O'keefe country

 

Scenic Steam

Having seen many stationery steam trains it had been promised to Liam that we would ride on one. Friday night we packed up again, after what seemed like no time at all in Santa Fe, and headed back to the northern part of New Mexico. After Espaniola we took a different route than previous trip and headed past Ghost Ranch through some fantasticly sculptural landscape. The colours in the rock are hard to describe. I think they range was possibly greater with the rain wetting the rock in places. We camped at Heron lake which was giving a good demonstration of how severe the drought had been here. The water level must have been 10 -12 metres below normal. There's a marina and boat ramps which all looked very strange. The ramps go off a cliff to nowhere and you look down a long way onto the floating marina pontoons. The lake must be very deep as there are still some large boats there. I imagine the fishing might be easier - less places to hide /try with less water.
Still while we were there the rain decided to fall so we set up camp in the rain, one of my least favourite ways to set up a tent. It rained almost all night, enough for the water to run down the road, the ground was very soft and as we left the next morning our car was sliding with so much mud on the tyres.
The train station was in Chama and the train we were catching the Cumbres and Toltec scenic railroad which runs from Chama to Antonito in Colorado. It's a narrow gauge railroad and the remains of a much larger system dating from mining, farming and forestry activites in the area.
The train left in the rain but the weather cleared as we chugged along. Richard and Liam spent lots of time outside on the open carriage. I wasn't so keen to take Madeline out there so we enjoyed the view from the carriage windows. The motion soon had Madeline asleep. The advantage of all the rain we've had is that there are alot of wildflowers in bloom , they have lovely names like Indian paint brush and fairy trumpet . The train winds up through rocky country to Osier for a lunch stop. We had a look around the engine here to while the engineers oiled bits and refilled water and things. After lunch you either return to Chama or head on to Antonito, we did the later a longer trip but very worthwhile. There were two tunnels in this section and some amasing rock formations. the track winds down off the mesa again one corner is named whiplash curve because of the corners. The trip takes about six hours with a bus ride back to Chama. The road follows the rail track for alot of the way so you see where you've been. What takes 5 hours by train takes 1 by bus. We had dinner in a cafe called cookin' books the food was excellent as was their selection of books, they had so many I wanted to read I couldn't choose. We'd decided we'd drive back to Santa Fe that evening it was only a couple of hours and then we'd have sunday at home.

As we were leaving Denver the sky was looking grey and we were watching lightning in the sky but it cleared as we drove into the hills, we took the 285 out of Denver and turned off at Grant onto the Guanella Pass Scenic and Historic by-way, our map showed some campsites here. We camped at Burning Bear campsite, and though several other cars came by they didn't stay so it was us and the squirrels and bugs, worst bugs we've had anywhere!

Richard and the kids made dinner and I set up the tent.










Richard Liam and Madeline climbed up the rocks behind the tent in the morning after we had our first rainy night in the tent, held up OK and since it was fine again by morning the tent was dry again to pack up.

You can't see it very well but there is a little creature in the photo with the car (our car incase there was any doubt). The other two photos are just scenic views from the camp site.

In the morning we continued on to Georgetown, an old silver mining and train town, which is very pretty especially with all the flowers and flags out for Independance day. Our trip was developing a mining theme so we comtinued on to Leadville, home of the National mining hall of fame and museum, naturally there was a train as well. We visited the museum and matchless mine which is associated with it. Interesting but kind of kitchy too. The dioramas gave Liam a good understanding of mining thou. Madeline wasn't very keen on the walk through mining types. It was raining again as we headed out south and east we passed through Beuna Vista and over cottonwood pass(12126ft) on the main divide to Taylor park resovior and the Taylor creek. We'd planned on stopping at one of the many campsites along the river but we'd forgotten to get cash and campsite envelopes don't take plastic. So we drove on down to Gunnison, got cash and dinner and headed to another campsite on the lake nearby. The lake is another dammed canyon and along the side in places are some dramatic pinnacle formations, the digital camera battery had runout by now so you'll have to wait till the film is developed for those pictures.
Campsites are commonly a pull in area a table and some grass area with a metal fireplace/BBQ, so you can park you're RV and put out an awning over the table and have a fire. The ground isn't always that flat but we've done OK so far. Interestingly you can have a campfire here which is the first place we've found,everywhere else is too worried about fire risk. I this case we had views of the pinncales and lake from the tent door. After breakfast and pack up in the morning we drove further up the side road we'd taken to the camp and went for a walk. The weather had improved when we crossed to the west of the divide but there has been enough rain for a lovely display of wildflowers. We didn't walk too anywhere but after about an hour we turned back, just after we started to hear thunder so it seemed like a wise choice. Along the way we had some great views of the pinnacle formations and the creek we were walking up appeared to be occupied by some industrious beavers. We also found a tree which chriped and on further investigation housed some woodpeaker, there were about five very round holes up the trunk, and as we stood we saw a baby peak out, mum was getting agitated by our tanding round though so we walked on.

