Hell’s Half Acre

So, when we started this journey, it was with the idea that we would take a 2-3 month “vacation” in Baja and then drive around certain states (Idaho, Oregon, Colorado) and decide where we wanted to move to. The best laid plans… We thought it would virtually impossible to find an area that we really liked and that had what we wanted. Organic industry, homeschooling support groups (basically, kids to play with during the day when most kids are in school) and mountains. Oh, and gold. Generally, gold and mountains go together, but Jamie really wanted a place to be able to recreationally pan for gold. We figured we’d be able to buy some property, live in the trailer whilst building a house (no mortgage) and grow much of what we needed on the property. We really didn’t think it would be easy to find this paradise.

After travelling for 10 months, we are amazed to find that we have found many places
that we’d like to settle down. We thought it would be like looking for a needle in a haystack, but honestly, we’ve fallen in love with almost each and every stop we’ve made. Even (gasp!) Texas. I’m just never going to get over the fact that I found a place in Texas I could call home. I’m sure we could make a living doing whatever wherever; what would matter most would be having the kids happy, a place where we could grow much of our own and a place that Jamie could ride (and me, eventually; here in New Mexico, I’ve heard the stirrings of my long lost cycling roots calling).

We’re in love once again. Surely, unless this is the first post you’ve ever read, you can’t be surprised. I wonder if we hit all these paradises in their absolute glory days or if we are too simple and very easily pleased. Dunno.

We’re in Chama. Didn’t make it far after leaving Española; we had planned on camping at Navajo Lake but driving through Chama I saw the Rockies in the distance and simply KNEW that Jamie had to ride them. Strangely, he had to be talked into staying, but the area was so beautiful that it didn’t take long. The kids were easy; any day that we drive only a couple hours is a great day for them! There were no public campgrounds in the area so we settled at a private campground and were happy to pay only $17 a night. We’re at the western terminus of the Chama and Toltec Railway; a journey the boys and I watched many times on one of their “Great Railway Journey” videos. The boys are dying to ride the iron horse (it is a steamer) but with tickets at $67 for adults and $37 for children, I’m hard pressed to pony up the dough.

After riding up to the Chama Pass the first day, Jamie declared that we’d have to stay longer here. He loves the area just as much as the rest of us. We found a lovely park area at the top of the pass and will head there tomorrow night, boondocking and hoping we don’t freeze at 10k+ feet. The lost camera is nowhere in the trailer or van so I’m left with a 35mm backup and the broken digital Olympus. Luckilly, the one supermarket in town stocks camera batteries and film, so I’m back to the old fashioned method of picture taking. I sure did get used to a digital camera in an astoundingly short amount of time.

Today we packed up a picnic lunch to eat at the top of the pass and meet Jamie (who was riding). The weather was splendid on my walk but when it came to head up the mountain (we’re only at 8000ft here in Chama) it had turned cloudy and threatened rain. So many of the photos would have been spectacular with something other than 100ASA film or rain, but we’ll see if a Photo Editor can help them when they get developed. It was raining and hailing hard at the top of the pass so we had a picnic in the car. We scoped out lovely boondocking sites for tomorrow and on the way down, chased the train. We had much company; lots of people taking pictures of the train and waiting at crossings for up-close pictures. At the very last crossing, the sun came out, the fields were ablaze with color and the mountains stood majestically in the distance, backdropping the approaching steamer. Unfortunately, I was out of film so we’ll all have to imagine the photo.

Pikey has earned all his toys back! It is nice to have space under my bed again, but I’m sure it will fill back up with other junk in no time flat. Luckilly, it is cold enough at night to need the down comforters so I don’t need to store them away nightly. I can only imagine how cold it is tonight at the top of the pass. We might only last one night; I expect it will be quite cold.

As can be expected, we’re loathe to leave the area, but I do eventually want to get down to the Four Corners area and the Aztec (though they are actually Ancestrial Pueblo, not Aztec) Ruins to round out our ruin and ancient peoples explorations we began in Mexico. Should be interesting for all.