A flat tyre on the car. A temp tyre fitted so we could get to the airport, but since you can’t drive over 50pm on it we decided to head straight to the airport.
Flight was delayed a bit, but despite that we made up the time and landed on time.
Back home by about 4pm.
We spent the morning walking round the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix.
Then headed over to the hotel in Phoenix (via a Panera for a late lunch.)
We tried to visit the museum on the drive out of Lordsburg, but it was closed. Obviously. The sign said it was open, but it was not open.
Into Willcox.
“Originally known as "Maley", the town was founded in 1880 as a whistlestop on the Southern Pacific Railroad because of its position approximately halfway between El Paso, Texas and Phoenix, Arizona. It was renamed in honor of a visit by General Orlando B. Willcox in 1889. In the early 20th century, Willcox was a national leader in cattle production.”
— Wikipedia
A museum was OPEN.
Warren Earp, youngest of the Earp Brothers was shot and killed by Johnny Boyett on July 6, 1900 in the Headquarters Saloon on the corner of RR Ave. He was a trouble maker and nobody liked him but they did like the cowboy that shot him and decided a trial wasn’t needed and had Earp buried by afternoon.
—
“In 1911, Cal Rodgers landed across the tracks on his history making flight across America in the first ever transcontinental flight.His plane was named the Vin Fiz advertising a new grape drink.He was followed by a train carrying his wife and his mother, who did not get along, 8 mechanics, and parts to repair the plane. It took all 8 of his mechanics to guard the plane that night as no one had ever seen a plane before and tried to take pieces as souvenirs. The flight took him 49 days and he crashed 19 times. It is an amazing story and we have published a monograph titled“The Vin Fiz Lands in Willcox”.” — https://www.erbzine.com/mag70/7083.html
We came across a pile of free books, and look - Southend! - What are the chances?
Lunch at The Dining Car.
A BBQ restaurant that seats people in an old railroad dining car.
On to Phoenix.
We had a nice walk around the Tuscon Museum of Art. I’m partial to the South American art. They also had a photo by Gregory Crewdson whose photography I like.
..and to our penultimate hotel.
We parked up in “down town” Truth or Consequences.
“Truth or Consequences (often abbreviated as T or C) is a city in the U.S. state of New Mexico, and the county seat of Sierra County. In 2020, the population was 6,052. It has frequently been noted on lists of unusual place names for having chosen to rename itself in March 1950 after the Truth or Consequences radio show. The name is often hyphenated (Truth-or-Consequences, T-or-C) for clarity, though the formal name contains no punctuation.” — Wikipedia
…and went for a coffee at the excellent Black Cat - Books and Coffee.
After posting two postcards, and still in Truth or Consequences we had a browser round Junkology and bought and excellent duck.
The key aim for the day was to work our way through the hills of the Gila National Forest.
After a LOT of a switchbacks and an hour of driving we got to Hillsboro. Being a “ghost town” nothing outside of the Post Office was open. The man at the counter said things only really open on a Friday or Saturday.
“Hillsboro is an unincorporated community in Sierra County, New Mexico, United States, located in the southwestern part of the state. It was founded in 1877, following the discovery of gold. The community was the county seat of Sierra County from 1884 until 1936, when Hot Springs (now called Truth or Consequences) became the county seat.
The town was named Hillsborough by prospectors in December 1877, but later shortened to Hillsboro. By 1880, the town had four companies of soldiers and 400 miners, but the population soon grew to 700. A county courthouse was built in 1892. By 1907, the population was 1200. A flood on 10 June 1914 caused considerable damage to many town buildings. New Mexico State Road 152 and NM 27 intersect in and bisect the town.” — Wikipedia
Into Santa Rita. A sign by a shrine stated: “IN 1960, THE KENNECOTT COPPER CORP. NOTIFIED THE RESIDENTS OF THE TOWN OF SANTA RITA THAT THEY HAD TO VACATE BY 1970 DUE TO MINING EXPANSION, ALL HOUSES, BUILDINGS, AND SANTA RITA CATHOLIC CHURCH WERE EITHER MOVED OR DEMOLISHED. THE STATUE OF SANTA RITA WAS TAKEN TO THE VILLAGE OF CENTRAL
MIGUEL OJINAGA. ANGEL ALVARADO AND MOY GONZALES ASKED KENNECOTT OFFICIALS FOR A SECTION OF LAND AND THE STATUE WAS BROUGHT BACK WITH THE BLESSING OF THE DIOCESAN BISHOP OF EL PASO AND THE HELP OF OTHER SANTA RITA RESIDENTS. THE SHRINE WAS BUILT HERE. THE FORMER TOWN OF SANTA RITA WAS LOCATED ONE MILE EAST OF THIS LOCATION.”