Lunch was just over before the rain started. Richards current complaint is sweet bread, most of the white bread tastes sweet, I think it's lack of salt in the dough but it's not that good for ham, cheese and tomato sandwiches.

It was a long but very scenic drive from here back to Santa Fe, we followed the Rio Grande river alot of the way it we hit the plains and some very straight roads. Got back to town in time to visit friends still at the Marriot and watch the fireworks which were put on at the high school. There was a dramatic lightning show at the same time west of the fireworks which was one of the best we've seen. We were looking onto the side of the front so the lightning was in much the same place all the time.

Water world

For the fourth of july weekend we joined a collegue of Richard's and went to Denver.
We left home on friday night after work collected takeaway at Las Vegas and found a camp at Sugarite State Park before dark. Sugarite Canyon is a beautiful with cliffs along the top edge there has been extensive coal mining in the area in the past. The top end, almost on the Colorado boarder has been damed to form a lake (Lake Maloya) We camped at soda pocket campground about half way up the canyon. The drought here combined with the thunderstorms and dry ligtning strikes has ment that the campground closed on the 3rd of July, this is happening alot around the state they are most concerned about people getting trapped by fires rather than creating them. Still it provoded us a a conveniant stop and we saw deer, hummingbirds and butterflies.

Since we had a destination in mind we headed straight up the I-25, we stopped for supplies at Pueblo and had a look at Trinidad and Colorado Springs, in fact we joined hundreds of other people at Garden of the gods park. I think it was just as well we weren't trying to walk any of the trails as it was bedlam. Much like Bandelier was on Memorial day. But the rock is incredible, so the slow traffic wasn't really a problem.
We had thought of camping near Denver but weren't really surprised to discover the campgrounds full when we arrived. We decided to stay in a hotel in Winchester the Marriot Springfield suites, very similar to the Residence Inn we were so familiar with. We did some shopping had dinner across the road at an Italian resturant, it was really nice though the area seemed very new and there were no houses near by. We were headed to a water park in Denver It was much bigger than the one in Amarillo, lots of rivers which you ride rafts on and a couple of wave pools, some big sides and a nice area for the under 48"ers with several small slides and water fountains and things. We had a great day there, Liam liked the Lost river of the Pharaohs best. Madeline enjoyed the river rides as well thou she wasn't so keen on going backwards, but neither was I!

We left the park about 4ish and headed into the hills.

Rid'im cowboy

Some time ago now it feels like we spent a saturday in Santa Fe, we went to the market and did things round here. That evening we went to the Rodeo. It was fun, Rodeo queens and princesses, who need to be able to ride AND be pretty. Cowboys in big hats and chaps. We were sitting near one end of the ground so could see the animals and cowboys all getting ready. There's more to rodeo than I realised, bucking horses, riding bulls, ropeing calves alone or in a pair, barrel racing for the girls and mutton busting for the kids 4 -6ish (try riding a sheep!)


Liam has cotton candy - after a transation problem -they don't know what candyfloss is here.

I've missed you - but I'm back now

I didn't realise what an important relationship I developed with the internet - I'm not sure it's healthy and I'm pretty sure it didn't miss me, still I have it back now and it's still cable so I don't have to wait too much if this hardware would behave more I'd be completely happy.

What have I been doing without the internet you ask - Well we're in our house and its good. There are a few strange things, have I mentioned we're one of the only people in Santa Fe with a basement? They don't do them here but the guy who built our house was paranoid so we have a basement and bomb shelter, with water supply. I've been told we don't get earthquakes or hurricanes here and I can't get bothered about terrorism so I've resisted stocking up with non-perishables and stashing them down there.

