Thursday, 31st of January 2008 at 07:42:28 PM

New Mexico Roadtrip Day 5, Thur Jan 31st: Carslbad Caverns + El Paso + Juarez

El Paso Sunrise

Dawn over El Paso (View towards border). Early in the morning I started from El Paso towards the Carlsbad Caverns, my first New Mexico adventure.  A 3h drive through untouched nature. I arrived around 10 am at the Carlsbad Caverns, taking a coffee break at the visitor center.

 

 

Carslbad Caverns

 

I decided to hike and to not use the elevators. Equipped with camera and tripod I entered the cave. I did several long exposures experiminting with different settings, and I walked about 3 h in the dark cave system and was really tired at the end.

 

El Paso Mission

I arrived back in El Paso at around 5pm. Enough time to visit the three missions at the El Paso mission trail. But I had to hurry, there was only 1 hour to sunset and it slowly began to dawn. The first one was the Ysleta Mission.Going south on the mission trail I visited also The Socorro Mission and finally another 4 miles south: San Elizario Mission.

 

El Paso

Nigthly View from El Paso Scenic Drive down to the city.

 

 

 

 

 

Ciudad Jerez, Mexico

After a beer in Rosas Cantina, and a big Texas Steak in the State Line Steak house I made a short walk over the bridge to Juarez anto the Guadelupe mission in the Mexican border town of Juarez. Unfortunartely my taxi driver frightened me with his warnings so I returnded very soon back to El Paso.

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Friday, 1st of February 2008 at 07:59:38 PM

New Mexico Roadtrip Day 6, Fri Feb 1st: White Sands-VLA-Albuquerque

White Sands

Today my destination was Albuquerque.  I had planed to make a loop drive via White Sands N.M., Alamorgodo, Carizozo, Socorro taking the 70-East. This Friday morning I had forgotten to fuel up, and  arrived with the last gallon at an Alamorgodo gas station. I Filled up and returned on I-70 West towards White Sands N.M. I had a sunny day for taking some lots of photos.

 

VLA

At noon I lunched in Alamorgodo. 40 miles east of Socorro I visited the VLA (Very Large Array) .In the evening: After returning from the VLA to Soccorro and turning on I-25. 20 miles south of Albuquerque with the last light I stopped for some shots at the Ysleta mission.

 

Kimo, Alb.

After searching for the best priced clean Motel I had dinner on Central Ave. (Route 66) Standard Diner.  I liked the food so much, that I retunred also on my second evening in ALB.  After dinner I walked thorugh the city: The Photo shows the KIMO theatre.

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Saturday, 2nd of February 2008 at 09:27:16 PM

New Mexico Roadtrip Day 7: Sat Feb 2nd: Taos-Santa Fe

Taos Pueblo
Before leaving Albuquerque this morning I did a short visit to the Old Town, buying a souvenir T-Shirt and for some shots.  Unfortunately sun was to bright in the morning. My next vsits were Santa Fe and Taos north of Albuquerqe. Due to bad weather coming from the mountains I decided to drive first to Taos 1h north of Santa Fe and planed to stay the night in Santa Fe.  I arrived around 10 am in the Taos Pueblo (foto). In Taos I took a late coffee and had lunch. It was a nice drive on 68-south in the Rio Grande River valley from Taos to Santa Fe. I originally had planed to stay in Santa Fe for the night, but seeing how small Santa Fee was I decided to stay some hours only and sleep again in Albuquerque where  I knew already good places for dinner (the Standard Diner) and a good and cheap Motel. Additionally ALB had a cinema. Back in ALB after a reat diner I watched a moviein the ALB cinema theatres.

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Sunday, 3rd of February 2008 at 09:40:29 PM

New Mexico Roadtrip Day 8: Sun Feb 3rd: Acoma Pueblo-El Moro-Petrified Forest N.P.

My tour continued from ALB to Acoma Pueblo (Sky city). I had breakfast on I-40 near Grants in an Native American owned Casino-Hotel. Arriving at Acoma Pueblo I was luckyy when booking my Guided tour. I was the only visitor at 9 in the morning, so I got a private tour from an Acoma Guide. We walked through the Pueblo and he talked around 50 minutes about Acoma people and history of the Pueblo.

El Moro

After visiting Acomo Pueblo driving west weather gets worth. Near El Malpais N.P. it starts to snow. I decide to continue til El Morro N.P. but weather gets worse and worse. Arriving at El morro n.P. its snowing heavily and the Park trails were closed due to the snow. I only see El Morro Rock from the road under heavy snow (foto). I was told that a snow storm is approaching from the West. So I decide to return on the same street back towards I-40. Meanwhile the road is covered with Snow. On I-40 I turn again to west direction and had planned to drive to Canyon de Chelly.

Petrified Forest

But the snow storm is so strong that I change plans and continue on I-40 west to Petrified Forest N.P.  Here the weather is cloudy but fine. I take some nice scenic shots in the painted desert. Further 15 miles south in the park I stop in the crystal forest the location with highest amount of petrified wood. Foto: View over crystal forest. On this Superbowl sunday I leave Petrified Forest around 4 pm and drive back in east direction and then north on I-191 to Chinle, Canyon de Chelly. Its dark when I arrive in Chinle but the driving conditions where dry and safe. In my Hotel (Holiday Inn), people are watching Superbowl when I check  in. I take a Steak diner and afterwards I hire a Jeep for the next morning Canyon tour.

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Monday, 4th of February 2008 at 09:53:13 PM

New Mexico Roadtrip Day 9: Mon Feb 4th: Canyon de Chelly-Route66-Las Vegas

In the morning big surprise: It had snowed the whole night and 8 inch of snow covered the road.  Before the Jeep tour I wanted to see Spyder rock from the south Rim drive. After breakfast, I drove with the rental car along the snow covered South Rim drive 14 miles to the end: Spyder Rock overlook.

Spyder Rock

 

 

View to Spyder Rock. The drive along the South Rim was very scaring for me. Road was uncleared from Snow and  I twice nearly lost the rental car. One time I was stuck in the snow, but I suceeded in freeing it.

 

 

 

Rental Car at Spyder Rock overlook
Rental Car at Spyder Rock overloook: I couldn’t enjoy the view to Spyder Rock. I was so scared not to make it  back the 14 miles to he main road on the uncleared South Rim road. After this experience and seeing that it was still snowing I cancelled the Jeep tour down to the  Canyon and decided to drive back immediately to I-40 (70 miles on the snow covered I-191 south.) It took me 2 1/2 hours with 30mph speed.

 

On the drive on I-40 West it snowed heavily until Flagstaff. I was happy when the weather improved  the more I drove west.

Route 66 Seligman

The photo shows Seligman, where I left the I-40 and took the old Route 66.
In Seligman I filled up and took a coffee. Finally blue sky again after passsing Seligman. I had decided meanwhile to drive “home” to Las Vegas
this monday and enyoy three relaxing final days in Las Vegas

 

Route 66 Hackberry

Hackberry Route 66 historic gas stop.

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