Hanging Around Santa Fe

Gallery November 19, 2014 Keevan 2 Comments

We’re loving Santa Fe.

The history, the culture, the art, the people, the food, and the textiles. It’s an easy place to be… We’ve practically taken up residence here.

With Saint Francis of Assisi, Santa Fe, New Mexico

A few shots of the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, near the downtown plaza, including Pia with St. Francis himself.

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Having some fun in Madrid, a very artsy little folk town south of Santa Fe.

Then into the country near Placitas to conquer fears by hiking up to the Sandia Man Cave. The cave is an archeological site located in the Sandia Mountains, in the Cibola National Forest.

Look hard in that bottom photo to see the cave way up on the face of the cliff. Climbing up that spiral stair case is not for the squeamish. We had Pia, so took turns going up. When I (the first to conquer) was half way up, I heard a beautiful voice singing from the cave. Thought for sure the spirits were moving around, until I met the sweetest young lady sitting in this cave peacefully waiting for her friends who were spelunking inside. What a treat to listen to her lovely voice carrying across the valley.

It’s hard to get bored around this area.

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Campervan, Nature, Simple Living, Travel

Birds Of Las Vegas

November 17, 2014 Keevan Leave a comment

9/30/14 – 10/1/14

Back to Santa Fe…Another mechanic…More dollars.

What to do?

After testing all the A/C components, this mechanic finally decides to test out our new relay, which tests out as no good. Volkswagon will order another relay for us at no charge, but they aren’t interested in paying for all the diagnostics to figure out that the part was no good. Grrrr.

We squabble and debate a bit.

We defiantly wait for the new part to arrive.

We go on another overnight sightseeing excursion.

We discover that Las Vegas, New Mexico is very different from Las Vegas, Nevada. Neither of us are real gung ho on bright lights and gambling, so we find this historic old town of Las Vegas much more to our liking.

The Las Vegas Wildlife Refuge is fantastic.

These White Pelicans in flight definitely brightened up our days.

Mr. Hawk teaches us a lesson in patience.

We think it all over a bit.

And decide it’s still all about the journey. We’re waiting for our new part, and enjoying New Mexico.

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Boondocking, Campervan, Camping, Nature, Travel

Crisscrossing New Mexico

November 13, 2014 Keevan 2 Comments

9/24/14 – 9/28/14

Back into Taos, we tried re-charging the A/C. It did’t do the trick, so we had someone look at it, who spent quite a few hours on it and traced it back to the relay under the dash. The part we needed had to be ordered by a Volkswagon dealer and had to come from Dallas, Texas. It had to be paid for in person, before anyone would order it. We had to go to Albuerque or Santa Fe. No brainer. We headed to Santa Fe.

Not a bad town to wait for a part. We enjoyed the plaza and native artists selling their wares. We bought a few gifts, did some sightseeing, and delighted in some New Mexico fall colors.

When the part arrived, we picked it up, quickly installed it, and ta-da…had cold air blasting into the cab.

To try out our refreshing luxury, we moseyed over to Bandelier National Park. Mostly we needed a place to camp for the night, and the park was handy.

A peaceful setting to enjoy the evening and early morning.

Some interesting campers were also visiting. In fact a lot of these Western Bluebirds were camping along side of us.

This Northern Flicker and White-breasted Nuthatch didn’t mind sharing a site.

Pretty sure this was a Merlin watching over the entire loop.

We moved on after these visitors left and lots of the two legged type moved in. (It was a weekend.)

Found this place a little quieter and more to our liking up a forest service road. Room for Pia to run and play, and plenty of New Mexico sunshine for the solar panel.

Some of these Bluebirds thought so too, as they followed us to our new camping spot.

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We drove by and visited Valles Caldera National Preserve.

It was a beautiful valley, but there was no place to spend the night. We inched our way around the Jemez mountains.

A quiet walk in the Santa Fe National Forest.

Nature’s sculpture…

And yet another lovely peaceful camping spot, thanks to the forest service folks for maintaining their roads.

The countryside changes abruptly.

Emerging out of the forest and into Jemez Pueblo.

