Santa Fe & Colorado

Santa Fe & Colorado

August 2012

          We're headed to Santa Fe for something of a reunion w/ Wisconsin friends: Diane & Jerry, who retired to Santa Fe about 10 years ago, and Kay, who has retired but stayed in Madison (been to Santa Fe a number of times, both together and Marjorie alone; see the "Santa Fe" post in this blog). The impetus now is Jerry’s 75^th birthday celebration, and we’ve added a side trip up to southern Colorado.  Able to use United credit-card miles to score free flights.  And our recently added “Explorer” card gives some useful perks (as seen now on frequent TV ads): a free checked bag apiece, priority boarding, 2 passes per year for United Lounge.  Of course, leaving now means many tomatoes and beans may ripen while we’re gone; neighbors are green-lighted to harvest, back-door neighbor Baracat seems especially excited.  One annoyance: my camera stops working the day before we leave! Marjorie kindly agrees to share hers.  

Thursday, 8/16:

          An early thunderstorm (a foreshadowing?), but it lets up by the time we head to the airport.  Into McDonald’s for coffee, young man behind the counter greets me: “Hi, Prof. Ward.”  Another UAlbany success story.  Clear & sunny by takeoff a little after 7am.  Halfway out:  “This is your captain speaking.”  Uh-oh, that can’t be good.  T-storms around Chicago have us on hold and initially headed toward Minnesota to circle back.  But not enough fuel for that, so we divert to Grand Rapids MI to refuel.  They kindly allow 2 passengers headed here anyway to get off, then on our way pretty efficiently.  Speaking of kindly, Marjorie moved her seat to allow a young couple to sit together; and my grandpa reflexes kick in: I offer half my peanut-butter sandwich to a little girl, she declines because it isn’t white bread, tho she is willing to share my chocolate-peanut-butter granola bar.  Low clouds among Chicago skyscrapers as we come into O’Hare about 2½ hours late.  Waiting for our connecting flight, thankfully similarly delayed, we meet a couple who just drove from Grand Rapids for this flight.  About 1½ hours late into Albuquerque Internat’l Sunport (ABQ).  As we taxi in Kay calls  ̶  she’s just arrived and we’ll meet at baggage claim, so things have worked out quite well.  We pick up our Hertz black Nissan Versa, comfy tho not much get-up-and-go.

         About an hour to Santa Fe & Eldorado (where D & J live just SE of SF).  A pretty drive (but they’re all pretty around here!), dramatic clouds building over mountains & mesas, several casinos; and speed limit is still 75 here!  Later, thunder & lightning bring the day full circle.  They need the rain  ̶  there have been some bad wildfires in NM & CO this summer.  We enjoy watching the storm & lightning over the mountains from their porch, or portal (pronounced por-tahĺ) as known here.  (Note: For other local details see journal from our 8/04 visit.)  Diane’s spicy (a little) gazpacho for dinner, Marjorie brought pizelles for dessert.

Friday, 8/17:

          I’m up excessively early (a pattern that will continue, typically w/ Kay as a companion).  I disable their alarm to go out to wander a bit.  Such an idyllic scene: early light on the mountains in the distance, the sound of hummingbirds, a coyote trotting along the road, jackrabbits hopping about.  Diane is headed to the library to work on their upcoming fundraiser (more on that later), we 3 visitors head into Santa Fe.  Tho the forecast was a bit ominous, it’s a lovely AM. 

First to the capitol.  NM is one of 10 state capitols w/o a dome (according to one list, which includes NY), tho there is an interior rotunda.  

Beautiful artwork thruout, easy access to legislative chambers (like our visit to NH this summer, and very unlike NY), friendly staff in the gov’s office.

Walking toward the central Plaza, we stop into Loretto Chapel w/ its “Miraculous Staircase.”  As the story goes, after the architect died the nuns prayed to St. Joseph; an unknown carpenter showed up to build the staircase w/o nails or apparent supports (tho the sisters eventually added a bannister), then left just as mysteriously.  

Past interesting art outside and on to the Plaza, being prepped for the weekend Indian Market.   

