Do You Know The Way to Santa Fe?

The Birthday Wish

Maria’s Birthday is coming up.  Her wish this year is to go to Meow Wolf.  It is an interactive art installation.  There are locations in Las Vegas, Denver, and Santa Fe.  We decided to pack up the kitties and head to Santa Fe

Last Minute Detail

The night before we were supposed to leave, Maria checked the weather along our route and noticed a severe weather alert.  If we continued as planned, we would be heading right into the storm.  We decided to change our plans and head south.  Our new plan is to go down to towards Tucson and across to southern New Mexico.  We will then decide when and if to head up to Santa Fe.  We’re on an adventure.

Heading Out

On the first day, we left in the afternoon after packing up the van.  Kiki settled into her usual daytime van nap location; on the bed, under the covers.  Violet is a bit more apprehensive this trip.  She has spent most of her time in the back of the van under the bed.  On the last trip she settled into her carrier by the front seats.  She just needs time.

We made it to Willcox and stayed again at the Cattle Rest Saloon.  It’s a Harvest Host that we’ve stayed at before.  There’s no pressure.  We just park at the back of the parking lot.  It’s a nice, quiet stop over near the Chiricahua Mountains.

The Sun Also Rises

This morning we decided to go through downtown Willcox.  With a little revitalization, it could be a charming little town.  It has a lot of character.  There was a craft fair set up in the town square.  We were there early, so it wasn’t fully set up yet.  It was still fun to walk around.  We planned on our next stop being Portal, AZ.  It is a tiny town that is supposed to have spectacular views. 

We got off the highway and headed toward Portal.  We went through a few wash areas.  There was a black cloud overhead in an otherwise blue sky.  We were a little concerned but continued on.  Shortly after that the pavement ended and we got onto a gravel road.  We still had 17 miles to go, and the sky was getting darker.  We took the path of wisdom and turned around. 

Welcome to the Land of Enchantment

No sooner did we get back onto the highway that it started to rain.  It was just a light rain at first.  Then it was a heavier rain with some hail mixed in for good measure.  Luckily, it   was all over in about 5 minutes.  We hit a traffic delay, but the google lady said it would only last 7 minutes.  She’s very accurate, at least about that.

Just When You Thought It Was Safe

We stopped at the Welcome Center in Lordsburg.  A wicked wind kicked up and the sky got very dark.  That’s when things really got crazy.  The sky opened up and rain was pelting the van. Wind was buffeting us.  The van was rocking, and the parking lot was filling with running water.  Maria made the astute observation that we could still see the lines in the parking lot, so it wasn’t flooding yet.  And then, the rain was over.  We decided to stay in the area tonight, so we booked a stay at another Harvest Host.  We stayed at Saddle Hawk Ranch in Deming, N.M.

A Port in The Storm

It was raining when we got here.  The host got us settled in a hurry.  We just chilled in the van until the rain stopped.  When it did, we were graced with a beautiful double rainbow.  We had a chance to walk around and meet some of the animals.  There are horses, mules, goats, chickens, and donkeys.  One of the donkeys, Jenny, had just had a baby 45 days ago.  The baby’s name is Louie, and he is very sweet.  His fur is so soft and fluffy. It’s too bad the sky is so overcast.  I bet the stars here are amazing on a clear night.

One of the Barns

Friendly Donkeys

We got some shots of Louie and his mom Jennie in the morning before we left. This was after Louie tried to make a break for it and shimmy under the fence. He only made it halfway before Maria noticed him and ran to get the host.

Louie and Jennie. Jennie got a little jealous that Louie got all the attention. She made him back up so she could get some pets too.

Moving On Down the Road

We are still waiting for better weather in Santa Fe. We’ve decided to stay near Deming at Rockhound State Park for the next few days. I’ll let you know how that works out.