It was about here when our air conditioner quit working again…

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Boondocking, Camping, Nature, Travel

Respite Along The Rio Grande

November 11, 2014 Keevan Leave a comment

9/21/14

Somewhere between Farmington and Taos on a quite warm day, our air conditioner quit working…

We rolled down the windows, endured the warm breeze, quit talking to each other, due to the loud road noise, and became a bit crabby. By the time we pulled into Taos, it was rush hour, cars were sitting still in every lane and the lights were all red and lasted forever. It was Friday, and also unseasonably hot for Taos.

Instead of a gentle stroll along the plaza as planned, we really just wanted to find a place to stop and camp, so we left town shortly after arriving, heading up the mountain to cooler pastures, on which the map showed numerous campgrounds. It didn’t take us long to learn that the forest service had closed all those campgrounds for the season, just two days ago.

We kept driving until it got very dark, when around a corner we went, and met in the middle of a very dark two lane country road, two very big and very all BLACK cows just standing right smack in the middle of that dark road. It was a very very near miss, which could have resulted in a very bad disaster for both us and the cows.

But calamity was averted, thanks to the fact that the road had no one coming in the other direction. Whew, it really was time to stop. So in the very next, very little, very dark town of Angel Fire…we found of all things a Visitor Center. Well, we certainly were visitors, and we needed some centering. We did what any logical wandering nomad would do, and found a far little corner, hunkered down in the parking lot, and turned in for the night.

All was well the next morning, never a soul did we see before departing to journey further along the very scenic drive in the Carson National Forest. It was foggy. Really foggy. So foggy, we didn’t see the very scenic drive until around noon.

The sun did finally come out, and the sun did shine. It was warm again. But happily, we found ourselves parked along the mighty Rio Grande River, high above the Rio Grande Gorge. I wanted to hike to the bottom. Glad we took the easy trail. It was pretty rugged, I could only imagine what the challenging and difficult trails were like. But it was a lovely hike down and awesome to be on the Rio Grande River.

While lingering at the water’s edge, Fred and I both at the same time spotted a huge mountain sheep across the river high up on the cliff. Then we spotted another and another. There were seven altogether, and we watched them for a long while, while enjoying the rolling river and expansive views. As we started back up the ascent, the sheep started their own descent. It was amazing to watch them sure-footedly going down the rocky cliff and gravely trail. We humans were so carefully picking our boulders, and placing our feet, while they were almost as graceful as ballerinas on tiptoes.

We stopped near the top for water and power bars, and watched them again for another hour or so.

Of course I took lots of photos and got some really great shots. But somewhere along the way, I either lost the memory card, or accidentally deleted it, because it is now nowhere to be found.

After our exciting day with the sheep, we lucked out and found a wonderful campground in the Wild Rivers Recreation Area. This one was operated by the BLM who managed to keep it open.

Peace at last.

And a comfy, quiet evening under huge cloud filled skies. And no it didn’t rain. Yet.

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Simple Living, Travel

New Mexico

November 6, 2014 Keevan 2 Comments

9/18/14

The Land of Enchantment. New Mexico.

Coming in from the northwest, mostly what we encounter are miles and miles of gas and oil rigs and all the pipes and wires that go along with it. I wonder over and over if all our use of electricity is worth this sight. Would all who gobble up and over consume like to have this in their backyards?

It’s beneficial for sure, but how much do we really need. When do we ask ourselves, is enough enough? And at what cost….

The juxtaposition of all this industry sitting next to sacred archeological digs is a bit perplexing.

We stopped in at the Aztec Ruins archeological site.

The ancestral Pueblo people here lived above ground between the late 1000s and 1200s.

The most amazing part of this site is this Great Kiva in the main plaza which is huge and has been amazingly restored.

It is truly an emotional and moving experience being inside such a structure.

Many of the original pueblo’s stones have been carted away over the years for reuse as building materials by more recent settlers. I suppose we would do the same today in the name of re-use and recycling.

The talent of these people is amazing considering the lack of modern tools and materials.

Incredibly enough, this is actually some of the original roof, 900 years later. On top of this framework was layers of thick tamped mud, forming the floor for the second story.

Doorways leading down halls, as in our modern apartments.