Into the NM History Museum (D has given us free tickets); the highlight is a remarkable, incredible, inspiring exhibit on the St. John’s Bible – a contemporary handwritten and illuminated Bible created by artists & calligraphers in Wales, commissioned by Benedictine monks in Minnesota.  Sample pages are . . .  well, words fail, it’s such a beautiful project.  And interesting videos about its production.  There’s also “Contemplative Landscapes,” an evocative exhibit of B&W photos of “sacred places” thruout NM.

          Back to Eldorado, M starts work on Jerry’s BD cake.  Diane has brought a book from the library, Pie in the Sky, to help w/ baking adjustments for the high altitude here.  We “relax” (including a nap), M scolds us for too much talk about our aging necks, knees, and hips.  Oh well, aging babyboomers.  Cool w/ increasing clouds as storms develop. 

 

Out to dinner at Legal Tender in nearby Lamy, a “3 chiles” restaurant (according to a review) at the site of a station for the old Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe RR. Many trains & buses at the station, as some track flooding has trains diverted here w/ bus transport to Santa Fe; a waitress exclaims: “It’s the most action Lamy’s ever seen!”  

 Restaurant staffed by volunteers to benefit the RR museum here.  Live country music, a model train, a beautiful old bar, and a wonderful meal from burgers to green chile stew to mac & cheese w/ a chile kick.  Back home, Kay & Jerry are coveting Marjorie’s bowl of cake frosting.  Do we need to post a guard tonight? 

Saturday, 8/18:

          A beautiful sunny AM.  BD boy Jerry exclaims: “75 and alive!”  Marjorie takes care of a few things w/ the frosting (still untouched), then she & I head off to El Rancho de las Golondrias (Ranch of the Swallows).  A living history museum, termed “Williamsburg West” by the woman at the entrance, it was once a stopping place on El Camino Real from Mexico City to Santa Fe.  It doesn’t have the same scale as W’burg, but has a lot of see (w/ hardly anyone else here).  

Baking bread, a working blacksmith, an old mill, many restored buildings, lots of little lizards flitting about.  The mill was originally constructed from a “kit” made in Buffalo.  We learn the meanings of “run of the mill” and “rule of thumb.”  

An interesting & pretty place, used in a number of movies including “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.”  Many photos, as we pass the “family camera” back & forth. 

And Marjorie finds some interesting doors, a favorite photo subject.

 Back into Santa Fe to see Jean, an old friend from Albany.  After a tour of her beautifully decorated home, lunch at Plaza Café Southside.  The very friendly hostess spurs people (in a friendly manner) to finish and vacate a good booth for us.  This is “the home of green chile apple pie” (w/ cheddar crust & walnut streusel topping!), so of course I have to experience this signature dish (the friendly waitress offers to help).

        

Back in Eldorado, Diane (and her able assistants) have everything looking so beautiful for Jerry’s party.  This coincides w/ their regular shared dinner group, so 16 altogether. People pitch in on food prep, even Jerry.

A stink beetle sneaks in w/ one of the guests, but Marjorie saves the party by courageously trapping and liberating it outside. 

          A fine party: good company, good food.  M’s cake is a big hit.  As the visiting gerontologist I feel I must make some remarks  ̶  I cite some of George Carlin’s musings on age.  This being Jerry’s “diamond” celebration, M presents him w/ a set of Neil Diamond CDs.

Sunday, 8/19:

          I’m up way early w/ Kay again.  A pretty sunrise over the layered mountains, coffee on the portal accompanied by a bunny, busy bird feeder & bath, hummingbirds humming & squeaking.  Could this be any more relaxing?  Today we complete the trifecta of Santa Fe markets: we’ve been to the Spanish Market, M was here for the International Folk Art Market, today is the 91-year-old Indian Market w/ 1100 Native artists from US & Canada spread around the Plaza.    

A beautiful AM, sunny & nice temp; not so crowded today as yesterday would have been, we’re able to park near the capitol w/ a short walk. 

Many things have been sold already, but there’s still much to see  ̶  and attendees themselves are very colorful.  We catch part of a fashion show on the stage in the Plaza, enjoy a colorful mural outside the Museum of Art, 

and while M & K wander along one street I head off to see columns being painted colorfully at the Museum of Contemporary Arts 

and look into the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis. 