We have a train room - some might have a playroom but train seems to be the only thing happening there, its good 'cause Liam, Madeline and I can all try train together and not be on top of each other.

I have spent time and money getting set up to be able to create food in the kitchen, sleep on beds and wash. I'm still pleased with my choices of pots, knives and sheets, but we still need to find a bed for Liam and maybe Madeline.

Liam has had a week at La Casita this week, over summer there are two three week 'summer schools' which run 9-1 Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. He's really enjoying it. Madeline and I went on thursday for our participation day, its hard to get Madeline to leave after dropping Liam off so she had a blast. On your participation day you take morning tea for everyone, set that up clean it up join in or do an activity with the children and do the clean up at the end.

Last weekend we stayed in Santa Fe for saturday. We went to the farmers market for veges and bread then trolled around yard sales without success. Sunday we went to Taos but stopped at a moving sale and got a $25 sofa some mats and a jug.

There are two ways to Taos, the high road and the low road, so we went up the low road and back the high road. Both have really beautiful scenery the Rio Grande has a dramatic Canyon south of Taos and you drive along the river before climbing up onto the Mesa to Taos. Lots of artists have spent time in Taos, so there are lots of galleries and cafes and resturants, we didn't spend much time in Taos itself but we have lunch at a diner.
They had a solar music festival on so it was busier than normal (Taos can be quite popular anyway) There are several other drives we want to do from Taos so we though we could investigate a bit more another day. The high road home passed through mountain and forest and several small villages Robert Redford filmed the Milagro Beanfield wars in one of them.
Thunderstorms and lightning set in as we were almost home and hail about pea size, apparently it can get alot bigger than that here, just as we got into Santa Fe, we dashed from the car, the yard looked like it was snowing.

A quiet week

So unsurprisingly with lack of car, it's been a quiet week for us, we ventured forth from the hotel room only occasionally and mostly to the pool or tennis court. Had thought this week I'd collect up basics for the house. Oh well no plates cups etc sure we'll cope.

Monday we did walk to the supermarket but there no footpath most of the way, so the mountain buggy got three punctures from the nasty thistles. Richard's got quite proficient with the repair kit, we get a puncture almost every time we use the thing. I think the checkout packer was a bit surprised when I said she couldn't help me to my car as I was walking. Didn't inspire more trips thou Richard has walked at least one way to work each day. (Maintaining his trim post builders laboring form!)

We're trying to eat in a manner consistent with the local flavors (it's my current meal planning inspiration) so we had Enchiladas de Pollo y Queso, Maple-Barbecued Spareibs and London Broil
All were very successful and Richard was the envy of several in the lunch room at least twice.

Our lease on the house comenced on thursday, but we haven't moved over yet thought we'd use the weekend and the car, actually took some bags and toys over this morning so we could wait for the new washer and dyer to arrive, nice of the landlord really, least I could do was have the door open.

As it turned out the cable guys came to disconnect, so since they are the company we thought we'd use we asked them not to and signed a contract - so we now have 75 channels and no TV, we're not actually planning on getting one either but it's easier to get internet with the cable connected. Kinda brings me to once we move from here tomorrow morning I'll be offline till said internet is connected. arghhh. No phone, no internet, no TV. Hope there's some money shopping looks like the only way to go.

Train tracking

We decided that since there was such interest in the Madame Queen, we'd go and see her, you always go to Texas for a weekend drive.

Friday morning was La Leche League series meeting so Liam, Madeline and I went to that and meet up with the group here. I think it will be interesting. There were similarities and differences with meetings I've been to in NZ some of that's probably individual style. Quite a big group and several leaders which will be different. Still I've met some more people and we'll probably hook-up with some of them again later this week.

The kids and I packed up the camping gear we'd brought on thursday afternoon some clothes and food and collected Richard from work. Our outward journey was fairly straight forward once we overcame a diversion for petrol (called Gas here - the locals get so confused) leading to a different route out of Santa Fe, we got to Santa Rosa where we'd decided to camp that night in good time, realised we didn't have fuel for the cooker and didn't really have dinner food anyway so got drive thru food and headed to the lake where there was camping.

