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Sunday, March 20, 2011

Spring Break travelers log............





As is our custom, here at Casa de Cuckoo, we drove. We always go for a drive when Papa alias Sweet Man has time off work. He and the kids chose the mountains.....they usually do.

We headed to the Sandias through the canyon that is named Tijeras (scissors) only this time instead of heading up to Sandia Crest or Madrid, we headed south on NM14 to Mountainair.

The drive this time of year never fails to give us some surprises. Wildlife, forest changes and a look at how everyone up in the mountains fared during the winter. Lots of folks must have had the same idea. Lots of hikers, bikers, bicyclists, and lookie loos. Most of the traffic ended about mid way thru the  mountains. Then we were pretty much on our own through villages like Torreon, Punta de Agua, Escoboso....don't you love the way the names sound...er look?

Every once in awhile we came across locals and stopped to talk and ask about the state of the mountains and general talk......it really is an experience that I think most folks skip. We stopped at a great little hole in the wall for lunch.

The Alpine Alley in Mountainair is a cross between an art gallery, library, bookstore, coffee shop, cafe, diner and there was live music. Well I tell ya we scored on the place, the food and the fun. Great eats, fun folks to visit with and the kids got to dance to some guitar strummers extraordinaire. And even got a round of applause when they finished. Outside the cafe and in there are local works of art. This ship and star are on a larger sculpture done by the local welder.

Since we are city folks and love goats and donkeys, we asked if there were any farms close by. We knew about Sierra Vista goat farm back towards Albuq. but were curious about any locals. They sent us to a place called Jackass Junction.......uh no, but it was a good try. We did see horses, cows, goats, rabbits, red tailed hawks (a pair doing a mating flight) but not one donkey, mule or burro. Boo hoo on the part of Ry. He thought we would for sure see "donkeys". And that's a whole long other story that I will share some other time.

We changed the subject and drove up to a place, Capillo peak, where there had been a forest fire 3 years ago. None of us had ever seen anything like that......whoa. We met some folks who have 80 acres there and had 40 acres burned. They gave us an insight into the events of the fire and also how they view the beauty that is left now. That was a gift we never would have had otherwise. Isn't life interesting? The forest to me looked like nowhere land but at their story telling I could then see the beauty of what Mother Nature had done in the fire. 

And we found a wonderful playground for the kids to work off some energy. Plus.....we brought home trip rocks....to be seen later. You know what a trip rock is don't you.....everywhere we go, my grands find a rock and bring it home. You should see my front yard. 

8 comments:

  1. I LOVE taking a drive!! It's a simple thing that can be sooo much fun.
    Looks like your was not only fun, but beautiful too...the sky is sooo blue.
    Great to stop by & say hi to one of my favorite old crones.
    Hugs & smiles,
    Susie

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  2. Love the idea of the trip rocks - wish we could do that.

    The kids are looking gorgeous - as usual. Hugs to you all.

    <3

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  3. I had to laugh at the "trip rock"! We do that too. Don't know why it started, but the kids have always loved to bring home a rock. We have a "rock garden" that they sit in.
    Looks like you had a great weekend :)

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  4. Many of my favorite childhood memories involve long drives with my grandparents and wandering the woods and fields with my grandfather. GK and Ry will treasure these times in years to come.

    Denny and I haven't traveled south out of Tijeras, which is where we camp. I'll put that on the list for next time around....

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  5. Sounds like the perfect day to me, I love to go on drives but haven't done one for a very long time. The kids are adorable as ever and I love the trip rocks. As a family we would spend a lot of time at the river when the kids were little we picked up agates and brought them home to polish - still have tons of them.

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  6. What a wonderful day. and i love trip rocks!

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  7. Hey Muchacha, that sounds like my kind of day trip. Love the drives out here too, up or down the valley or drive the back road to Las Cruces. I already told my SM that I want to go to Albuquerque for a weekender...need my Albuquerque fix!! Also, need to run up to our fav winery for some Spring wine, or whine!!!???

    I have a great idea for showing little Ry an ass, the biblical kind, show him a pic of Gov. Perry or your recently deposed Richards...perfect examples of "burros...heee-haww!!" As for your current gov, our home grown girl now yours, she's trying!!! How about that law giving illegals a drivers license??? They don't need no stinkin' driver's license...they drive without them anyway around here!! LOLOLOL Just ask my little bro that lives in Cali....he was involved in a car accident some time back and the guy that caused the wreck ran away...illegal immigrant...very typical around these parts...oh well.

    Have a great week and the new goats are getting used to their desert landscape!!

    Loves ya,
    G

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  8. I want to spend spring break with you some time, that sounds like such a fab trip!

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You are always welcome to comment on my thoughts and I love them all......