Rendezvousing, I find that M & K are especially enamored of the silver & copper jewelry at one spot.  K finds a lovely silver bracelet, M returns to get earrings she’d admired (“Happy Birthday!” I say  ̶  timing is everything).  

Into La Cocina de Doña Clara, in a funky arcade and a quiet interlude off the street.  M & K got their bling, but I’m happy to get a breakfast burrito “smothered in Christmas” (red & green chile).  Another customer, grizzled Rick, takes our picture then shows us his granddaughter “Miss Indian World” (we had seen her in the fashion show), and other kin are exhibiting today.  Wandering the arcade, K poses w/ cutouts of Roy Rogers & Dale Evans (we’ve kidded her about singing “Happy Trails”) and we admire a leather shop w/ beautiful boots & vests. 

Into San Miguel Mission, thought the oldest active church in the U.S. (built about 1610), where M gets to ring a big bell surrounded by milagros (religious folk charms); nearby is the oldest house in the U.S.  Back home to hang out; more “relaxing” and wine on the portal before dinner. 

Monday, 8/20: 

          Another pretty sunrise after some thunder & lightning.  Off at 8:30 for our 3-day side trip.  It’s good to be on the road again w/ Kay, a most agreeable companion on several trips.  A pretty drive: decorations on overpasses, past the Santa Fe Opera and more casinos (Camel Rock, Buffalo Thunder), red & yellow rock formations.  More clouds today, mixed w/ some sun, cooler (mostly our temps are 80-85; a couple days are termed “humid” − certainly not by our standards!).  At a stop for gas K spots a Green Bay Packer license plate, but no cheesehead.  M sees a bear in woods, but there’s no independent confirmation of this sighting.  Later a raccoon runs across the road, low-flying blackbirds w/ distinctive white markings on their wings (magpies, I later learn from a birder friend), elk-crossing signs.  We’ve borrowed Jerry’s Neil Diamond CDs; radio stations are hard to find and keep, so Neil gets a bit repetitive over 3 days.

A stop at Ghost Ranch outside of Abiquiu, the site of Georgia O’Keefe’s summerhouse and some of her painted scenes.  Now a conference & retreat center, including family reunions, and classes are offered.  Library includes a Theological Room w/ materials donated by a Presbyterian group.  Sweeping vistas & rock formations surround the site, certainly inspirational for an artist.  On the road again thru beautiful and more varied landscapes than we expected, occasional rain.  Plus goats, horses, sheep, cows, burros.  Into greener, more forested terrain to Chama. 

Good sandwiches for lunch at High Country Restaurant and Saloon.  We’re in ranch country now, surrounded by mesas & buttes w/ wild sunflowers along the road.  More mountainous as we enter Colorado.  We turn west at Pagosa Springs, much busier and more touristy, a view of Chimney Rock in the distance.  We’ve made good time on fast 2-lane roads (60 or 65 speed limits) w/ not much traffic.  A little before 3 we reach Durango (don’t you love that name?), a RR town & smelting center for the gold & silver mining booms, nestled in the San Juan Mtns.  “USA Pro Challenge,” a world-class bike race, started here this AM: 126 cyclists on 16 teams, 7 days and 683 miles from here to Telluride; thankfully, they and the crowds of spectators have cleared out.

Over the “calming bump” at the entrance to General Palmer Hotel (named for the architect of the RR here).  I receive major credits from M & K for finding this.  

Built in 1898, it exudes “Victorian elegance” in the midst of the historic district, 

convenient w/ parking next to the RR station (and a nearby McDonald’s modeled after a RR station). 

We have a 2-room suite, a teddy bear on every bed.  And here’s a coincidence: the young woman at the front desk grew up in Latham (where we live), moved recently w/ her family and is going to college here.  And Kay has a friend whose granddaughter works at a pizza place down the street.  We thought to eat there, but it’s closed due to the tragic killing of an employee (the next day Kay is able to express her condolences). 