It spattered with rain occassionally but once we'd put the tent up it stopped. There's a kids playground at Rocky point campsite so Liam and Madeline gave the place the thumbs up.
Mostly the rain ment we were treated to a great sunset as it passed through the rain clouds and some spectacular lightning in the distance at and just after dusk.

Our tent was a success, not to big or small but we decided that should we see another WAL-MART or the like we'd get some pillows and another sleeping mat. One of the two we had has a serious puncture and the glue in the repair kit has dried up, it's also delaminating on one side so we'll definately need more glue, and another mat two between four is tight, otherwise a pleasant night (thou I didn't have the inflated mat).

Soon after sunrise as is the case with camping and children we were up, packed up and ready to find Amarillo and the train. Many local Santa Fe'ans rate Amarillo 26th destination to pick from a list of 25, so it came highly recommended!

Still we'd not driven on the I-40 -it looks straight on a map - it is.
Santa Rosa at some point in it's past was a bigger town, or at least more people stopped there for gas, there are a lot of deserted gas stations - five in a row at one point, thou one is now a chinese resturant and varying quality of motel - at least two were deserted, the rooms open and wrecked. It's a town of tall neon signs for major chains and references to its site on the former route 66.

After spending an hour driving around looking for the 'city' shops (and failling) we went to a small grocery store for some rather over sugared danish and drove on the Armarillo.

More long straight roads but interesting for us - so many trucks! and the odd train. The trains are huge they are able to stack two containers on top of each other so they are high, and then they had three engines and lots of trucks.

So Amarillo on the way in we almost missed Cadillac Ranch as we drove by - but didn't quite amazing - and strange.

So to find Madame Queen. We drove around a bit, found the train tracks probably close. Checking the address before we started would have sped up the process but we hadn't so asked a hotel, heard of it, "used to be in front of the Santa Fe building but it was moved and don't know where to" asked about pamphets about Amarillo, yes have one. Flicking through in the car and bingo "Madame Queen" corner of second and lincoln OK lets go. None of our maps had this much detail. But we found lincoln and drove down hit the train tracks - good sign we thought, found a second street - NO TRAIN humm lets see if lincoln continues on the otherside of the tracks.
Yes, and another second street and Yeah a train!!

It was a hit Liam and Richard did a walk round looked at it all. There are plans to create an education centre with the train.

It was about lunch time and very hot, Richard had found a water park on the net so we had an address for it and went there for a great afternoon. Liam's favorite was the lazy river which pushes you along, Madeline seemed to like the wave pool and the baby pool slide. A great way to spend a hot afternoon. We went and found our pillows and mats and when to Applebees for dinner (avoided cooking all weekend!) then headed back to Santa Rosa Lake State Park to camp again, figured it would be late but we knew the place so it would be OK. I was except
on the way, just after sunset the battery light came on and didn't go off and the voltage meter registered dropping volts in the battery Oh oh humm. So using nothing electrical except the headlights we drove on Got to Santa Rosa lake figured we'd deal with the car in the morning and camped. A very comfortable night, pillows and mats all worked well.

The Ranger gave us a jump start and we set off. The warning light had started beeping as we'd stopped the night before and it started just in Santa Rosa, with it the ABS light comes on the steering gets heavy all sorts of other things -everything- is electrically assisted. So we pulled into a wreckers where we thought we might get some help. As it turned out an Auto Repair guy across the road lived at his shop and we spoke to him. after soem discussion of possibilities we charged the battery for a couple of hours figuring we'd driven OK on battery to Santa Rosa and with a good charge hopefully we'd get home. Sat around with the car talking to his family for a while then went to a diner and had some food and coffee.
Got in set off. Voltage seemed to be dropping faster -see how we go.

Got to Clines corners and the warning bell started -stopped straight away there was shade, gas stations and food. Good place for a wait. Really weren't sure what to do next. Rang AAA (who we'd joined ) they could organise a tow but the truck would only have room for two humm.
Spoke to the guy from Santa Rosa, he'd mentioned that he might be going to Espanola later anyway, he wasn'tsure yet if he was going or not, call back. Neither really good options but what.
Richard decided to see what one of the guys he works with was doing, he helped us looking for places to rent too lets see what he's up to.
Rang and he came and met us (about an hour from Santa Fe) and we charged the battery again off his car and set off in tandem, when the bell came on we stopped and charged again, three times and we were back at the hotel. What a relief!

