Rio Grande del Norte National Monument

North County Vista

north of Questa

Photobombed by dragonfly

We drove up north of Questa on Sunday to see a house about 45 minutes from Taos. It’s on a crazy bad road like everything else and really not for us but oh so inexpensive. Plucked the strings of my cheap little heart it did. When we got home I mentioned it was modular and [...]

Survivor

hiking view, New Mexico

Lobo, El Salto, Kachina, Taos Mountain, & my honey

On our way back from walking yesterday, she said, “If we found a house we liked out here, I’d probably be very happy.” I concurred. This isn’t about housing, though. It never has been. It’s about a survivor learning to get out of his own way. That’s the mission. I’ll never get it fully done [...]

Sunday at 7,500 Feet

Mountains north of Taos in fall color

Changing scrub oak thickets light up burned over mountain

For the last nineteen years, I’ve lived within 30 miles of scenes like this. Could have been doing something else, I guess, but hey. To me this kind of space and clarity comes close to peak existence. It ruins you for ever moving to a city, though. We ate our sandwiches at a pristine picnic [...]

Two Days Ago

Rio Grande del Norte

Managed almost a mile and a half before the weather turned us back

Yeah, we got a little wet. It wasn’t bad. That line of virga with rain behind it snuck up on us faster than I expected, or maybe not. I do love a certain element of weather risk. Quite the glorious foreshortened hike, otherwise.

More Gorge, Less Mess

Rio Pueblo gorge

Looking south toward the Rio Grande from the Rio Pueblo gorge

The vantage point above is very close to where we live. Yes, I know you’ve seen this view. I can reach it by driving less than fifteen minutes and walking briskly for ten minutes more, and every time, I’m simply stunned. So what, though, in the larger scheme of things? We have to leave our [...]

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