It’s a beautiful evening as we stroll & poke into shops on Main Ave.  A lovely dinner on an outside terrace at Ken & Sue’s, also recommended by Kay’s friend.  In keeping w/ local history, K strikes gold!  Unfortunately, it’s a gold crown that’s come loose.  We find a Walgreen’s, pharmacist recommends Dentemp to reattach the crown.  But K has trouble fitting it in, so a wait-and-see attitude is adopted; she manages pretty well, avoiding that area for chewing.  She later learns via e-mail that her family’s interest in Stump Pond back home has been sold, so she can afford dental work.

Tuesday, 8/21: 

          Clear & brisk AM.  A good hotel breakfast, including fresh muffins & biscuits.  The wardrobe pressure is off today: Durango is “the least fashion-conscious city in the U.S.” says USA Today.  Other news: Augusta Nat’l (host of the Masters golf tournament) has admitted its 1^st 2 female members, one being Condoleezza Rice.  But more importantly, it’s RR day!  The theme from movie “Silverado” plays outside the station. 

I join M & K in the museum having an informative chat w/ a friendly staffer.  A nice model train layout and out back a big turntable, the “Galloping Goose” car, and a barn full of train cars.   

Can’t help but think of Uncle Bill’s passion for trains, and grandson Miles’ too.  Now for the main event: the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad travels 45 mi. along the Animas R. (aka “River of Lost Souls,” which seems a tad ominous), one of the last free-flowing rivers in the western US, climbing from 6500’ in Durango to 9300’ in Silverton, w/ surrounding peaks reaching over 14,000’.  It’s a National Historic Landmark, named the #1 train trip in N. America by National Geographic Traveler.  Engines used are from the 1920s (our car is c 1888) and have been used in numerous movies, including (again) “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.” 

All aboard!!  Much smokin’ & tootin’ as we leave the station at 9:15, passing rafts riding the river & gliders in the air.  Yesterday was reportedly “terrible” weather, overcast & cold; British mother & daughter seated behind us were rained on during their ride on nearby Cumbres & Toltec RR.  But today is perfect.  Friendly Forest Ranger volunteer gives periodic info, M passes his quiz about which animal in a stack of photos is not found in NM: it’s brown bears (or grizzlies). 

Initially along a lush green valley, many ranches, and thruout there’s more green and trees than expected.  We keep seeing the same Native American woman catching up to us at several crossings waving w/ a big smile and “Welcome to Durango” sign.  Elevation increases, fabulous vistas of mountains, valley floors, gorges, rapids; and views straight down from the window!  ̶  and don’t lean out!  

 On curves there are good views of the engine ahead, puffing white smoke.  Open “gondola” cars get plenty of smoke & soot; our enclosed “coach” is spared even w/ some open windows.  Water is green from iron; and rapids here used for training by the U.S. kayaking team.  We cross over the river several times, so both sides of the train get good views (tho on balance our side [right] wins out).  Past a beautiful 1870 wood-burning engine and seemingly much older and crumbling box cars. 

 A couple of stops for water; 5 tons of coal, 15K gallons of water used on the round-trip.  Another stop to unload hikers, canoes, boy scouts for a camp.  Spotters precede and follow the train to watch for rock slides and sparks that might trigger a fire; earlier in the summer a helicopter was keeping tabs due to some wildfires. 

          To Silverton about 12:30.  We prepared for cooler here, but nice sun & warm.  Silverton is known for its Victorian architecture and mining legacy from the boom of the late 1800s & early 1900s.  Very colorful buildings, restaurants (some in former bordellos, reminding us of Ketchikan AL), jerky shops, stagecoach pulled by horses “Sonny” & “Cher.” 

Lunch at “Thee Pitt’s ‘Again’,” as seen on Guy Fieri’s “Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives” (a favorite of M’s on Food Channel, she sits below an autographed shirt).  Decorated w/ many pigs.  Excellent pulled pork & chicken sandwiches, brought from the kitchen by a cute little boy (must be relaxed child labor rules here).  And 2 little entrepreneurs selling rocks from a coaster wagon by the train. 

We opted for a bus return at 2:45, quicker and different views.  We start by going even higher, to 10,900’.  Good narration by the driver on history of the RR and info about the area.  Silverton is a National Historic District, Wyatt Earp dealt cards here for a while.  Mine tailings and Christ of the Mines Shrine visible on the mountainside.  The most productive mines were above the tree line (11,000’+); many miners died in avalanches.  To Durango at 4:15, it’s up to about 90 now; we poke around a bit more before heading about 40 miles west to Mesa Verde NP.