Now we just have to deal with the car.

Rang the car yard we got it from and they set up a tow truck and garage to look at it - he came took the car away.

Yu The Green Dragon

dragon_small, originally uploaded by XyV.

Megan gave Liam some money to get his own birthday present when he got to Santa Fe. This green dragon is what he chose.
It's a puppet and it has a story that goes like this ...
Facts of Interest:
In Chian and Southeast Asia, dragons are thought to bring good luck and prosperity.

Chinese dragons of old were ferious, bearded creatures that could be as small asa silk worm or as large as the sky.

Asian dragons breathe out misty clouds, not fire. In winter they sleep in pools and rivers, and even the sea.

In the spring, the dragons fly up to the sky where their fighting causes summer rain. If they fight too hard, the rains are so heavy that there are floods.

THE FIRST DRAGON
At the beginning of time, the yellow Emperor, creator of all, became angry. "People are doing wicked things," he said, "and I'm going to flood all the land to get rid of them!" The Emperor's grandson Kun, was sorry that everyone would die. He asked a wise old totoise for help. "You will need the magic mud that the Emperor keeps in a jar in his treasure-house," said the tortoise. So Kun changed into a white horse and galloped towards the Emperors palace. But the fire god threw a bolt of lightning at him and he fell down and lay still. Something grew inside him then and sprang out shortly from his body: it was Yu, the green dragon with golden wings, strong and fine. The young dragon flew to heaven. He bowed his head and asked the Emperor for the magic mud. The Emperor listened and his anger cooled. "Carry the mud on the tortoise's back and give the people land again," he said. :From now on you shall be the rain god." So Yu and the tortoise recreated the land. The dragon made furrows for the river with his mighty tail, and every spring he and his sons make sure water flows there. (adapted from a Chinese folktale)

Rain!

It was quite an event!
Yesterday was cloudy and threating to rain almost all day, quite a change from the clear blue skys and fluffy white clouds of the past week.
On several other days there have been rain clouds and even some rain to the south but this time it actually rained ON US! and rained at lunch time then later on in the evening. Liam had wanted to BBQ for tea and we actually couldn't.
It's brought the temperatures back down too its supposed to get up to 31 celsius today but we were up to 35 on monday.
The houses have these funny gutter type things that stick out - we almost went for a drive to see the water coming off them - but we resisted.

I've been looking into preschools and schools for Liam here. School doesn't go back till late August but some places have some summer sessions which I think he'd quite enjoy, he wants to play with "American Kids".
We visited a preschool which I really liked its set up is very similar to playcentre, its a parent co-op and the parents form the board and run the school but they have teachers who manage the classroom side of it. Parents do participation days about every six or seven weeks. One of the differences between this one and another parent coop I looked into is that they are happy to /encourage youger children to come on participation days rather than suggesting its a special time for the older child to have the parent to themselves.
Yesterday when we went there was the teacher and a parent there with children doing cleaning. Liam and Madeline both had a wonderful time playing with them, we ended up being there for three hours I think, so I got to have a good talk to the teacher and parent.
My only trouble is that Liam although he said he like it "too much" also said that its not school and he wants to go to school. humm.

Happy Birthday's

June is birthday month in the greater Ellis Vaughan Whanau so happy birthday to, Megan, Dad (Warren), Judith and Cathie for the first part, and Pierre later on - hope I haven't forgtten anyone!

We've had some success in our house hunting since I last wrote, so we'll move into a house on June 15. It's quite central which is great and only about 2 blocks from Richards office, so he'll be able to get himself there and back without, he's threatening to get a bike - we'll wait and see.
It has three bed rooms and a playroom so we have a good amount of space. It has a kiva fireplace, but also has central heating. Funny things to think about in 31 degrees C. It also has a nice yard with a gate in the fence onto the elementary school nextdoors playground - Liam's favorite feature.

We have our car too so yesterday we took a drive down to Albuquerque, its about an hour away, we wanted to look at an ex rental furniture place - we'll probably get some stuff from here, its very resonable and quite good nick too.

