Going Places

We travel. Always have. Always will. Last year at this time we were camped at the Orilla Verda Recreation Area, a BLM (Bureau of Land Management) site near Taos, NM. We stayed there for just over two months, hosting a campground and working at the Rio Grande Gorge Visitor Center in Pilar. It was especially cool because we were paid for having fun.

With our "headquarters" in the Rio Grande Gorge we used our liberal amount of "down time" to explore the area. Taos is a playground for the wealthy. The entire area around Taos and the Rio Grande Gorge is also a hotbed for "alternative" lifestyles. A movie with Sam Elliott and Joan Allen, Off the Map, is an entertaining example of the lifestyle. The movie was made in and around the Rio Grande Gorge.

Our exploration took us to most of the tourist sites and to many "off-the-beaten-path" experiences. We traveled the high road, the low (gorge) road, the railroad and sometimes the no road. The area is renowned for the artisans and artists who have visited there, lived there and practiced their art there. We visited places where Georgia O'Keeffe painted and those photographed by Ansel Adams. I kept my camera nearby in pursuit of one my favorite activities ... taking pictures. Me, Ansel and Georgia ... artists.

There is supposed to be an image here. It's hard enough learning to blog when everything works. Now, not only am I having formating problems, my pictures won't upload.

Gathering storm clouds provide special lighting to this scene in the Rio Chama Valley. It is only minutes from Georgia O'Keeffe's home in Abiquiu. It is a good example of what attracts so many artists to this area. Such storms occur frequently during the summer months, referred to as the monsoon season. This was taken while on one of our "no road" adventures. It leads to an out-of-the-way Islamic retreat that is located in an area referred to by O'Keeffe as The Far Away.

Northern New Mexico still draws many artists. Weekends frequently offer studio tours of artists' homes and studios. These tours are sponsored by the small towns and communities in the area and are spread over several weekends (months) to avoid conflicts. Many of the artists welcome visitors continuously. The following photo is of artist Anna Karin. On a high road journey, we toured her studio and watched her paint.

Here is another missing image. Someone has certainly succeeded in taking the fun out of this blog.

There was more to this post but without images it isn't worth continuing. Hope the techies get this working soon.