Morning walk on the last Saturday of May

We went out for walk this morning after coming back from running a couple of errands (though there are still more to do). We got our cameras and went out for a walk behind our housing development to see what else is new plus to get some exercise. Gwen wanted to break in her new hiking boots and I wanted to try out the recently acquired Canon Rebel T5 with the 55-250mm. It's been a week since I've last posted and I want to make this a more frequent thing.

We've never walked this far back. From a distance we thought it was just some graffiti but upon reaching it we saw it's decent.

Not from my yard but another house in the neighborhood. Beautiful pots.

Not the.... bee? (This thing was about the size of my thumb)

The Bandelier National Monument Adventure

I've been living in New Mexico for just over ten years. Sadly I have not traveled to many parts of the state to explore its beauty. The only places I have visited were Roswell and Santa Fe (along with Los Alamos). I've talked to someone who has been to many parts of the state and he has told me it's something worth doing. If the trip is well planned the primary cost will only be for gas for the car making the travels very economical. He's said to take your own water, food, a cooler, and essential supplies. Oh, and a camera to be able to share what you see.

After going for a morning walk on Saturday Gwen asked if I was interested in going to the Bandelier National Monument. There was no hesitation for me to accept and we got ready. Mostly taking a shower and getting our cameras. I was at about half a tank of gas in my truck so we decided to head to town to fill up and grab some water. She got herself a snack though I tried to refrain myself from doing the same since I'm in the process of losing weight. I did grab a couple of bags of sunflower seeds but would hold on to those and only have them if I really needed them (fortunately I didn't).

We drove west on Highway 550 towards Highway 4 then headed north. We could have taken Freeway 25 but that would have made the trip a little bit boring. I've taken that to Santa Fe a few times and though the scenery is great it isn't easy to just park to the side to take pictures due to the speed of the vehicles plus it's probably illegal (not sure).

The first stop was around the Jemez National Recreation Area. The sharp and flat rock formations are always great to see.

These lizards barely give you a few seconds to take a couple of pictures before they scurry away.

She may not look like much, but she's got it where it counts, kid. - Han Solo

We headed a bit further north to where we parked at a recreational picnic area and walked over to the creek. I have been to this part of the creek but just once. It was about twelve years ago in the winter when I came to visit my parents. Now it's almost summer and it's nice to see the vegetation.

Travelling further north we reached Battleship Rock. Similar type of sharp rocks but with pine trees all around. A lot of this scenery reminds me of when I used to go through the mountains when I used to live in Southern California. Battleship Rock has a handful of guests this day. Many were taking advantage of cooling off in the river.

The mysterious Gwen in the background. 

Moss growing near the base of the tree.

After a nice hike and walk throughout this area we continued our journey. The next stop is a place I have always wanted to stop and admire. We've past it on a few occasions but never stopped since we were on our way to another destination. This spot is Valle Grande / Valles Caldera Overlook. In the winter it's extremely beautiful and it's the same during the summer. If I could plant my own house right in the middle I would.

At last we've reached the Bandelier National Monument. First time for me and second time for Gwen. She states she's only been here once and it was when she was about ten or so years old. It's an interesting place where the people from before used to live close to and on the actual cliff sides. When we were reached the entrance we saw a sign stating it's $20 per vehicle. I was shocked at first but as we got up to the pay booth itself there was a sheet of paper taped onto it stating it was a free weekend from May 20th to the 21st. Gwen picked the right date and the right date.

The snack shop does not have a full kitchen but not just a chips and drinks either. We were going to get some green chili burgers but they ran out of meat right before we got there. The sandwich was still satisfying.

Eating in the shade was definitely refreshing. We were the only ones eating on the benches in this part so it was quiet and relaxing.

These steps are only about a foot wide and about a foot between each step.

The road in the distance is where we came in.

Included another visitor in the shot for scale.

To see most or all of this place it will require a lot of walking. The one good piece of advice is to wear either great hiking shoes or running shoes. Something that will not kill your feet since it's over a mile of walking and climbing. The right side is where the ruins are located. There are areas where the steps are steep and only about a foot wide.

Heading to the end the trail then heads back around but through a wooded area next to a creek. It was a lot cooler because of the water and the trees. We saw a great variety of birds and animals. A few lizards here and there. Then the deer themselves. We stood at a single spot on the trail for almost ten minutes just watching them walk around and eating. I guess the distance was about ten or fifteen feet at one point. We just had to be careful not to purposely scare them because the boss of the group may come after us.

It was getting dark and I wish I had a tripod since I had to keep the shutter open for a longer period. I could only stay stead for so long.

At around 6:45 or so we reached the parking lot and headed out of the park. Since it was about to get dark in a bit we decided to go through White Rock and then towards Santa Fe so we could take Freeway 25 back home. I asked Gwen if she wanted to stop by and say hi to her aunt and uncle. She replied sure so I asked her if she wanted to give them a quick call to let them know. She said it's not necessary and to just drive over. It was a tad strange since I usually call whoever I'm visiting ahead of time to see if they're going to be home or if they're not in the middle of doing something. I love her family and glad we stopped by. It always brings a smile to my face seeing them and I'm filled with joy whenever we're in their company. We chatted for about half an hour or so when it was time to head back. We got home safely and it's a trip I'll never forget.