We'd thought there might be a water park that the kids would enjoy nearby to but its closed down. You can see the enormous slides from the I-25 but nothing is happening there maybe the drought got to them.

Instead we went to the tramway which goes up to Sandia Peak. Quite spectacular! Liam has become a junior ranger in Sandia National Park. He got a badge and lanyard which he's quite pleased with.

Before we left we went to the farmers market which they have in town on tuesday and saturday mornings. It was mostly reconisance this trip as I did groceries on wednesday but next week we'll get veges from here, they were lovely and fresh looking, local seasonal produce. Lots of fresh garlic yesterday but also lettuces, radishes and other salad type greens.
We got pastries for breakfast and a loaf of bread for lunch both were fresh and tasty.

Madame Queen

Recently on the history channel Richard and Liam watched a programme Mega Movers where the moved several train related objects. One was a large steam train Santa Fe 5000 nick named the Madame Queen.
Liam has been looking for her.
I hadn't really been watching the programme so was vaguely aware of needing to find this train.
Today we were driving down Altavista Street when Liam spotted a train 'It's the Madame Queen' he declared. I hadn't seen the train - like the elephant hidding in the trees it was obvious but invisible. I looked again in the rearview mirror and sure enough a large locomotive in a park by the road.

Later after collecting Richard we stopped at the park, Madeline was interested in swings and slides, Liam and Richard went to find out about the train. It's actually Santa Fe 5030 and is larger than Santa Fe 5000. This fact does not waver Liam from his desire to see the Madame Queen, guess there's a trip to Amarillo, TX in our future. Google tells me its only 5 hour 3minutes from here.

Break out the white shoes.

Today is memorial day, it seems to be quite a big thing now although apparently it used to be just the beginning of summer - you can were white shoes now, but not after labor day.

We drove past the National Cemetry in Santa Fe on our way off today, every headstone had an American flag and along the fence line large flags were every few metres. Lots of cars going in too. I'd noticed all these awful artifical wreaths and sprays at WAL-MART and K Mart when we were shopping for Liam's bike maybe this was what they were for.

Our intention was a visit to Bandilier National Monument. We didn't get off that early so it was about midday when we got to the gate. The sign, and the officers said there was a 45 minute wait for a carpark! Who waits for carparks, well not us we talked to the officers at the gate and established that the visitor centre carpark was not the only place to go. So we headed in an towards the campgrounds and ampitheatre carpark. They'd given us a map and we planned on walking the Frey Trail, about 1 1/2 miles to the ruins but some swithchbacks. We had a picnic with us which we took in our backpack and some water, Madeline was in the ergo and Liam was walking. The first part of the trail is across the mesa so mostly flat, slight undulations, very dry and plenty of dead trees, from fires and the drought New Mexico is currently experiencing.

We saw two dear sitting quitely in the shade very near the path, later signage allowed us to identify them as Mule dear, we had our picnic before decending into the canyon, with the switchbacks, excellent views of some very dramatic cliff faces and a good view over the ruins in the valley bottom. Once down we looked into a cliff dwelling and walked some of the main trail but decided not to look at the ceremonial cave and some other bits of ruin but head back up to the car, Liam was very keen on knowing what was written on every signboard, so we read about the trees, insects, animals, reptiles and birds of the area as we walked the main trail. By the cave dwellings there was a sign about the bats which after Richard has read a woman nearby said 'your from New Zealand aren't you' we admitted to it an it turns out a good friend of hers is Bill Drake (Drake Mountain Maps) former New Zealand Head Cartographer, he lives in Santa Fe now, apparently some of the best local maps too.

After a snack stop we started back up. The first bit of the return trip was going to be the worst, you gain about 400 feet zig zagging up a canyon side - hardwork and I had Madeline on. Liam did really well and walked the whole way himself. We saw our deer on the way back to, they'd moved but we still saw them.
The view over the ruins is spectacular and the cave dwellings are facinating they have one you can climb up to on a ladder they're very pleasant inside, dark and cool. No photos sorry the digital camera wasn't charged, so we'll have to go back.

The drive home was back through the dramatic canyons now we could see possible dwellings all over the place. The rock is reasonably easy to carve as its volcanic tuff, so the cliff was carved back and adobe built in front.

