Santa Fe Trip Notes

October 30, 2007

Here’s an outline of the recent trip Sarah and I took to Santa Fe. It was awesome. Here are the highlights:

Sunday: We woke up late after a much deserved long night of rest. After eating breakfast, we wandered around the square, visited some local galleries and stores, then split a tamale and a small fajita before hitting a history museum. I never realized how much history Santa Fe has. Afterward we found the Sleeping Dog Tavern, and had a great meal there. The food was not your typical New Mexican cuisine; instead it was more eclectic. Among the items we sampled were Buffalo & Chipotle Pinwheels, a Portabello Mushroom Tart, Truffled Fries, and Oyster Corn Dogs. Then, we worked off dinner with a long walk to a bookstore for a hiking book and to a nearby market to grab stuff for breakfasts.

Did I mention that one of my favorite magazines is now headquartered in Santa Fe? See for yourself.

Monday: After waking up with coffee and eggs, we hit the road up to Santa Fe Ski Basin. Our mission: to hike to the summit of the more than 12,000 foot Santa Fe Baldy. Unlike my previous foray above 12,000 feet, I did not get altitude sickness this time. That probably had a lot to do with spending ample time at a higher altitude before climbing. This hike was more than 13 miles, and 2,371 feet gain in elevation. We really lucked out with the weather, the scenery was beautiful, and in typical dynamic duo fashion, we summited after hiking 6.7 miles in 3 hours.

After our hike, we retreated back to our condo, where we got cleaned up, then headed downtown to eat dinner at Cafe Paris. We split a salad, a heaping portion of lobster ravioli, and a dessert of profiteroles and a chocolate number so rich it made my eyes roll back in my head.

Tuesday: For the previous two days, I worked hard to try and convince Sarah that we should go mountain biking. I had read numerous reports that there was some awesome trails right outside downtown Santa Fe. And the weather was awesome, so . . .I just had to go!

After eating at Tia Sophia’s — great New Mexican cuisine — we visited MellowVelo and were hooked up with a couple of full suspension mountain bikes, and pointed in the direction of the Dale Ball trails. This network of trails is only three and a half miles from downtown Santa Fe, AND it was on the same road we were staying on. So, after getting the bikes, we rode uphill about 3 miles to the trailhead.

Sarah had not ridden on a trail for a really long time, had never ridden singletrack, nor ridden with clipless pedals. So she was a little freaked out at first.

She did awesome for her first ride. The trail had a few slightly technical sections — loose rock, sharp drop-offs, and hairpin turns. I was in heaven. I had not ridden a good trail for sometime, and this was a great ride. The bike rode like a dream, and the trail was rolling enough that you could really enjoy the ride in-between the climbs. With the big hike the day before, I was a little tapped out, but still managed to ride myself silly after about 12 miles.

We zoomed down the hill, and got cleaned up before returning the bikes. Next we had sushi, then went to an amazing Japanese style spa called Ten Thousand Waves. After a soak in a wooden tub, we spent some time enjoying the grounds and browsing through all the Japanese kitsch before heading home.

Wednesday: Having worn ourselves out from a long hike, mountain biking, and lots of food, we opted to drive to Taos. Taos is about 50 miles north of Santa Fe, and the route winds through reservations and up a canyon. Once out of the canyon, you reach a huge plateau where Taos lies at the base of another mammoth mountain. We had a nice lunch and wandered around Old Town, then headed out to find the land my dad owns. Located near the bridge over the Rio Grande, the land was not signed, but we got a general idea as to which area of sagebrush may belong to him.

One the way home, we hit a winery. I know what you’re thinking: Winery? Yes, and the wine was quite good actually. While at the winery, the hostess told us about the scenic road home. Not only was it scenic, but it wound through some incredibly narrow spots. At one point the road, in it’s crumbling condition, was literally perched on the edge of an outcropping of rock. There were lots of blind corners, and I was very glad we never encountered another vehicle.

Once off this “scenic route” we finally reached a high plateau that offered great views of the mountains above Santa Fe. There was snow at the top; two days before there was none.

