ALBUQUERQUE - Day 8

Santa Fe to Albuquerque, 122 miles, took the long scenic route.    Departed the Buffalo Thunder Resort and started climbing.  Up through Los Alamos again and then up some more on NM route 4, scenic byway.   Three miles steep stuff, low pedal, abusing the poor old pickabout at 10 mph, high rpms.

At 9500 feet, on the rim of an ancient volcano, overlooking the caldera, called the Valle Grande, beautiful verdant untouched valley,  elk heaven.

Descended down to the Indain pueblo of Jemez Springs.  Walked the trail around the old Spanish Mission dating from 1600's.   Explored a restored Kiva,

Down that ladder into a room maybe 30 ft in diameter, 12 ft high, with stumps to sit on all around the perimeter,  instantly transported back to a previous time. No pictures allowed inside.

Here is a little oddity, these are everywhere, every dwelling seems to have one, an outside bake oven.

The Jemez Tribe hosted us for lunch.  They led us on a tour through the streets of the Pueblo, kind of a grand parade, again no photos allowed in this part of the pueblo, but it was quite fascinating mix of old and new, narrow dirt streets, small houses, lots of outdoor bake ovens.  We waved, the folks waved, must have been the big occurance of the summer.  I like this picture of our parade of cars just before we entered the Pueblo.

Our parade ended at the community center building, the biggest and most modern structure in the pueblo, and we were treated to a lunch of Indian frybread covered with beans, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and onions and a fruitcup.   We even had entertainment,  these little guys did a butterfly dance for us.

One of the elders gave a history of the Pueblo, the folks living there are the actual descendents of the folks that lived there 400 years ago.  After lunch, lots of folks gave kids rides in Model T's.  I might have a picture on Pat's phone.

From there, back to the modern world, down down down to Corrales, for a stop for root beer floats at Larry Azevedo's home. (and garage, and workshop).  Very nice under the huge cottonwood trees.

I want Larry's workshop. This is just one little corner.

That's it, lots of redlights and back to the Elegante Hotel and collapsed.  Well not quite, went across the street to the Village Inn and had a chocolate milkshake for dinner and apple pie for dessert....  My cure for a hot afternoon drive......