A Land Of Enchantment

The drive from Cimarron to Taos twists and turns through canyons and over mountain passes. Pictured above is part of Cimarron Canyon, a state park that US Highway 64 meanders slowly through. I enjoyed pretty much every moment of the drive to Taos and back. What I've seen of New Mexico thus far really does live up to its state motto.

Taos, however, was congested with stupid amounts of traffic. While I had romantic visions of Taos, thanks to photographers like Paul Strand, I found a place where everything had that look, even the hardware store. It just didn't do it for me.

downtown Springer

grasslands near Ocate

Also visited: Raton, Eagle Nest, Angel Fire, Holman, Cleveland, La Cueva, Wagon Mound and Sugarite Canyon, New Mexico

Ohhhhhklahoma

Some thoughts from today..

Dodge City will talk up its wild history, stories of lawlessness and a time when multiple saloons were on one block of its main street. And if that's what you go there looking for, you'll find yourself disappointed, just like me, by how that past is celebrated in the present. The "historic" Front Street is nothing more than a canned attraction, fenced off with an admission charge to come inside, with an Applebee's next door. So much for the wild west.

Liberal, Kansas is very conservative and has Dorothy's house from the Wizard Of Oz in a public park. There were also swastikas carved on the wall in the gas station bathroom.

The very northwestern corner of Oklahoma's panhandle is completely isolated and absolutely gorgeous. I would have never guessed that such scenery could be found in the state. If I ever get around to making a list of my favorite drives, Oklahoma state highway 325 west of Boise City will be there.

Unfortunately, Capulin Volcano National Monument in New Mexico closes long before sunset, but it was worth the brief side trip. I'm still like a child when I see the mountains in the distance. I get all excited and can't stop looking. Taos tomorrow!

And editing raw files on a netbook with Google Picasa leaves a lot to be desired. Pardon any lack of quality in the imagery.

Also visited: Minneola, Fowler, Meade and Kismet, Kansas. Tyrone, Hooker, Guymon and Kenton, Oklahoma. Clayton and Des Moines, New Mexico.