We doubled-back to look at the mine, which is prettier than you might think a mine would be.
A little up the road was Kelly, and an abandoned fridge which said; “Just a reminder brother: Garden and chickens in the morning and the evening. Sorry for writing on the fridge.”
I decided against opening the fridge.
A little further on was Kingston.
“Jack Sheddon discovered silver in what would become the Solitaire Mine in 1882. Originally called Percha City, Kingston was surveyed the same year and soon had a population of 1800. Lillian Russell once performed here.
The Depression of 1893 curtailed mining activities in the area, though there was a brief resurgence during World War II. By 1952 however, most production had ceased.” — Wikipedia
Another hour an we were in Fiero
“Fierro is an archaic form of hierro, the Spanish word for “iron,” and iron is the reason the town was born in the first place. The mining history goes back to 1841, when Sofio Henkle (or Hinkle), a German immigrant living in Mexico, went looking for copper deposits. He found both copper and iron on a mountain a few miles north of the big copper mine in Santa Rita and named the mountain and its new mine Hanover, after his former home.” — cityofdust.blogspot.com
Up a short hill was a pretty standard church, but behind is a grotto. There doesn’t seem to be much information online about it. It was pretty small, lots of the candles were lit and the air was full of the smell of incense.
The final ghost town was Pinos Altos. There was a musuem with a note saying; “Your custom is appreciated. Press the doorbell and we’ll be there in five minutes. We did, but they weren’t. We spoke to a guy on a lay-back bike who was travelling around New Mexico making for videos. I contacted him through this YouTube channel later in the evening and they didn’t show up for him either.
There was a bar, and an opera house - neither of whose facades matched what you’d think was inside.
Long roads ahead, and finally Lordsburg for the hotel (well, after we checked straight out of the first one because it stank of cleaning fluid to the extent it stung our throats.)
We thought we go and see the VLA (Very Large Array) of radio-telescopes so we drove to the operations centre who then told us the actual telescopes are an hour’s drive away - and not in the direction we needed to go.
Into Magdalena because it was supposed to be a ghost town. Seeing a sign for a Visitor’s centre as we drove in made us think it probably was that… ghosty. We topped up with petrol, and being an old-school pump I had to remember to flick the metal switch to on.
While we worked out where to drive to next we had a coffee at Espresso. We had a nice chat with the owner who likes analogue photography and showed me his dark room (one of his enlargers below). It seemed fitting to take his portrait with the analogue camera I had with me (also, below - the camera not the photo as that’ll be developed when we get back.) He suggested for a ghost town we drive a couple of miles to Kelly.
Somewhat of a bumpy road up the hill to Kelly.
“In 1883, about 2.5 miles (4.0 km) south of Magdalena, the Kelly Mine opened in the community of Kelly. The Kelly Mine produced lead, silver, zinc and smithsonite until the markets collapsed. Kelly's population reached nearly 3,000 during the mining boom. The last residents of Kelly departed in 1947 and it is now a ghost town. The Kelly Church still stands and is the site of periodic festivities.” — Wikipedia
To our fun motel in Truth or Consequences. The Rocket Inn.
A day at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in Albuquerque on Indigenous Peoples' Day.
To our cheap motel in Sorocco.
After checking in we went for a walk around town. San Miguel de Socorro is the Catholic church in Socorro,, built on the ruins of the old Nuestra Señora de Socorro mission. The old mission was built around 1627, but was destroyed in 1680 during the Pueblo Revolt. Local legend has it that during an Apache raid, an angel appeared and scared off the invaders. Parishioners thus decided to name the church after St. Michael, the archangel who supposedly saved the village. — Wikipedia
Like a miracle a bar appeared, so we popped in for a couple of drinks.
A day in Santa Fe. First stop was the International Museum of Folk Art. There was a gallery dedicated to Ukraine (for example, someone covering all the outdoor statues, etc. to try and protect them.) I like the Mexican stuff, as I like the aesthetic of Day of the Dead.