          Mesa Verde is a reprise for me of a very brief drive-thru on a whirlwind western tour w/ friend Carl when we were in college.  We’ll spend more time now.  We enter using a National Parks Senior Pass acquired by M on a previous trip.  A very winding road up onto the mesa (the park ranges in elevation 7-8500’).  There’s a big bear along the road, w/ beautiful silky black fur.  A little later another w/ so-called “cinnamon” colored fur (but nonetheless a “black” not brown bear).  A very good start!  But don’t feed the bears: brochure says “a fed bear is a dead bear.”  Then past a burned-out stretch.  

The light is still good, so we head toward the cliff dwellings some 25 miles into the park.  Good views from Mesa Top Loop of a number of dwellings, especially Cliff Palace (the biggest site, but only guided tours and many ladders to climb, so we opt out).   

Back to Far View Lodge, w/ indeed a far view from our balconies.  Dinner in the cafeteria at Far View Terrace, where there’s also a beautiful gift shop.  Lots of stars visible from our balconies when it’s dark.

          What a day!!

Wednesday, 8/22:

          Mostly cloudy, quite cool AM, some rain earlier & occasional light rain the rest of the AM  ̶  but our spirits aren’t dampened.  A couple of mule deer w/ suckling fawn below our balcony.  A larger group w/ good-sized antlers pay us no mind at the Terrace entrance, where we have a good breakfast.  

  On the road we encounter another deer in the middle, quite unconcerned as we approach.  To Chapin Mesa Museum: nice dioramas, informative video, much history of the site and the “Ancestral Puebloans,” w/ some mystery about why they moved to the cliffs, why they left, etc.  Early “pithouses” were followed by elaborate pueblos on the mesa, then cliff dwellings about 1100-1200.  This is hallowed ground to Native Americans in the region, and a World Heritage Site.  I ask a ranger about the burned-out area we drove thru  ̶  a 2002 fire, will be recovered to mature forest in about 200 years. 

A short but “strenuous” trail down to Spruce Tree House, considered the best-preserved and most accessible self-guided tour.  Trail is damp, so M & K stay at the museum.  I get good close-up views (and photos, of course) of the elaborate architecture, even taking a ladder down into a “kiva.”  It’s quite remarkable what they built into these cliffs.  A wave to the ladies up top. 

 

  One more stop at Far View Sites w/ examples of mesa-top pueblos, pretty vegetation, then we head to the entrance.  There haven’t been many people around, but more traffic is coming up the road.  Now to retrace the 250 miles to Santa Fe. 

          Lunch at Pagosa Springs, site of hot springs & resort hotels.  Continuing on, Oh no!  ̶  they’re mowing the beautiful wild sunflowers along the shoulders!  Some sun & warmer as we swing into Abiquiu and Georgia O’Keefe territory.  House w/ a “Tourist Information” sign proves to be a local character and “historian” who’d love to spin all of his tales; we listen to a few.  

 Nearby pretty Santo Tomas del Apostol church.    

 

We drive up past Georgia’s house, but it’s quite unwelcoming: high surrounding wall, “No Trespassing” signs; you can see it, but only via tours reserved in advance.  Further up to an odd “chapel” on a hill that K remembers from a previous trip.  Driving back down we’re passed by a truck coming up, driver doesn’t seem happy to see us.  We learn at our next stop that the chapel is a morada of  Los Penitentes, a “secret society” (some might say cult) of Catholic men who, according to our local source, were excommunicated (Wikipedia says there were unsuccessful attempts to “suppress” the brotherhood).  That probably explains the driver’s unhappy look. 

Our next stop is more welcoming: a gallery of “Tribal and Traditional Arts” that proves quite surprising.  The very friendly caretaker gives us quite a tour of the Bosshard Gallery holdings of all sorts of things gathered from SE Asia and contained in an old mercantile building: $1200 pots, an eroded teak Buddha from Burma, Thai spirit houses, beautiful wooden chairs in an attic, to cite just a few.  Owner lives next door in a beautiful setting (he’d given a wave earlier as he was leaving).   