Colored stones added for perhaps an artistic effect. I love this!

I fantasize about our own extended families living in a space like this. Separate rooms, communal spaces, activities and ceremonies. Not too unlike modern experimental co-housing communities.

A rendition of what it was like.

What have we lost and what have we gained? ❧

Simple Living, Travel, Van Living

Feeling Safe in Telluride

November 3, 2014 Keevan 5 Comments

About ready to leave Colorado, but there was a switch in plans with the tires. We were still waiting on them, so we took a quick trip up the mountain to Telluride.

It was a gorgeous drive with Aspens turning an intense fall yellow, brilliant against a lush green background. We were both so mesmerized by the color, that I didn’t even know where to begin taking pictures, so I just relaxed and breathed it all in. I didn’t want to stop seeing, breathing, and enjoying every moment. I felt like the scenery was nourishing every pore of my body. It was one of those zen moments that demanded letting go of all external thoughts and relax into the here and now.

When we got to the town, (so glad we came) it was time for some walking and fun.

Mountain scenery, coffee shops, cafe’s, outside eating, flowers, art everywhere, and a super dog friendly, dog loving town. Pia enjoyed it here. She was allowed to go into most shops, and received treats galore from every shop owner she met.

Know a few people back home, that would like this type of town. To be honest it was a bit refreshing after being in so many rural conservative little towns.

No need to go dumpster diving here…an always ongoing place to get what one needs.

Lots of colorful creativity everywhere one looks.

A place to park the pooches near a restroom in the local park.

A bit of nature in the middle of town.

And another reminder that if not you, then at least your civil liberties are safe here.

Kind of hated leaving…but the tires were waiting.

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Simple Living, Travel, Van Living

Mesa Verde

October 29, 2014 Keevan 4 Comments

9/12/14 – 9/15/14

We’ve alternated finding, ordering, and installing new tires for the Van with exploring Anestral Pueblo Civilizations – also known as the “Anasazi” or Cliff Dwellers.

A stark realization of the contrast of worlds. We think we are living simply in our little 80 square feet, but yet with propane, we still have a stove, and refrigerator, and a heater. We can fill up our water tank and still have running water. In the middle of the desert, we can go to the grocery store and buy ourselves pretty decent food. And we can go to a tire store and get tires shipped down 150 miles away in a little over one day.

The Ancestral Pueblo people in contrast living here between 600 and 1300 AD in this harsh desert ecosystem, not only survived on really very little, but thrived at it. For about 700 years anyway.

Click on this gallery below and check out where these folks lived…and the incredible architecture!

Built with adobe clay hand hewn bricks and stones, into sandstone cliffs, high above the valleys and far below the mesas, sometimes crawling on hands and knees, or climbing the face of cliffs to reach their homes, neighborhoods, and villages.

The beauty of the harsh world they co-existed in still survives.

They were People of the Land. Subsistence farmers, creators, gatherer’s, and artists. Aways one with their environment.

We are so fortunate that places like this have been preserved to help us modern Simplitarians and once been Back to the Landers ourselves understand where we’ve come from and where it began.

Once again humbled and awed by life.

Back to our own modest little campsite to rejoice in what we have and where we can go.

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Mesa Verde National Park

Ancestral Pueblo peoples

Anasazi

Camping, Nature, Travel

Many Thanks

October 27, 2014 Keevan Leave a comment

First off…Thanks so much to all those who are actually following this blog. I really started it to just kind of keep track of our travels and post a few photos, but you guys do add an element of companionship to our trip, AND it keeps me on my toes to try to capture a few good shots.

Secondly, I really do want to check out and read more about what everyone else is up to, and I hope to soon spend some long winter days and evenings, perusing and catching up on all your beautiful blogs. I’ve tried to at least peek at most of them.

The truth is being always on the go, leaves very little internet time. I’m always way behind on posting, and having both a wi-fi connection AND electricity to keep the computer powered up at the same time is very rare.

It’s a lot of work to travel, sightsee, hike, take pictures, load them onto the computer, keep everything charged up, and still have time to eat and enjoy reading a few good books.

We’ve been on the road now for almost seven months. We are still pretty amazed about that.