A quick round American’s oldest house.
“The De Vargas Street House, often referred to as the Oldest House, is a historic building in Santa Fe, New Mexico, which is often said to be one of the oldest buildings in United States. The original date of construction is unknown but the majority of the building is believed to date to the Spanish colonial period".” — Wikipedia
A walk around the main plaza, and some food (Jane a spinach and cheese quiche, me a croque monsieur. Jane won.)
I did some people watching.
Then back to to the San Miguel Chapel as the director Laurianne said when it closed at 3pm I could record the 789 pound San Jose Bell (added to the bell tower in 1856 and now on display in the Chapel) to make a virtual instrument with.
“San Miguel Chapel, is a Spanish colonial mission church in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Originally built around 1610, it is often referred to as the oldest church building in the continental United States. The church was rebuilt twice, once in the mid to late 17th century, and again in 1710 following the Pueblo Revolt.” — Wikipedia
To the hotel.
“Taos Pueblo is an ancient pueblo belonging to a Taos-speaking Native American tribe of Puebloan people. It lies about 1 mile north of the modern city of Taos, New Mexico. The pueblos are one of the oldest continuously inhabited communities in the United States. This has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.”
“We have lived on this land since days beyond history’s record, far past any living memory, deep into the time of legend. The story of my people and the story of thsi place are one single story. No man can think of us without thinking of this place. We are always joined together — Tribal Leader”. — From leaflet at site.
We had some Fry Bread (with cinnamon).
“The tragic elements of Indian frybread history start hundreds of miles away from the traditional and familiar lands of the Navajo where they could forage, hunt, and grow familiar crops. Here, in this new and desolate place, the Navajo starved. They were issued government rations of white wheat flour, salt, and lard, from which they created the recipe for frybread. This ‘new’ bread recipe (see Mexican Frybread Connection section below) and cooking method (deep frying) helped them survive their time on the reservation until an 1868 treaty allowed them to return home to Arizona.
The story was a familiar one among other Native American communities who experienced similar relocations and internments across the United States. Native Americans received unfamiliar foods in the relocation camps where low-income communities continue to receive federal disbursements today. This means that for many Native Americans, fry bread history links generation with generation, connecting the present to the painful narrative of Native American history and relocation.
Frybread’s significance and relationship to Native Americans is described by some as complicated. Although frybread is often associated with “traditional” Native American cuisine, some Native American chefs reject it as a symbol of colonialism. Still others have described it as a symbol of “perseverance and pain, ingenuity and resilience”; a symbol of resilience as it developed from necessity using government-provided flour, sugar, and lard. because the government had moved the people onto land that could not support growing traditional staples like corn and beans.” — https://www.crazycrow.com/
More nice driving through mountains as we headed towards Santa Fe.
Seeing a sign for Los Alamos we veered off, drove up the Eastern flank of the Pajarito Plateau of the Jemez Mountains.
The main gate looks impressive but really it’s a toilet (shhh).
Los Alamos (Spanish: Los Álamos, meaning The Cottonwoods) is a census-designated place in Los Alamos County, New Mexico, United States, that is recognized as one of the development and creation places of the atomic bomb—the primary objective of the Manhattan Project by Los Alamos National Laboratory during World War II. The town is located on four mesas of the Pajarito Plateau, and had a population of about 13,200 as of 2020. It is the county seat and one of two population centers in the county known as census-designated places (CDPs); the other is White Rock. — Wikipedia
Almost out of Farmington we saw a sign for the Salmon Ruins so we popped in.
We pulled over because there was a toilet and saw a big bridge. Only half way across when lots of people were taking photos did we realise is was going over the Rio Grande.
The Rio Grande Gorge Bridge, locally known as the "Gorge Bridge" or the "High Bridge", is a steel deck arch bridge across the Rio Grande Gorge 10 miles northwest of Taos, New Mexico, United States. Roughly 600 feet above the Rio Grande, it is the seventh highest bridge in the United States.
Driving through the mountain switchbacks we noticed an all-too-realistic person hanging from someone’s porch arch with a board saying; “I still do it the old-fashioned way.” We didn’t stop to ask what the old-fashioned way was.
Coffee stop but it was five to three and they were closing. Who closes at 3pm? Either way they let us buy a coffee and drink it outside.
Into Taos and we got some bookmarks from the library thanks to Damian.
