From Santa Fe to Taos and back again

This may be a rather long post, but here it goes. I may have to stop before I catch you completely up to date, but so be it.

On Sunday, July 1st, I drove the low road also known as the river road to Taos. For along part of the trip it follows the Rio Grande.

I find the river road an awe-inspiring drive, mountain on my righthand and river on my left. The road rises and falls with the mountain.

My Houston brain was already challenged by the altitude. Throw in the ups and downs of the land here and I tend to be just a touch off balance. I've been told it takes about a week to adjust to the altitude.

The other physical difference, environmental difference if you will, is the sunlight. The air is thin and the sunlight seems much stronger. I've used sunblock every day since I started out and I have still turned pink. Not really a sunburn, but I can't imagine what I would look like if not for sunblock. The image of a well-boiled lobster comes to mind.

I got in early so I had to wait for my room to be ready. So, after all that river road drive, I decided to drive around and see the town.

My room at the Sagebrush Inn

I was completely unaware that it was the Solar Fest, a sort of party celebrating music and environmental awareness at the same time. Taos was packed. The drive down the main North/South drag, the Paseo del Pueblo, was impossible, nonstop bumper to bumper. The most amazing part was no honking, cussing, raised fingers or drivers forcing their way in.

My nearest neighbors at the Sagebrush Inn

Aha! My first clue to the Taos state of mind. This place is much more laid back than Houston or even Austin or Santa Fe.

Gates of Mabel Dodge Luhan House

I made a pass by the Mabel Dodge Luhan House where I'll be staying in a couple of weeks, then drove around in a sort of long, lazy, laidback circle and headed back to the hotel.

My room was ready so I unloaded the truck. Once I was set up in my hotel room I got back in the truck and headed for the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge.

This was an encounter with the sublime. I'll try to explain.

As I drove along it appeared I was driving on a more or less level plane. I could tell the steepness of the road grade by how hard the engine had to work to maintain speed. (Hurray for cruise control!) The Sangre de Christo Mountains rose off to my right, miles of sagebrush and distant mountains off to my left.

Approaching the gorge bridge I could see people parked on both sides of the road. On the right side of the road were several venders set up under tarps and umbrellas. This was the only shade in sight. I pulled in on the left side of the highway. I had no idea what to expect.

Walking out onto the bridge the first awareness of where I was came from the vibration of the bridge with each passing car. That was OK with me at first, but the further out I went on the bridge, the further the ground dropped away, the more unnerving it became. About halfway to the middle of the bridge I began to hear rushing water.

Looking around at my fellow travelers I became aware of other people's response to this place. Hands tightened on cameras. I saw more than one person carefully put their keys in their pockets. People approached the rail with hesitation and caution. I didn't see anyone rushing up to peer down. I watched as hands touched the rail tentatively as though it might give way at any moment.

At midbridge there is a sort of viewing platform. A group of people walked back and forth across the bridge. The men were dressed in white, the women in white saris with bright colored scarves.

I eavesdropped for a few moments to the women's lilting voices over the roar of the river far below.

I approached the railing with great trepidation. I am not one of those folks who enjoy heights.

This place had a quality that I have only encountered in nightmares. Maybe you know the nightmare I'm talking about, the one where there is a sound that gets louder and louder. You are certain it can't get any louder, but it does.

This chasm is the visual equivalent of that sound. As I walked out onto the bridge the abyss seemed to just keep going and going. I felt as though it would end at the center of the earth.

This, my friends, is the sublime! Awe inspiring, overwhelming, sublime!

I peered into the gorge with awe and fear and joy all in one. The thought that ran over and over in my mind was I have held the element that carved this rift through solid stone in the palm of my hand.

Rio Grande Gorge taken from the bridge

I'll leave you with that thought for the time being and continue tomorrow.