So Different
In many ways New Mexico was not what I expected. These past 10 days in Santa Fe have been nice. I was able to do some mountain biking but didn’t make the time to go hiking – which was kind of a bummer but I know there will be more chances as I continue west. The neat thing about this area is the mishmash of people with such different personalities and lifestyles. One thing many have in common is a love for art. Whether they are creating art or just have an appreciation for it, everywhere you look someone poured their heart and soul into some neat piece. Though I have enjoyed Santa Fe, it is time to move on.
Frozen in Time
The little town of Madrid (pronounced Mad-rid by the locals) is like stepping back in time. In some aspects it feels like a town from the early 1900’s with the local mercantile, old homes, some of which were made from old railroad cars. Madrid was once a thriving mining town and boasts the first illuminated baseball field west of the Mississippi (fun fact: the Madrid Miners were a farm team for the Brooklyn Dodgers who played on the field in 1934.) By the early 1970’s it was essentially a ghost town. However, because of it’s location on the Turquoise trail and the inflow of artists it slowly rejuvenated and now has a population of almost 300. Many of the original buildings are still standing or have been restored and the townsfolk are like one big family. Madrid is a must see if you are traveling through New Mexico.
A Full Life
Today I met a woman just a couple years older than me who is also living the adventure life. It was neat to chat about places we have been and places that we couldn’t wait to leave. (yes, there have been a few of those) We talked about our favorite moments and the places where the beauty takes your breath away. She has done the around the country trip a few times now and as she talked the excitement and fun in her stories spilled out. I hope people feel that same excitement when I share my stories.
Throughout this journey I have met many people from all over the country, different stories and different situations for sure, but last night as I was reflecting on these individuals, I realized that almost everyone that I have had conversation with, in one way or another expressed a desire to live life to its fullest. Whether they felt they were or not, that was the common theme.
So, what exactly does that mean?
Live life to its fullest doesn’t mean that every moment will be a positive experience, neither does it mean that life should be lived with abandon. I think that concept looks different for each of us, and it changes with the stages of our lives.
But just imagine how different things could be if every moment was lived to its best possible outcome.
Yes it is Blue
The blue hole in Santa Rosa New Mexico is really quite neat. It’s name is a pretty good description of it. Surrounded by desert, sand, red Rock and dirt in comes almost out of nowhere. Basically it is a hole. At the top it’s about 80 ft in diameter but it opens up to about a hundred and thirty feet at the bottom. I had been looking forward to scuba diving in this spot because I have heard so many things about it, however I don’t have my own tank and there is only one dive shop in the area and it’s compressor was down. So I guess it will have to be something I do if I find myself in this area another time. Either way it was very cool especially because the water is always 61 degrees.
Tucumcari Tonight!
There isn’t a whole lot going on in this little town but what a neat stop on Historic Route 66. The town is filled with murals and memoirs from days past. I think I took 200 photos but I will only share a few.
