We had obtained a brochure from a visitor center last week with tours outlined in North Central New Mexico. We have been following several of these tours this week as most start in Santa Fe or Espanola and go north. The Jemez Mountain Trail goes in a westerly direction from Espanola to the Bandelier National Monument and beyond. Sunday morning was cloudy but we wanted to go to Bandelier and this is our last day in this area so we started out. Travis was not able to go along as dogs are not allowed on trails. As we got into the park area we saw a few snow flakes falling.
We went into the visitor's center and when we came out the snow was really coming down. The only way to see the cliff dwellings and other ruins is to take a trail. With a guide pamphlet in hand we started out the trail ducking under trees at the various sites to read the information in the pamphlet. After the second or third stop the snow stopped and soon the sun was shining.
This National Monument is in the Frijoles Canyon. Ancestral Pueblo people settled here more than 600 years ago in pueblos of stone structures built in the canyon floor and some in dwellings built into the canyon walls.
The canyon walls are volcanic ash that is compacted into a soft rock called tuff.
This tuff is easily eroded and has a holey appearence like Swiss cheese. The small openings were enlarged by these Pueblo people and stone dwellings were constructed in front of these openings. We walked about these structures following the trail up to the cliff dwellings. The last cliff dwelling we visited was the Alcove House which is 140 feet above the canyon floor and involves climbing 4 ladders to get to the top.
That is quite a climb but the view was well worth the climb!!
As we returned to the parking lot we noticed the sky had become dark and threatening. We stopped in the visitor center briefly and when we came out it was beginning to sprinkle and before we got to the car it was hailing.
As we drove on the precipitation turned to snow as we watched sharp lightning shoot across the skies and heard loud claps of thunder. Snow continued to fall all the way back to the campground and most of the night.
At 10pm we lost electric in the campground so we got ready and went to bed. Sometime after midnight the electric returned but only for a short period until it was gone again. About 7am on Monday we had electric again but the temperature outside was 24 degrees and 50 degrees inside. About 7 inches of snow fell during the night.
We planned to leave Espanola on Monday but weren't sure if we would be able as the campground was on a hill and we were on the lowest level. Tom and I went outside and started cleaning off the awnings and the car. The sun was brightly shining and it felt warm with just light sweatshirts on. It was beautiful outside the snow was hanging onto all the trees and bushes and, with the sun, was melting.
We did get out without any problem and went into the town of Espanola to have the motorhome serviced before heading to Albuquerque.
We got to Rio Rancho, just north of Albuquerque, in the early afternoon. It was about 75 miles of travel. Later in the day we drove around the area getting familiar with our surroundings.
Today, Tuesday, Tom and I drove into the town of Albuquerque and finally found the "Old Town" section. We had a nice lunch and then walked about the shops and around the street vendors.
