Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Center

Right down the road is a wildlife habitat, one that attracts sandhill cranes that migrate from Alaska and from the Rockies, using this flyway to eventually head more south.  Also using this same wetland is the snow goose.  Both of them we have seen in Colorado and near Santa Fe.  Many of the birds end up at the Whitewater Draw area in Willcox, AZ, if they are moving more south for the winter.

A tidge disappointed that there were only 8 sandhill cranes that we spotted.  Yes, we saw lots of ducks, all kinds of ducks.  They say that there are over 30,000 cranes that visit this wetland come October through December, but sadly we did not see them.

Never knew about the different flyways

We toured the visitor center (beautiful) and was surprised at the amount of staff manning the place.  I guess when the cranes decide to come in, there will be many people visiting.  As it was, we were about 3 weeks ahead of the big migration.  Oh well.  We have seen them in the thousands and it is an awesome sight to see and hear.  We will hopefully be heading back to the Whitewater Draw area sometime in December to see the cranes again.

Lots and lots of ducks!

Ducks wading in muddy area

There were viewing decks and boardwalks out over the waters, one of the boardwalks we were treated to turtles sunning themselves. With the binoculars we were able to see 8 turtles strung out on a long branch about 1/2 foot above the water.  Couldn't get a good picture but they were having a great time.

Turtles sunning on a log

Turtles on a rock

The Bosque (pronounced bosk-kay) is Spanish for woods, Apaches used to camp along the Rio Grande here and it was very heavily wooded.  Hence the name - Woods of the Apaches.  There is a concerted effort at the Bosque to eliminate invasive weed species and also to rid of salt cedar trees.  New hiking trails have been opened up just this past week although we did not walk them - they are just now flooding the fields in preparation for the birds and we felt there was nothing to see but trees and grasses.

The best time to see the sandhill cranes are just at sunrise when they wake and head out to feed in adjacent fields and also at sunset when they return to protective area and rest for the night.  We visited during the day which was also a detriment to seeing them.  I imagine in another 2 weeks or so this area will have lots and lots of visitors.

And 3 more

I see 5 more cranes!

A final note about San Antonio - we happened to be camping right near railroad tracks (pretty common to have campgrounds by railroads - sometimes very noisy!) and we noticed that the engines are painted black and red.  Thank goodness it is a single track and also that a train comes through about every 8 hours.  Phew!  Ferromex is the railroad company which runs from Mexico into Texas, New Mexico and to California,  is 74% owned by Mexico and 26% by Union Pacific.  We wondered - great way to hitch a ride if you are wanting to get into the US - not sure if Customs searches all the cars, but makes us wonder??

We leave tomorrow morning for Deming, New Mexico.  About 150 miles south and west of where we are now, right off Interstate 10.  Never visited Deming so not sure what there is to see and do.  We want to get back to Picacho, but we don't.  We don't want this summer's adventure to end.

Socorro and San Antonio

After visiting the El Camino Real Heritage Center, we drove the back roads along Interstate 25, being closer to the Real than traveling on the highway.  At times we could see the Rio Grande but for the most part was a very lonely drive back north.  We passed through San Antonio, then traveled to Luis Lopez, a small town which is as old as San Antonio.  Very much an agriculture town.

Our destination was to see Socorro, and visit the mission located there.  Did we have some surprises in store!  Socorro, meaning helpful, was established during the Onate expedition of 1598, the only place where the native people did not flee when the Spaniards came through.  Instead, they helped them with food, shelter and basic hospitality.  Within 10 years San Miguel Mission was established and has been continually serving the community since.

San Miguel is the second oldest mission in the country, the first being in El Paso, Texas.  We found out that this year marked it's 400th anniversary and when the celebrations were being planned, the church needed major repairs.  The money that was raised was used to restore the out buildings and annexes, but the main church had structural problems, needed big money to do it.  The community struggled to get the money and for a long time thought that the church would have to be shut down for safety.

A 1.1 million dollar donation came in - from the Conrad Hilton Trust fund.  Why?  Conrad Hilton of the Hilton hotels was born in San Antonio (right up the road from where we are camping) and was a devout Catholic.  With this donation the church has been restored to splendor.  When we were inside the church we could tell how the walls had originally bowed out, and how they were restored.

We walked around the town, noting how the town has celebrated it's origins. Artwork on the different plazas was very impressive.  Also read about "Jumbo" and how close we are to the Trinity site where the first atom bomb was exploded (we are about 40 miles from the detonation point in 1945). Drove around town and found the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology.  Gorgeous school that offers to doctorate degrees!  And yes, Conrad Hilton graduated from this school.  I am guessing with the stunning architecture of the buildings that some of the foundation has also benefited the college.

Jumbo

We are close to the Trinity site

Sculpture on the square 

Tile work was impressive

Drove back south to San Antonio and stopped at a roadsign stand and got the confirmation about Conrad Hilton being born in the town.  Was almost dinner time, stopped at a small Mexican Restaurant - absolutely delicious - and had a wonderful conversation with the owner.  She gave us directions to where Hilton's father had the first hotel in the area.