Peco's

It's Memorial weekend here this weekend. Yesterday, Sunday we went for a drive to Pecos. There is a Pueblo and old mission in the National Park there.

This is the remains of the mission complex. Its adobe in the main but many of the walls are stone, cemented with adobe mud.

We then took a drive to a lake, and trout hatchery which was ho-hum but decided to continue on up the road, in the Pecos Wilderness area and found lots of lovely camping spots and fishing holes - people seem to be into fishing, everyone had fishing gear! Since it wasn't the end of the road or the top Richard kept on going and we found ourselves (some of you will be really suprised to hear) in a forest on an unsealed road, we agreed that we'd turn when it started to go down or we hit the state line. We stopped so I could take some aspen photos and a woman coming the other way stopped and told up what was up the road, the top! about 10 more miles on so thats where we were going! It was getting colder as we rose and the vegetation changed to more furs, the road never got that bad but it was rutted. The top was a bald mountain with an areial on it but views for MILES ! There was an expecially dramatic mountain close by with square columular cliffs down the sides looked like a volcanic plug maybe, my Geology round here's not up to much but I know lots of it is volcanic. I took pic's but they're to hazy to really see much. but here's two anyway.

Children's activity

IMGP1810, originally uploaded by XyV.

So we've found the Santa Fe children's Museum. I can tell we'll spend a whole lot of time there.

Infact Liam wanted to go again the next day. We went to the international museum of flok art instead which was very good, but not as much like playcentre.

WIldlife

So yesterday the children and I were driving around looking at apartments when a small animal ran across the road, so we stopped to look at it. There turned out to be several of the small creatures which we decided were Prairie Dogs, Liam thought they looked like small Mere cats, they went in and out of some burrows and stood up on there hind legs.

Later in the carpark of the hotel we saw rabbits and another Paririe dog.

Houses and Cars

So since the last installment...

We have moved hotels and the new one is nice. We have a kitchen which is useful, not just a coffee station. There are pools, hot and cold.

Liam's birthday was on friday and he got to chose what we had for dinner, he wanted noddles so we had thai, he got chicken noddles, they were really nice like pad thai almost, the food here is interesting, there's almost everything style wise, but they're particularly good at the mexican and BBQ stuff. There's a thing about green chillies - not sure why.

We looked at a couple of houses from the outside after work on friday, looked OK and worth a look inside.
Went to look at cars too, didn't see anything that grabbed us, not that we were sure what we wanted.

Saturday we packed up and snail like drove around with all out stuff in the vechile with us. A guy Richard has met at work had a couple of houses for us to look at, they're both brand new but not that close to work for Richard. Great house thou with excellent spaces, living d/s with guest bathroom three bedrooms u/s with a living area at the junction of the rooms, enormous master bath and walk in closest, Rick recon's he could use it as a office. Do I want to drive back and forward everyday that far? Should we get two cars? humm still more houses out there. So we contacted one of the agencies we've been emailing with and went and collected keys to two houses, one of the ones from friday and one other, almost next to one we saw in the morning. Neither any good.

We're not sure whether we want to be in a house or apartment so we'll keep looking at both until we find the right place.

We went back to the auto park saturday PM and looked at an Audi which we've brought. Its pearl white coloured, Im not sure of the 'official' name for it I'll need to find out. It has extra seats in the boot or trunk, which will make it useful for visitors and all kinds of other 'features' like seat warmers, which I'm sure we'll apreciate in the winter.

There were lots of BIG cars like engine, and body big but no extra useable stuff inside, so looks like a tank fits four/five people and bags. We plan to trip around abit so space for easy tossing of stuff is good.

Purchase of the car was extra interesting without a/address b/credit history c/social security number. I haven't brought a car on a credit card before.

The driving around looking at houses is starting to get me familiar with the place. It's lost the dry desoil look. I think Im getting use to it.

Airports and hotels

So we're in Santa Fe now. How was it getting here, well pretty good all things considered.
The flight to Auckland was fine, only had a short stop there, about 40min which we used to give the kids some dinner which was good as Madeline went to sleep within and hour of take off for San Francisco, well before any meals arrived on the plane. We'd been assigned the three lefthand side bulkhead seats but we managed to get moved around so we had those seats and one in the row behind, with a spare seat beside as well. This worked out well, Richard and Liam ended up in the row behind and Madeline and I had the front seats.

