On our way to Santa Fe this week, we tried to “make good time” so we opted to take the interstate.
But as New Mexico’s breathtaking scenery began appearing, how could we be in a hurry? Despite our frantic timeline to get to Jerry’s oncology appointment, I wanted us to have some real fun before we dealt with the serious issue at hand. So we hit the back roads.
My Road Trip USA book
The Pueblos we passed though were small towns with a few artists, and a lot of poverty. It was a sad reminder that this continent’s first inhabitants are among the poorest, in one of the richest countries in the world.
Freezing Weather: Our Arctic Fox Passes the Test
We stopped at El Morro National Monument for the night. After a long day driving, we were giddy with joy when we saw this sign:
Sure, we didn’t have hookups, and at 7200′ altitude, the temperature was rapidly dropping into the teens, but it was free, and we were the only ones there! There was snow on the ground, and we knew that we would be running the heater, so we set up the generator thinking that the heater fan would suck the house batteries dry in no time. We layered up our clothing, dressed Jerry in two sweaters, threw every blanket we owned on the bed, and hunkered down for the coldest night ever.
“I feel like we’re pulling an Alexander Supertramp” Jim said. I laughed, and hoped that we wouldn’t wake up as human popsicles.
We slept well, and our well insulated Fox passed the test. In the morning, even though there was ice on the roof, we were relatively warm. Our heater ran the entire time we needed it to, without killing our batteries. We never had to turn on the generator.
The campground at El Morro is within walking distance of short, dog friendly trails that will take you to Inscription Rock, where early southwest explorers left over 2000 different markings on the sandstone bluffs.
You can also hike up a mesa to see a large Pueblo ruin, dating back to 1275 AD, and built by the Anasazi and Mogollon people. It housed over 1100 people at one time.
This was one of my favorite monuments we’ve been to, because it allowed us to quickly see all of the best elements of New Mexico in one place; southwestern scenery, ancient ruins and history. If you’re ever on your way to Albuquerque from the west, be sure to take the time to stop.
I’ve linked your Adventure Journal Entry “Paso Por Aqui” to the El Morro Valley Community Website – http://www.enchantedlands.org so that others can learn from your adventure. There’s so much more to offer in El Morro Valley… so come back and visit us again!
Thank you Orion, that’s so nice to know. We would love to get back to El Morro this year, it’s such a beautiful area.
Oh that’ s just like when we lived in San Francisco and never went to Coit Tower or the opera! It’s hard to remember what’s in our backyard when we spend so much time living right smack in the middle of all that.
I am embarrassed to admit that I lived in Gallup for five years and never once went to the national park. I know we drove around the area, but I never actually visited the park. I’m sure dh did for work. Someday when we go back for a visit, I’ll have to put it on our list of places to see. There are several places in that area I regret not visiting. Didn’t know we would be moving when we did and thought we’d get a chance. One of those “Don’t put off til tomorrow…” things.
“Alexander Supertramp” Great story (too bad it’s true).
Glad U did not end up like him.
Wow, glad that you guys survived the cold. Sounds like place we need to put on our list to visit too! We are not back in SA. Remodeling the floorings to see if we can get some traffic to the stick house to get it sold.
Market is not good right now, but we are hopeful~