Conrad Hilton's father's hotel

El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro

The reason why we came to San Antonio is because there is a heritage center located 18 miles down the road and so we went there today to see what it was all about.  For over 300 years the El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro (The Royal Road to the Interior) was the main north-south artery for commerce with Mexico and was used until the railroad arrived in 1878.  The El Camino Real is the earliest trade route in the United States.  Don Juan de Onate established the route in 1598 when he  led an expedition north out of Mexico City and up into what today we call New Mexico, ending to just north of Santa Fe in the Pueblo of Ohkay Owingeh, near present day Espanola.  At the rate of 8 to 10 miles a day, the journey lasted at least five months and the length was 1,600 miles. And, they traveled at night because of the heat of the day.  How did they see where they were going?

The stars last night were amazing and so seeing the brightness of the stars, I now understand how they traveled at night.  The expedition encountered many native (indigenous) people and their pueblos who ran off when they saw the Spaniards coming, through desert and transversing a 90 miles stretch called Jornada de Muerto (Journey of the Dead Man) known to be a very perilous part of the trip with little to no water.  For 300 years this corridor saw merchandise moving back and forth into and out of Mexico.  Once the railroad came into existence, the road was literally forgotten.  Wasn't until the push about 10 years ago to relocate the Road and even today archeological digs are going on.

From the back it looks like a ship in the desert

Sculpture you can see from I25 - maybe 30 feet tall?

Part of the El Camino Real trail

Inside the Heritage Center you walked in a circle with various facets described.  History of Spain, the Mexico revolt, the Spanish American War, the treaties, establishment of towns and missions along the way, about the Indians who lived there prior to the Spanish and how they were conquered, the US forts that were built in the mid to late 1800s to protect those traveling the Camino Real, to the advent of the railroad, to current day's traveling along Interstate 25 which parallels the El Camino Real closely.

Each room had a flavor - this one was about Spain

This room about the influences brought to New Mexico

We did not realize the importance of the town of Socorro (means helpful; the natives were the only people that did not flee when the Spanish came upon them, instead helping them with food, shelter) and the San Miguel Mission.

History of Socorro

Lots of history in this area.  I know I was not taught anything about the El Camino Real in grade school.  This is pretty important stuff.  The trade route was well established prior to Columbus coming to America!  Horses were introduced by the Spanish to the native tribes (Apache Indians) who learned how to breed and raise the animals which made them the most powerful of all the Plains Indians. Sheepherding, introduction to different foods and planting, the conversion to Catholicism. Now I understand the heavy influence of Spanish Culture as well as Mexican influences.

Made it to San Antonio, New Mexico

Very chilly the night before, at one point I saw 24 on the outside thermometer and we did not catch the water in time - it froze up and Dave had to work at it to get it going again.  Glad we are out of the mountains.  Our trip here was calm, no surprises.  Our first 1/2 hour of the trip we had to climb up and over the mountains to then drop down into Taos. At one point we were at 9900 feet at the summit of Wheeler Peak and thankfully only 2 miles of us climbing up then over then a quick switchback to start our decline through Taos Canyon.  So many homes in the mountain - I would be very concerned if there was a fire.  The aspens were past their peak but it still was pretty.

Near the summit

Bright gold of the aspen trees

A real fixer-upper

Many homes like this - at top of the mountain

About a mile from the town to Taos we turned south and traveled through many small communities, most of which were on Indian reservations.  One right after the other.  And many casinos.  I remembered the drive from visiting Taos 5 years ago but Dave did not.  At one point we started meandering through Rio Grande Canyon which reminded us of driving in Idaho along the Salmon River.  Very pretty scenery, saw fishing folks wading in the water.  Very low water level.

Bye-bye Taos and the Enchanted Circle

Wondered how far we could see

Love the architecture and paintings

Dropped into Santa Fe, picked up Interstate 25, and continued on towards Albuquerque.  Long periods of having the mountains to our left with arroyos (small canyons) on either side of the road.  Not many homes, we again were on Indian Reservations.  Passed through Albuquerque and on southward.  Was watching our outdoor temperature and we loved what we were seeing - started out at 36 when we pulled out and saw by the time we reached San Antonio it was 86.  Loved it!  Did not have to have the a/c on when we got in, there was enough of a breeze that by 6:30pm it had cooled down to 78.

Very pretty but very low - Rio Grande River

Casino after casino - don't need to go to Vegas, baby!

I remembered this - Elephant Rock near Espanola

Hello, goodbye Albuquerque

We are at Bosque Birdwatchers RV Park in this small little town.  Right on the edge of a large wildlife area where it is known for birdwatching.  We chose this campground because it is close to the El Camino Real National Historical park about 12 miles further down the road (Interstate 25) which we want to visit.  Only plan on staying here 4 days, enough time to let some cold fronts come through while we are sitting still.  Had very high wind last night that rocked the RV and today it is raining in Santa Fe, so we picked a good travel day yesterday. And, it was our most traveled miles in one day since we got this RV (245 miles).  Also did the best miles per gallon, 10.1, and it was all downhill - we went from 8258 to 9900 to now at 4500 feet.  Pretty much coasted downhill!  Getting closer to Picacho for the winter - maybe another 10 days or 2 weeks or so??