Once back in town, we wandered around looking for a place to eat before we decided on the Coyote Cafe. The food was good, traditional Mexican. On their bar menu, they had a chili-tini, a martini made with chili infused vodka. Ay carumba! Yes, it was very spicy, and while it was tasty, I determined that it was also a one-way ticket to world-class heartburn. That may also explain why it was half the size of a normal martini. They might as well place a mushroom cloud or skull and crossbones on the glass as a warning — it wasn’t that spicy, but it was close.

Thursday: We woke up, packed up, and hit the road south to Albuquerque. Since Sarah had lived there, she knew of some great places to explore. Our original plan was to hike to the top of Sandia Peak, enjoy a nice meal, then ride the tram down. But the wind was really ripping, and when we drove to the parking lot for the tram, we discovered the tram was a no go. So we hike a nearby trail that winds it way up into the same mountain range.

After our roughly five hour hike, we found a place to eat. A little pizza joint Sarah had mentioned while we were on the hill. Can’t remember the name of the joint, but the pizzas were very unique. Later, we cruised around town a little before finding a hotel to settle into.

While searching for a hotel, we just happened to stumble upon Japanese Kitchen, a sushi bar Sarah frequented when she lived there. So we returned there for dinner, and took in some of the house specialty rolls, miso soup, lively conversation with a guy I’ll call Dr. Larry — he has a PhD in Radio Chemistry and frequently visits N.M. to give lectures and lead classes at Los Alamos and in southern New Mexico. He was a nice guy, and had fantastic insight on Japanese culture. The sushi chef took very good care of him, too!

Friday: In Grizwold fashion, we piled a lot into our last day. Can’t leave anything unseen! So we began our day in Old Town Albuquerque, where we had lunch at the Church Street Cafe, and it was awesome. Best New Mexican cuisine I had on the entire trip. Originally the Casa de Ruiz, it is one of the oldest standing structures in New Mexico. In some places you can still see the original adobe bricks. At least they make it look that way.

After filling up on chili relleno, an amazing tamale, and a cheese enchillada, smothered in zippy red chili sauce, we visited a nearby museum.

After that it was on to Petroglyph National Monument. There are some 20,000 images carved into the rocks at the monument. Some are estimated to have originated from 100AD. Pretty spectacular to see symbols — hints of cultures long gone — staring back at you like ghosts. In the harsh desert environment, one can only imagine what the symbols mean. Archaeologists say the carvings are different from hieroglyphics in that they have no literal translation, nor are they necessarily language based. What is known is that the symbols had deep religious and cultural significance for the cultures that created them.

It was a pretty moving experience to walk among the rocks, knowing that cultures from more than possibly 2000 years ago may had wandered the same path.

And the artwork, while simple, relayed a message that while things can change over time, all people have the same basic needs, thoughts and feelings.

Next we were off, speeding west across northern New Mexico. Interstate 40 is in great shape, and is a straight shot, so you can make pretty good time.

As the sun was preparing to set, we approached the Petrified Forest National Monument in Arizona. Having never seen it, I was intrigued. Sarah had seen it as a child, but just had to go back. We approached the gate at 5:30 p.m. The park officially or unofficially closed at 6pm, which means that you can drive through the park, but you just can’t stop at any of the sites in the dark. Ever seen a petrified tree in the dark? Neither have I, at least not without the flash from my camera.

So we drove into the park, and had a spectacular view of the Painted Desert at sunset. I felt like I was on the set of Star Wars, where Luke Skywalker is looking out across the red desert. It was spectacular. Quiet. Serene. Still no petrified wood in sight.

I did notice the imprints of quite a few fossils in the sandstone used around an old inn where the stop for the desert was. I always loved dinosaurs and fossils as a kid, so I was reliving the magic of discovering evidence of life millions of years old.

Next, it was back into the car, and off to explore the park, in the dark. But, what can you see in the dark? Not much, unless of course, you bend park rules, and use your digital camera. But I wouldn’t dare do such a thing!

We finished our drive through the park. Upon arriving at the other end, we reached a gate that was closed across the road. Were we locked inside the park? My car needed gas, and I was nervous about having to drive all the way back to the north end of the park, more than 20 miles away.

That’s when Sarah noticed the sign: drive close to activate gate. Whew! We were out, and on our way home.