, so I will then have to move down (or up) the road.

I picked up info on the area, and the schedule for July 4th happenings, including a rodeo. If the festivities start on Saturday, then I hopefully be able to ‘witness’ some of them. Last year I spent July 4th celebrating with local miners at Chicken, AK.

Mountainair should be spelled MountainAir in today’s computer jargon. It has a big, wide Main Street in which one can make a U-turn without looking either direction and probably there will be no one to witness it, about 0.1% chance of an accident. So, if no one witnessed a U-turn, was it really a U-turn? In fact, I saw a semi do a U-turn yesterday.

A sign at the entrance to the town proclaims… well, I will let you read it for yourself:

Some key words that may indicate the reason for the town’s current state are pinto beans, railroad and ranching. These dominate the town of today.

I had a sweet tooth yesterday (and today), so I had one of these:

Mountainair has no fast food outlets. It barely has slow food outlets. Today I wandered about town, and discovered that it did not take long, as many buildings are vacant. But there is an old drug store, with a soda fountain, that dates to the 1920′s, so they say, a good companion to the Rose Bud bar. That is where I found the banana split:

Annie finally met the local Park dog nose-to-nose. She has a tremendous dislike for the fellow. Unfortunately, the RV Park Dog is totally spaced out. Annie is behaving much more calmly now than she did on the Alaska trip. Except that she did run through the screen door on Barth. Fortunately the hardware store in town has the material to replace it. I bought the material, but I do not know when I will get around to the actual work.

Stock market took a nasty tumble today when I wasn’t looking.

Before I get into today’s adventures, I will post an image of humming birds I took at the Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center yesterday. Amazing how difficult it is to catch the little buggers, I thought I was going to get some prize winners. This image does not have the most, but it was about the only one with them actually airborne:

OK, on to today. After having to move camp site because the owner gave me one that was reserved (there are only 3 of about 20 occupied, and they are all equal), I went exploring.

First off to Quarai Ruins, one of three local sites that constitute the Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument. All of these mission ruins date back to the 1600 era.

That visit was followed by the ruin known as Abo Ruins:

Finally, on the way home in 100 degrees of un-airconditioned vehicle, I wanted something other than a sweet cola at home. So I dropped into the Rose Bud Saloon for a cold one. The Rose Bud has been in operation since 1925. Here is a picture of the bar tender and the sole companion with which I shared my non-alcholic brewsky:

Where is Mountainair, NM?

Tillie’s RV Park is better than the gravel pit I was in at San Antonio, NM. Just as warm, high desert area, not as desolate as my yard in Hereford, AZ. But the price isn’t too bad, the park is almost empty, there are things to see in the vicinity (missions, etc.), and with today’s fuel prices one cannot drive with abandon!

Unlike most places, this desperate park is willing to allow me to stay as long as I want without prepayment commitment, and charge me the rate to my best advantage (daily, weekly, monthly) when I leave.

I just setup and relaxed today. Annie mentioned something about going back to Uncle Bill’s Bar and Grill to look for some mongrel she met in Reserve, and was very frustrated when I told her that we were no longer in Reserve! But the owners of this park have a overweight Golden Retriever. They said that he is neutered, and does not know how to act around other dogs. I told them that they should really hit it off, because Annie is spayed, and likewise not well socialized! So far they have only barked at each other through the window.

Yesterday, at a small chapel celebration at Three Rivers, a small boy, perhaps 9 years, asked if he could pet Annie’s head through the car window. I reluctantly said OK, as Annie treats kids like other dogs – as a threat. But she was very patient. Then another little boy, about 11 maybe, asked to pet her. She had been so nice, I said OK. She instantly snapped his hand. I apologized, but the boy said, “Aww, that’s OK. I always get bitten.”

There was a band, 10 times more people than could fit in the little chapel, at the celebration. I did not get a picture of the outside of the little chapel, it was so cluttered with greenery and people, but the inside looked like this (note that this place is so remote that it is over 50 miles to the closest convenience store):