Liam watched some TV and movies before he slept, he didn't make it to dinner either. I don't think the kids meal would have been worth waiting up for anyway.
So most of the flight both children slept, we watched movies and then slept.
So we arrived in San Francisco and had to clear customs and collect our not insubstatial luggage pile, we got it onto two trolleys, you couldn't see where you were going but it was all on. We only had about 200 metres to go before it was checked in for the domestic flights.

Not long here either once we'd negotiated security we had time for some food and we were onto the flight to Denver, United in their wisdom alocated us 5B, 5E and 8B humm... I'd sit a four year old by themselves too. So a guy swapped with us and we had 5A and B and 8B, and the guys in 8A and C were very tollerant of the children going back and forwards. Two hours with sratchy kids we read books and other things but they were both tired and they went to sleep about ten minutes before we landed.

Denver another exciting airport, at least we don't change terminals here, slight delay of our flight but still a short stop before we board the last plane and head to Alburquerque. Two seats together this time United are improving so we swapped with a guy and all sat together.

So Alburquerque International Sunport and we collected our bags again and Richard went and got the biggest rental car he could, they tell you to go to the lot and chose a car from row 4 -12 or something so he chose the biggest car he could, a chevelot trailblazer, we got all the bags and us in - just.

We drove around Albuquerque to get back to the rental depot to load me on as a driver, took longer than it should but Richard got to practice driving on the wrong side - only made one mistake. We decided we'd buy Liam a new boster as the renter wanted $9 a day - new one was $49.

Found our hotel and got some pizza and beer, it was after 11pm mountain time and so most places, even the hotel resturant and room service were closed. Good pizza.
Slept had breakfast, Liam wanted the breakfast burrito more food than he could face I think thou he tried the burritto, Madeline was keen on the beans - they were black ones, just like Racheal used for the soup, we had the other day (except these were probably local not asian)

So shopped at a mall saw all the names we know and some we don't. Got the seat and some other bits we needed especially as I left my toilet bag on the back of the car - so don't post it -thanks.

Drove on the interstate to Santa Fe so far in my past destination file it's most like South Africa. The colours, temperature and something about the low flat mud look houses.

So we are in the Best Western Lamplighter Hotel tonight we'll look at changing even thou they agent booked us here for a month, its too small for that and a bit basic, so we'll see what we find.

So after all that I'm a bit tired, but the journey's not been as bad as it could have been.
Santa Fe looks interesting and there are lots of things to do round about.

Passing through the zones

Tonight I'm writing from Wainui, again. This time thou we've packed up all our belongings and the people from the moving/storage place have taken them all away. Rather than just pack up and go we'll stay here a night then catch the plane, Wellington to Auckland then San Francisco, Alberquerque. We stop there for the night, which will still be Wednesday. We collect a car, a tank according to Richard and drive to Santa Fe.

Driving around the bays today Liam and I were talking about the trip we got to the part where we leave Wellington at 4.30pm on Wednesday and arrive in Alberquerque at 9pm Wednesday night, but we travel for more than 5 hours. The resulting discussion about time zones had him a little confused I think. He was on his way to Te Papa with his Aunt so I passed on the task of explaining time zones with the hope the good people at the museum would have a graphic illistration. It hasn't happened often, but they didn't find a useful tool there. So now I'm listening to Grandma and Liam with a touch in a dark room and a globe. Not sure how this will go but Liam really likes the new torch from Aunty Mere.

Last Days

Yesterday was my last duty session for playcentre. It is a strange thing to think I won't be doing that for twelve months or so. Liam and I joined Miramar Playcentre when he was about nine months old, so our association has already been a long one. We've both made good friends. Liam has played extensively on most areas and I've done many different jobs in running the centre.
Madeline is already feeling very at home there (she would I suppose having visited from day one)

Most recently (currently even) I'm Co president which is proving hard to pass on. Still someone will probably step up once I've gone. It was difficult deciding to book our tickets on the 17 not the 18, Mays business meeting is the night of the 17 andI could have gone and .... but it's probably better that they get on with doing without me.

So its back to packing sorting and tidying with the movers arriving on monday morning to pack the stuff we're storing in NZ.

People for lunch now going to make bread...