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We’ve stopped over for three days at a sweet forest service campground called Target Tree in southern Colorado. It’s nice to have a home base for awhile, however short that while is. We are about to check out Mesa Verde National Park, AND get some new tires put on the little white van, so we rest up by taking a hike straight up the mountain today.

Just a few simple shots of nature along the way.

It really is about the Journey. ❧

Camping, Nature, Travel

Black Canyons

October 21, 2014 Keevan 3 Comments

9/5/14-9/8/14

A pause along the Gunnison River, then off to Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.

But first we stop off in Leadville for a break. Leadville is the highest incorporated city in the United States sitting at an elevation of 10,152 feet. One of those endearing old Victorian mining towns of which there are many in Colorado. It seems like such a contradiction – Victorian architecture and dirty grimy mining. But those precious metals from the earth enabled 19th century towns to embellish their buildings to no end. And now thankfully they have survived as a bit of American history.

A few more stops over the pass and along the river. A few more snow capped mountains and cold water lakes.

A quick chat along the way with this cute little ground squirrel.

Then finally to the Canyon.

Nature continually amazes us. The unfathomable act of water creating this gorge millions of years in the making, is just mind boggling.

After being over two miles up towards the sky, we now find ourselves peering over half a mile down into seemingly bottomless gorges.

Below us here, the Gunnison River drops an average of 96 feet per mile traveling through this canyon. According to the park, in one two-mile stretch, it drops 480 feet. Scientific minds could probably do some type of math with those numbers times those long years to come to cliff / bottom conclusions, but me, I just accept that Mother Nature is pretty darn cool.

The Earth.

Black Canyons of Gunnison National Park, Colorado

Oh, and we shared our South Rim campsite this time with this young deer, who was obviously quite thirsty, and was able to figure out the calculations of how to get water from this human contraption.

Peace

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Camping, Nature, Travel

Colorado Feathers And Fur

October 19, 2014 Keevan 3 Comments

9/2/14-9/4/14

We spent the day in Estes Park, walking around, enjoying the weather, gawking at store windows, visiting a book store, and generally relaxing away the day before we decided to find a place to sleep for the night.

We wound up heading south on highway 7 and came to Olive Ridge Campground. Since the calendar flipped to September, and the kiddos are back in school now, we seem to have our pick of the choicest sites. We do the drive through, make sure no generators are in sight or earshot, size up the spot for levelness and find some Sun for the solar panel, and settle right in.

We find friends with feathers close by.

Many of these little White-breasted nuthatches were also camped here, as was the Mountain chickadee in the top photo up in the header.

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Cold weather has definitely settled in, and like the birds, we find ourselves continually heading south. We moved camp again the next day to carry on with our slow progress to warmer weather, this time stopping at Cold Springs Campground, where we had another camping loop all to ourselves.

The entire time we were in Montana and Wyoming, with all the wildlife we saw, we never did spot a moose. Seems nobody was seeing any moose.

We asked the park ranger about this, and his theory and others in the know about these things, mostly seem to agree that after Montana and Wyoming suffered some intense drought years, (even though this year, everything is lush and green with water everywhere) much of the local moose population decided to hit the road and migrate to “greener pastures.” People in Oregon have seen a huge increase in the animals, as have folks here in Colorado.

While camping in Cold Springs Campground and talking to our camp hosts, we mentioned this to them and wouldn’t you know that those super nice folks told us where we could go to see the Colorado Moose immigrants.

Sure enough, a side trip to Brainard Lake up around 11,000 feet in elevation, brought us to not one, but three of these big fellows.

Another day of our life on the road. Another piece of the wildlife inter-connections that has touched our hearts, and warmed our souls.

Wouldn’t trade this lifestyle for anything…

Oh, and have I mentioned…that we meet the nicest and most generous people while on the road?

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Keevan Soul

Hanging Around Santa Fe

Birds Of Las Vegas

Crisscrossing New Mexico

Respite Along The Rio Grande

New Mexico

Feeling Safe in Telluride

Mesa Verde

Many Thanks

Black Canyons

Colorado Feathers And Fur

Traveling and Living Simply in a VW Van