Hotel.
Driving out of the Mexican Hat (population 31, as of 2010) we saw the rock formation that gives the town its name.
“The name "Mexican Hat" comes from a curiously sombrero-shaped rock outcropping on the northeast edge of town; the rock measures 60-foot (18 m) wide by 12-foot (3.7 m). The "Hat" has two rock climbing routes ascending it. Mexican Hat has frequently been noted on lists of unusual place names.” — Wikipedia
Jane noticed these odd looking rocks. They’re called the Navajo Twin Rocks, and since we’d not eaten breakfast yet and there was a cafe under them we pulled in. It was closed.
Many roads that disappear into the distance.
..and with Monument Valley behind us.
Sand Island Petroglyph Panel near Bluff, Utah.
“The rock art found at the Sand Island Petroglyph Panel spans virtually the entire time that humans were known to inhabit the four corners area. Carbon dating of a sandal found in the general area of Sand Island Panel showed that the area was likely occupied as early as 6,500 BC and there are petroglyphs that are possibly that old on the panel. From that prehistoric time until recent times the Sand Island Petroglyph Panel was marked by every succeeding group. From the early Basketmaker period through the Pueblo III period, Ancestral Puebloans left records of their habitation of the area. In more recent times the Utes and Navajo also left records in this spot that clearly had a special meaning to them.” — https://www.anasazihikes.com/
We had a nice walk round Bluff Fort. Some details below.
“Hole-in-the-Rock Trail
Bluff, the first Anglo community in southeastern Utah, was settled in April 1880 by Mormon pioneers seeking to establish a mission on the San Juan River in the present-day Four Corners area. The San Juan area of southeastern Utah was then known as a refuge for lawless men. The San Juan Mission would act as a buffer for the rest of settled Utah, establish law and order, and maintain friendly relations with the Indians in the area.
A “mission call” went out in December 1878 and was answered by numerous southern Utah families, many of whom gave up fine homes to move with all their possessions to the remote San Juan area. Seventy families consisting of around 250 men, women and children, left Escalante in south central Utah in October 1879 intending to establish the mission at Montezuma on the San Juan River.
Using a route advised by a previous scouting party known as the “Escalante short cut”, the pioneers expected the 125 mile trek would take 6 weeks. Instead, the journey extended 260 miles over 6 months via the Hole-in-the-Rock-Trail in arduous, winter conditions.
Historians consider the Hole-in-the-Rock Expedition one of the most extraordinary wagon trips ever undertaken in North America and a fine example of pioneer spirit. Many sections of the trail were almost impassable. To allow wagon passage, the men spent 6 weeks blasting and chiseling a path through a narrow, 1,200 foot drop in the sandstone cliffs known as the Hole-in-the-Rock, which is still visible at present-day Lake Powell (Glen Canyon National Recreation Center). Brothers Hyram and Benjamin Perkins had experience using explosives from their days as miners in Wales, and were put in charge of drilling and blasting to make a path for wagon passage.
Most of the Hole-in-the-Rock Trail is still visible and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Two sites on the Hole in the Rock Trail are part of present-day Bears Ears National Monument, Shash Jaa Unit.
By April 1880, the pioneers were too exhausted to continue to their intended destination 20 miles upriver and chose to settle along a flat area in the river valley. Calling the new location Bluff City, the pioneers began dividing the land, building log cabins, and digging a ditch from the river for crop irrigation.” — https://bluffutah.org/bluff-fort/
Quite a drive then to our hotel in Farmington New Mexico (with an unexpected bit through Colorado.)
First stop was Elephant Feet Rock in Navajo Nation, Tonalea.
Graffiti around the Navajo Nation. The one below highlighting the issue with uranium mining. We saw signs saying uranium mines are still a problem and telling people to get scanned.
Many Navajo people worked the mines, often living and raising families in close proximity to the mines and mills. Today the mines are closed, but a legacy of uranium contamination remains, including over 500 abandoned uranium mines (AUMs) as well as homes and water sources with elevated levels of radiation. — US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Into the second of our three states. Hello Utah, we meet again.
On towards Monument Valley.
And there we are… Monument Valley.
And a little further to Forrest Gump Point.
Despite the GPS not wanting us to find it, and despite us having been to it before we finally got to our motel for the evening.
On the way to the trading post in Cameron we passed the “Painted Desert Project” so did u-turn and snapped some photos.
