Petroglyph Natl. Monument Alb. NM

Wednesday morning (after making Paul's blood donation!) we visited Petroglyph National Monument, viewing several petroglyphs! Amazing to look at this and know there are several thousand petroglyphs on this mountain of rocks!

It is believed the West Mesa was formed about 150,00 years ago from six lava flows from fissures in the earth. Two flows created the lava covering the plateau of West Mesa. As the amount of lava decreased, later eruptions created the volcanic cones. On the other side of the park are the "Three Sisters", classic and well-preserved examples of fissure eruption. The boulders created by erosion at the edge of the first flows, were used by American Indians and settlers of Spanish, Mexican and Indian backgrounds to create more than 20,000 petroglyphs.

Knowing they have survived over hundreds of years makes their existence amazing! It is believed that the majority were carved from 1300 to the late 1680s, but a small percentage predate the Puebloan time period, perhaps reaching back as far as BC 2000! Here are only a few of the 40+ pictures we took!






We thought these may be modern, since there appeared some defacing, but the ranger said crosses were from the Spanish settlers. He also told us there was very little graffiti.

Other images, such as the sheep are also believe to have been carved by early Spanish settlers.


And then there is the carvings that are only 91 years old!! Several years ago the names were traced, and one of them was still living. He told of being 19-years old, working for the railroad and had the day off. They went hiking and added their name and date, a "modern day" petroglyph!


For dinner, we went to La Hacienda restaurant in Old Town, enjoying a Mexican dinner, (me with a tostada, Paul with combination, chili relleno, taco, and enchilada) and it was even warm enough we were able to eat out on the patio with a view of the town square!

We left the warm weather behind us, and today, as we passed the Continental Divide in western New Mexico, where the elevation of the nearest town was 7200 feet, we hit a snow blizzard, complete with gusty winds and snow!! It was a real challenge to Paul's driving ability, but he did great.... I would have panicked and just stopped!!

But soon after getting into Arizona, the snow was gone, but it was still windy and cold. We stopped before lunch at a campground located just about an hour or two from the camp, taking the afternoon to relax. We plan to get there sometime tomorrow morning!

Acoma Sky City and El Malpais, West of Albuquerque, New Mexico

Tuesday, we took a journey ourselves into the past and visited Acoma Pueblo or Sky City, about an hour southwest of Albuquerque. (Check out two great websites by clicking on each of the names of the town) On the way, we were impressed with the Enchanted Mesa, which raises about 400 feet above the desert floor.

The tour of Sky City was an amazing tour!! The city itself sits on a mesa, 360 feet above the desert floor, and has been carbon dated to 1150 AD, and there have been habited since.

The tour starts at the visitor center/museum at the base.

A van takes visitors up to the top for the tour of the pueblo.
The oldest continually inhabited community in North America, it is a National Trust Historic Site.
There is no running water, no electricity up on the mesa, and they prefer to keep it that way.
There are several cisterns in the community, where they get their water from,
The homes on the other side of the cistern are on the cliff and are three stories- there are two levels below the level seen!
The traditional Kiva (meeting house, with the ladder facing north, and the arrows pointing east and west.

This is the oldest "street", with homes built over 100 years ago, with a dry cistern in front.

Although a few live there all of the time, most have other homes, and visit, especially during celebrations. The homes are passed down to the youngest daughter of the family.


Views were AWESOME!! To the North (note one of the cisterns, the outhouses, and the wood)

To the West, noting the oven!

East, another oven, cornfield in the background, on the desert floor

and South, where the San Esteban del Rey Mission and cemetery is.

The Mission took about 40 years to build, back in the 1600's. Notice the tall base of the cemetery (bottom left of picture) in front of the church. It has five layers (last layer) of burials in it, with all of the sand for the layers between hauled up by the women in pots from the desert floor. Along the edge of the wall surrounding the cemetery are heads looking in, complete with eyes, to watch over the dead. There is a memorial cross for all of those buried in the bottom four layers. No pictures were allowed inside the mission or the cemetery.
Residents of the city make pottery, and there were vendors who set up the pottery and jewelry they made. We bought some homemade bread (which was baked in an oven like the ovens pictured) and small bowls from each of the two pictured.


I found more interesting doors, including the "mother-in-law door"!


Along with my doors, I could not pass up taking a close up picture of this window! Two-inch thick "Icing Glass" is set into the two-foot thick wall!

After the tour ends, the option to walk down is given..... a few of us decided to go that way instead of riding the van back. Lots of narrow rock steps, but well worth the walk for the close up views of more of the scenery


We made it down safe and sound!

Adjoining the Acoma land is El Malpais National Monument. More incredible views from on top of the sandstone!


Paul in one of the dry cisterns that resembled a bathtub!

Upcroppings,

along with the lava

La Ventana Arch is the largest accessible arch in New Mexico, with a thickness of 25 feet, 125 feet high and 165 feet across at the base.

Yes, that is patches of snow on the right of the arch in the lower picture :)
We were disappointed not to be able to go along the Chain of Craters Backcountry Byway, a dirt (jeepin) road that was closed due to snow and wet mud rendering it impassable. In addition to being a good 4-wheelin road, it led to Big Tubes area, an area that had some lava caves. So, another year, another stop!
In looking back at the pictures, none of them do justice for the beauty and the feel of this incredible place!

Old Town Albuquerque, New Mexico

Over the years, Albuquerque has been a nice looking town we have passed through on I-40.
This year we decided to take a couple of days to stop and "see the sites" on our trip through. Not nearly enough time!! We could spend a lot more time here and in the surrounding areas! There is so much to see!!
Since we arrived close to noon on Monday, we spent the afternoon exploring Old Town, visiting San Felipe de Neri Church,


Old Town plaza,
With replica of cannons that were buried by the Confederate soldiers during the "war of northern aggression", so the Union soldiers could not find and use them. Some years later, the Confederate officer returned and showed the local residents where thy were buried.

and the sculpture garden, with the Bear, Clouds and Airplanes

and the depiction of people in everyday life,

And this depiction of the journey in 1598 of over 600 immigrants.




The impression we have gotten has been good.... from the painted overpasses and rock pictures along the interstate, to the history and surrounding views, we know why Albuquerque, and New Mexico, is truly enchanting!