Borrego hike

sun_pictograph, originally uploaded by craptastica.

Today, I took Sara's dad Owen for a long hike to the top of the mesa behind my house. That poor bastard didn't have any clue what was in for him. Yet, he didn't complain too much and besides slowing to a near crawl at the end he did quite admiraly.

I dread visits from Sara's family. We have absolutely nothing in common and as soon as they arrive I can't wait till they leave. I thought a hike may be a good way to pass the time with Owen. We've already been shopping and sightseeing just about everywhere, so I thought I could give at least one of them a different taste of New Mexico.

It turned out to be more than a taste but a five course meal!

Our hike started out innocently enough over mesa and canyon to get to a steep draw where we could walk straight up to the mesa top. By the time we hit the foot of the draw, we were pretty tired and hours had passed. So I decided that we'd walk to a saddle half-way up instead.

Right before we hit the saddle it turned out we hit an old trail that was made and regularly used by the pueblo. So, instead of stopping we just walked the trail all the way up. It was pretty exciting stumbling onto this find as I've heard of this trail from stories and even happened across some pictographs.

We eventually made it to the top and realized we missed our mid-day appointment for baths at the local hot-spring bath house so we immediately turned around and headed back down. Owen was dragging as for sure and I felt a bit tired as well considering all I've done lately is stuff myself with food and run errands. Yet despite the exhaustion I do believe it was a good experience for Owen and I and one we both found a highlight of their trip.

Foot of the Mesa

Foot of the Mesa, originally uploaded by craptastica.

Here's a photo of me lookin kinda funny. The mesa behind me was our destination for the day.

Ice mountain

Ice mountain, originally uploaded by craptastica.

Here's a view from the top of the mesa looking south toward Borrego Dome (which can be seen from Albuquerque). Ice, the husky in the foreground, followed us all the way up the mesa.

Jemez dancers

Jemez dancers, originally uploaded by craptastica.

Dancing by firelight at the Jemez National Monument.

Luminarias

Luminarias, originally uploaded by craptastica.

Once a year, the Jemez National Monument lights hundreds of luminarias (candle-filled paper bags with sand) and opens their doors to the public. The Monument is an acre or so of land containing what is left of the ruins of the second Catholic church built amongst the Jemez Pueblo. It was also once a Jemez pueblo site, called Gesuiwa, and has been re-built to illustrate some of the kivas and storage rooms that once existed.

The Jemez Monument is a rather striking place. Walking among the mud and rock ruins, you can't help but feel the winds of history blowing from each and every adobe brick. The hundreds of luminarias at night and the low indian and catholic chanting that played throughout the night made the experience one filled with enchantment.

cross cut

cross cut, originally uploaded by craptastica.

Volunteers clearing trail in the Dome Wilderness.