Durango was in our rear view mirror by 9. Jules made a 5000 mile service appointment at Santa Fe Harley, and that was our destination. Months ago Rider magazine posted an article about great rides in New Mexico which Jules kept. Today we took the first one, the Santa Fe loop.
West to Pagosa Springs, then into New Mexico. Expecting what Curiosity is recording, I was thrilled by the countryside. Sunflowers line the roads. Green pasture, creek beds with actual water and the cool distant mountains created the scene as we zoomed up and down altitudes.
Soon we were witness to rising buttes and mauve layered canyons. We ate our picnic at the Echo Amphitheater, a natural arena clothed in geology and historic myth. Surrounded by sandstone cliffs, the carved stage presents deep red stains streaming from the top of the formation. Two explanations are that the markings are either mineral deposits or blood stains. A group of settlers were executed by the Navajo at the top of the amphitheater, their blood running down the walls. Retribution caused even more blood to flow as other Navajo were soon murdered at the same place. I preferred to think of the stains as mineral deposits as we sat in this sanctified setting. Echoes of lost history resonated from the cavern.
Through Espanola and toward Santa Fe, I was entranced by the adobe architecture. Every structure is either original or modern adobe. There is no siding, no shingles on roofs. Flat topped houses, banks and even gas stations present themselves in colors of beige and brown. Looking up at a development on a hill, I felt like I was visiting an ancient adobe village. Aesthetically pleasing and indigenous, everything is right about the way the architecture mirrors the desert landscape.
At 90 degrees, it was cool for this area. And then, a brief shower dampened our clothes but not our spirits. Relief from the heat was immediate. Minutes later the sun left us dry.
Santa Fe has treated us well. Magic is safe at the Harley hospital getting a tune up and we are luxurious at the Hyatt. Hot tub then a light dinner in the lobby ended our day.
The Land of Enchantment is a state like no other we have ridden. Pasture land melts into desert, so stunning in its dry design. Ancient Native presence, mingled with the necessity of modern growth, has been managed so well that one can sleep in a grand hotel and feel the essence of the earth.
Tonight I might dream of riding a wild horse over mountain passes into sacred places where no man has walked before. The stars are brilliant where I rest.
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