"If you ever go
to New Mexico it will itch you for the rest of your life"
~ Georgia O' Keeffe
We headed south to the land of enchantment. The change in landscape creeps up slowly when
leaving Colorado... majestic pine forests slowly evolve into pinyon trees and sagebrush
as the views open up wider. Our
destination was Abiquiú, where
Geogia O' Keeffe made her home (and her paintings) and films such as Indiana Jones
and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Cowboys & Aliens, City Slickers,
and Red Dawn
were shot. But this weekend we had it
all to ourselves. A visit in shoulder
season, after the summer hikers, rafters, and climbers have left and before the
skiers have arrived, Abiquiu, and much of New Mexico is quiet.
Our first stop
was Plaza Blanca, sort of a Garden of the Gods with volcanic origins, but with
white rocks instead of red, and on private property open to the public, and
without the crowds (or on this particular Sunday, another single soul). It is a great place to lose yourself and
spend time doing simple things such as search for the perfect rock, which is
what we did for the better part of two hours.
Next was a visit
to Ghost Ranch, a place so lovely it is hard to take in all at once. We hiked around in the late afternoon and
enjoyed the magical light on red and orange cliff sides. For the sunset we stopped at Abiquiu Lake,
again with the entire lake to ourselves.
A fierce wind made the water quite choppy that evening, while in the
morning all was silent and it was as smooth as glass. This is all part of the
"enchantment" of New Mexico- the constant transformation of its
appearance with the shifting light, wind, and sound, and because of this, New
Mexico continues to itch me.
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| Plaza Blanca |
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| Mosque in Abiquiu |
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| Church in Abiquiu |
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| Ghost Ranch |
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| Sunset on Abiquiu Lake |
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| Our cabin rental |
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| Abiquiu Lake in the morning |
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| Rio Chama |
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| Taos church |
