Trinity Site (New Mexico)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Driving south in New Mexico we reached an area where we noticed heavier traffic. It turned out that this was the day (at the beginning of October) when the Trinity Site is opened to the public. There is another date in April when it is available, too. We started in, but realized it was a 15 mile drive in and then back out, and we just didn't have time.

Trinity Site is where the first atomic bomb was detonated. The heat of the explosion fused the desert sand into glass creating trinitite which the local rock shop was selling on this day.
Rock shops in the West are almost small museums containing fossils and ore samples from the region and usually interesting slices of the local geologic history.

Bosque del Apache

 

 

shedding gopher snake

Gambel's quail

 

 

 

Bosque del Apache or "woods of the Apache" is one of the most spectacular wildlife refuges in the United States.

Thousands of cranes, geese and waterfowl winter here each year, and  in November thousands of people flock here to participate in the Festival of the  Cranes.

Well, we were a bit early--there were a few cranes, but they evaded us--I managed  a photo of a group of cranes winging their way here after we left the park, but it seems I overlooked it in the upload.

It was such a joy to look out over the fields and mountains, and there was a lot of other wildlife to observe. We almost had the refuge to ourselves.

the Silverton train

 

 

 

 

So many warm and fun memories of the train and the C. W. Mc Call song!!!

Watching the big iron engine come whistling and puffing up the canyon would thrill my young sons so much! We played the 8 track in the truck, and we all sang along--we knew all of his songs about the mountains and trucking (2 sons).

So I jumped out and shot a few photos and remembered the days when the train was a very happy part of our life!

4 Corners

 

 

 

 

 

 

from Wikipedia:

The Four Corners is a region of the United States consisting of the southwestern corner of Colorado, northwestern corner of New Mexico, northeastern corner of Arizona and southeastern corner of Utah. The Four Corners area is named after the quadripoint where the boundaries of the four states meet, where the Four Corners Monument is located. It is the only location in the United States where four states meet. The majority of the Four Corners region is part of semi-autonomous First Nations, the largest of which is the Navajo Nation, followed by Hopi, Ute and Zuni tribal reserves and nations. The Four Corners region is part of a larger region known as the Colorado Plateau and is mostly rural, rugged and arid. In addition to the monument, commonly visited areas within Four Corners include Monument Valley, Mesa Verde National Park and Canyon de Chelly National Monument. The most populous city in the Four Corners region is Farmington, New Mexico, followed by Durango, Colorado.

We visited the 4 corners area many years ago with our children. They were both car sick and ill from the altitude. Afterwards, we would always joke that they had vomited while standing in 4 states.

  Recently, an attractive monument has been built that includes places for the Indian artisans to display their wares.

colorful Rockies

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A few more photos of the fall color in the southern Rockies. In some photos the yellow trees are cottonwoods, in others aspen. The fiery reds are oaks. We were told that the best part had passed, and that we were late.

Farther north the aspen had already dropped their leaves.

Since I had only seen them in summer, it was a beautiful sight!
 

north New Mexico

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Continuing north of Santa Fe, we drove through Georgia O'Keefe country. We didn't stop to see her place this time since we were rushing to catch fall color and it was disappearing fast. We vacationed in this area many years ago, often spending time in Colorado, too. Sadly I found that the altitude affected my heart and made it ache. So I had to take most of my photos from the car. So please overlook the bug splats on the windshield. The colors are stunning and the landforms intriguing. It makes me want to turn artist every time I see it. Maybe I will try the Grandma Moses thing and  become an untrained artist in my senior years.