Gallup, NM and Holbrook, AZ

We arrived into Gallup, NM for just one night, October 6th.  We stayed at USA RV Park, which was an excellent park.  Once checked in, we drove to Window Rock, AZ, which is the Capital of the Navajo Nation, the largest Native American tribe in the US.

We first went to the Navajo Nation Zoological & Botanical Park, which is the only Native American owned and operated zoo in the country.  We really enjoyed all the animals and their enclosures were very well done.  A little more work could be done to the Botanical part of the park.

We then went to the Window Rock Navajo Tribal Park to see Window Rock.  

 

Navajo Code Talkers used their native
language as a means of communication
during World War II.  

A few interesting facts about Gallup, they are known as the Most Patriotic Small Town In America, Adventure Capital of New Mexico, and the Indian Capital of the World.  They also are known for the
Red Rock Balloon Festival in December, which is the second largest in the US. They are also on the historic Route 66, which has one of the top tourist sites on the route.

The El Rancho Hotel was opened in 1937.  They are famous for all the Hollywood stars who stayed in the hotel while filming Westerns nearby.

Lobby of hotel, shows both first and second level.  

On Saturday we drove to Holbrook, AZ staying in the OK RV Park which again had great sites at the end that did not have trees.  They gave us the largest and widest site in the park, which was great.

The first place we went was out to Jim Grays Petrified Wood shop.  Amazing all the rocks, petrified wood and fossils displayed inside and out.

Pond created out of petrified wood.  

Citrine rock and furniture of petrified wood.  

Wild Bill
Fossilized alligator from Florida - 2.9 million years old

Another Historic Route 66 site, placed on national historic site in 2002.  Construction on wigwam village started in 1937.  They are actually teepees, but the owner did not like the name teepee so he used Wigwam instead.  Today, each teepee has a private bathroom with toilet and shower, a TV and air conditioner.  

On Monday, we visited the Petrified Forest National Park.

The Painted Desert Inn was completed around 1920 by David Lore.  The inn opened in 1940 to provide hospitality services to tourists and travelers on the Santa Fe Railroad as well as for Route 66 travelers.  It closed in 1942 as World War II shifted resources.

Painted Desert Inn

Petrified Forest National park is the only park in the country that includes and protects a section of historic Route 66.  

1932 Studebaker marks the spot where the
original Route 66 cut through the park.  

Puerco Pueblo - homes occupied 1250-1380 CE

Petroglyphs, located throughout the park to include Newspaper Rock which displays over 650 petroglyphs, some over 2000 years old.  

Agate Bridge

Old Faithful - log measures 35 feet long
and weighs approx. 44 tons

Agate House - Pueblo home constructed out of petrified wood

On Oct 10, we drove into Paradise RV Resort in Sun City and the motorhome will stay parked until Jan. 1.

New Mexico - Raton and Santa Fe

We arrived in Raton, NM on Thursday, Sept 28.  Three of the four days were forecasted to rain while we were there.  We stayed at Willow Springs RV park, right off the freeway, but the noise was really not bad.  They had long pull throughs with full hookups.  Due to all the rain, the park was a little wet and muddy, but we picked out the driest site and the staff here was really friendly and accommodating.

We spent Friday at Capulin Volcano, a National Monument.  The volcano erupted 60,000 years ago and scientists say it will not erupt again.  We walked the Crater Rim Trail, which at the peaks highest point hit 8,182 feet.  We loved seeing the 360 degree view around the volcano, along with the views of plant life and wildlife.

We were quite surprised to see the colonies of ladybugs all over the rocks and plants.  They devour lots of aphids at the lower elevations and then go up to the crater and lay eggs for future generations.

 

                                             

On Saturday, we went to the historic district of Raton to their Saturday market.  It took us all of three minutes to see the booths.  We then walked around the town to include going through the Raton museum.  This was a mining town, and after two different mines closed, the last one in 2005, the town has lost a lot of its population and has many closed businesses and vacant homes.  They are hoping that someone will buy the old racetrack and the state will grant them the license to start a casino along with the racetrack operation.

The town is along the Santa Fe Trail and along with the coal mines, ranches and theatrical circuit, the town took off in the 1880s.  Raton had the first public high school in New Mexico in 1884.

We learned that the swastika symbol has a 12,000 year history and was used by the Hindus, Buddhists in India and Asian countries as well as in Greece.  The Indians used this symbol as good luck and was used as decoration throughout.

Raton was one of 14,000 banks printing their own money.

Bear trap.

Shuler Theatre built in 1915

Swastika Hotel in 1929 - now home
of the International Bank.  Name was
changed to Yucca Hotel in WWII.  

Swastika symbols

NRA Whittington Center built in 1973.  More than 30,000 acres with shooting ranges, campgrounds, cabins, guided hunting, museum, and visitor center.

Monday, Oct 2 we moved onto Santa Fe.  We stayed at Santa Fe Skies RV Park which worked out great and we had an end spot with a beautiful view over the valley.  We also had unbelievable weather; thunderstorms, flash flooding and lightening.  We still got out and enjoyed the area and just scheduled our visits around the weather.  Of course the area is known for its New Mexico cuisine with red and green chiles.  We enjoyed two restaurants and would definitely go back; Tostitos and Casa Chimayo.  

The first day was supposed to be one of the nicest so we drove to the Tent Rocks National Monument.  Due to the winds, they closed the Slot Canyon Trail and the Veterans Memorial Scenic Overlook but we did enjoy taking the Cave Loop Trail.

The next day we visited the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge and Taos.  

In Taos is Kit Carson's home, park and museum.  He arrived into Taos in 1826.

Kit Carson's home and museum.  

On the way to Taos we took a pit stop at the Black Mesa Winery.  We loved the labels and the guy serving us said that the owner makes the art inside of the bottles and his wife does the art on the outside.  Great winery.  

We also went to the Wine Stop in downtown Santa Fe which was advertised to have over 40 New Mexico wines.  It was a very quaint space and the gal there was very nice, but they only had wines from four different wineries across the state.  

Santa Fe: The oldest capital city in the US at 407 years old and the highest capital city at 7,000 feet.  Nickname is "The City Different".  One of the top destination places to visit with many designations to include #2 city with the cleanest air.  

The Loretto chapel (Lady of Light Chapel) is home to the world-famous spiral staircase to the choir loft, built without nails or visible support.  

                                                 

On Vargas street is the Oldest House with a cutting date between 1740 and 1767.

                                  

The St. Francis Cathedral was the first church between Durango, Mexico and St. Louis to attain the status of cathedral.

                                 

Cathedral Park

Palace of the Governors is the oldest public building in the US.  The porch is a gathering place for Native American artists.

The Santa Fe Plaza has been a vital center for commerce for nearly four centuries and a focal point for the city.

There are 250 + galleries in the city and approximately 100 of those are on Canyon Road.  Canyon Road is about one mile long with galleries on both sides, along with private residences and restaurants.   

The Cristo Rey church is the largest adobe structure in the country.  It was really hard by the picture to see the full structure.  

Next time through - we will visit more galleries and restaurants, along with Bandelier National Monument, Nambe Falls, and Turquoise Trail.