“Abandoned hotel, as a huge canvas, along Highway 89. The painted desert project lists many artists, their efforts combined to showcase their talents in an amazing display of artwork.” — RoadsideAmerica.com
We picked up some postcards, t-shirts and the like from the trade post at Cameron.
We drove past a sign saying “Dinosaur Footprints” so we doubled-back. Arlando showed me some prints. The landscape was typically Martian, so in the eighties they tested one of the landers there.
Into Tuba City. Yep, they’ve shot at their sign.
“European Americans named Tuba City in honor of chief Tuuvi, a Hopi man from Oraibi who converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and allowed Mormon migrants to settle in the area. The Navajo name for this community, Tó Naneesdizí, translates as "tangled waters".”
We checked into the Hotel of Many Rules. One of which is there’s a $250 fine if you have alcohol on the property (as it’s on Hopi land.)
A good start to the day with a good breakfast at Indian Gardens.
It was a day of animals as we went back to Bearizona, and drove through the park looking at bears before parking up and walking through the rest of the zoo.
We fed some fruit/veg to some bears.
We checked into the motel in Williams, took a walk to the post office to buy some stamps and post some cards. Sadly the Poozeum was closed.
An evening of walking round town and drinking at the Canyon Club.
We woke up on our Phoenix hotel and had a very early 6am breakfast before sorting through the stuff and figuring out what we might go and see on the drive up to Sedona.
We started at the the Frontier Town at Creek Cave. Not really a Frontier Town (or not now), just a themed little shopping village. We got Max some very hot pepper sauce (checking so many to find the vegan one) and some shot glasses to continue our tradition of toasting each new hotel.
Then onto Montezuma Castle. The main centre was closed (boo), so there was no charge to see the monument (hoorah).
Montezuma Castle National Monument protects a set of well-preserved dwellings located in Camp Verde, Arizona, which were built and used by the Sinagua people, a pre-Columbian culture closely related to the Hohokam and other indigenous peoples of the southwestern United States, between approximately AD 1100 and 1425. The main structure comprises five stories and about 20 rooms and was built over the course of three centuries.
Several Hopi clans and Yavapai communities trace their ancestries to early immigrants from the Montezuma Castle/Beaver Creek area. Archaeological evidence proves that the Hohokam and Hakataya settled around or in the Verde Valley. Clan members periodically return to these ancestral homes for religious ceremonies. — Wikipedia
We were going to potentially skip The Chapel of the Holy Cross because there’s no real parking and it can be a bit of a nightmare, but we saw a sign pointing to it up the hill so we took a shot and luckily got the only (I think) space and snapped some photos.
The Chapel of the Holy Cross is a Roman Catholic chapel built from 1954 to 1956 into the red rock buttes of Sedona, Arizona, within the Coconino National Forest. It was inspired and commissioned by local rancher and sculptor Marguerite Brunswig Staude, and was designed by August K. Strotz of the firm of Anshen & Allen, with Richard Hein of the firm as the project architect. The chapel is under the auspices of the episcopal see of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix and its ministry is conducted by St. John Vianney Parish, Sedona.” — Wikipedia
We stopped at various Scenic Route places on the drive up to Sedona, and I tried taking some pictures with the old camera Max had brought me some film form. I’m not sure I did a good job.
I fear the first five or so will be overexposed, completely black/white or blurred. We shall find out when they’re developed back home.
I need to get better at this photography thing.
Got to our hotel for the evening pretty early (about 4pm). It was a nice big room, and had a good balcony.
We went out to eat (a cheeseburger for me - of course, and a pizza for Jane - which, despite asking for none, had garlic on.) I was still so jet-lagged I went for a ‘power nap’ at 8pm and didn’t wake until morning.
Taxi > Airport > Burger > Hotel.
It’s now 5am GMT (9pm here) and we’re just back from Walmart to grab some milk. We pushed through so we didn’t sleep too early and get stuck in a cycle.
Flights booked, and we’re going to narrow it to Arizona, Utah and New Mexico. We’ve only got thirteen full days so we want to keep the route under a thousand miles. We’ve got it down to about 1300 so far.
We’re pretty sure we’re back to the States though this time just four of them. Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico & Utah. A Flying into Denver for a loop would give us a prospective route of 2,000 miles over 20 full days. 274 days to go - probably.
