Jessica, my hospice nurse, enjoys going to estate sales. Five months ago I mentioned my interest in a sleeved tent. Today it was delivered...brand - as in never opened - new!
I tightened up the bungee cord in the poles but otherwise it's ready to go.
Coleman Go! 4-person.
Chaco Canyon is the destination but we're thinking of one or two test runs. The National Forest campgrounds, there're two, along the Jemez River feature pit toilets, are only $2.50 for seniors and there's a noisy little river (for aqua enthusiasts, dogs and what have you.)
The Ojito Wilderness is free, doesn't have weird-smelling asphalt and best of all, no neighbors. Will i make it to either one?
Looking forward to the trip reports!
ReplyDeleteAha. What a good idea. The Jemez river would be nice. I remember a drive many many years ago up the road from Cuba, and being amused, interested by all the establishments....the sisters of perpetual sorrow, tibetan enlightenment, etc etc. I can't remember any of the others.. those are not the right names of course, but there they were for spiritual seekers on the road to the Jemez pueblo which had been there a long long time. Years later I think they were all gone, apart from the pueblo of course. If you go far along that road, let me know what you see.....
ReplyDeleteJudithK!!
DeleteYes, that's the road! The Zen retreat center is still there as are, i believe, the Sisters of the Parakeet.
Yes! Paraclete. I remember I looked that up and of course can't remember what it meant. Nice to hear that they and the Zen are still there...perhaps there were others on the first trip to make me think some were missing later. Well, you're still in charge of keeping me current about that area!
DeleteJudithK,
DeleteWhen my 1st wife, 22 years old, 4.5 year old daughter and I, also 22, arrived in Albuquerque in the fall of 1976, that road, highway, was one of the first places we explored in the spring. To this day it is one of the prettiest places i've seen. I longed to live there and only recently learned from Kristen, who lived there for ten years, that the noise of the motorcycles roaring up and down the valley echoes off the cliffs and makes summers - when the bikes are busiest - very unpleasant.
The tremendous erosional forces also demand constant maintenance. Keeping the river free-flowing - a responsibility that falls on the entire community - often involves the use of heavy equipment and expense. Living there has its challenges and there are several Pueblos downstream that depend - at least to some extent - on the river for irrigation water.