We‘re given more Georgia O’K history, and can see a panoramic view of the mountains & valley that matches the one from her house (so there!).  As we leave there’s a pretty sky w/ dramatic clouds and breaks of sun above the mountains.  NM has the best clouds!

          Back to Santa Fe at dinnertime, to Harry’s Roadhouse, a SF staple (and another Guy Fieri spot).  After lots of driving we reward ourselves w/ chocolate pie (M & K share) and blueberry pie (R).  And I wear some of the yummy ribs home on my t-shirt.

Thursday, 8/23:

          I have to think about heading home.  M & K stay longer to help Diane with an ice cream social + auction fundraiser for the local library for which she is the head honcho, but my semester begins next week.  M is packing most of our stuff for me to take.  I’ve wondered if Hurricane Isaac will be an issue for my flying thru Houston, but it isn’t expected to reach the U.S. for a few more days.  The Republican convention in Tampa next week faces potential disruption; but Mitt Romney (who’s visiting NM today) says he’s such a good organizer, maybe he can handle it.  I have my fingers crossed for Marjorie’s flights on Tuesday. 

An especially colorful sunrise; I’ll miss the AM mountains while drinking coffee on the portal.  And I’ll surely miss the clear air & beautiful skies & marvelous vistas!  M & K help Diane w/ auction chores, I catch up on home & work e-mails.  Then the next installment in this travelogue: “Kay Goes to the Dentist.”  She’s having some discomfort from her dislodged crown, a welcoming Yellow Pages ad leads to a 2:00 appointment.  

We drop her off then go to Jackalope, a very large mercado w/ all things colorful & Southwestern & more; 

even a prairie dog village for a last wildlife photo.  M still covets the colorful bird baths & big flowerpots from our previous visit, but settles for pretty tablecloth & napkins.  K calls after a short time, we return to pick her up.  The dentist found no problems, re-cemented the crown, gave her a big smile.  Showers as we head back to Eldorado and into the Agora.  Treats at a coffee shop to celebrate dental success.

I have a room at the Travelodge Midtown in Albuquerque to avoid driving in the middle of the night for my very early flight (5:50am!).  An especially beautiful drive down, mix of pretty clouds & blue sky, mountains in the distance on both sides.  But M has the camera!  Light dinner at a truck stop near the motel, then early to bed.

Friday, 8/24:

          I’m up in the wee hours, too early for hotel breakfast but Marjorie packed something for me.  There’s an Alaska license plate outside, young woman at the front desk is from Anchorage so she’s lived in 2 of the most beautiful and quite different regions of the country.  Short drive to ABQ, drop off the car (we drove 923 miles altogether).  On the shuttle to the airport I chat w/ a woman who dropped off her son at Santa Fe University of Art and Design; I advise her that most people quite enjoy the empty nest.  It’s so early security isn’t open yet!  Another chat w/ a man from Wisconsin who now works in the oil fields in N Dakota.  1^st light of dawn as we take off.  A bit early into Houston.  Sad breaking news on TV monitors: 10 people shot outside the Empire State Bldg.  Some kerfuffle at the gate for the next flight: a smaller plane has been substituted so seat assignments have changed (including some from 1^st class to Economy), but it’s handled diplomatically by gate staff  ̶  and we all get a heart-shaped cookie as we board.  Then about an hour into the flight a passenger isn’t feeling well, is helped to the back of the plane, and help is requested from a medical professional on board.  Will we be diverted?  But things seem OK, maybe just anxiety, attendants comfort her thruout the flight.  Neil Diamond is still singing in my head: ♫Sweet Caroline . . . Da, Da, Da♫ 

          On time into Newark at 3:30, a good albeit hazy view of Manhattan coming in; where’s the clear air of NM?  A 4+-hour layover here, so I cash in my United Lounge pass (M can use hers when she returns) and make a few calls w/ my new cellphone.  Lounge much bigger than expected, lots of people (probably due to riff-raff like me).  Not really dinner food, just snack stuff (cheese & crackers, nuts, cookies, apples), but nice comfy chairs and wine is complimentary!  Some lengthy taxiing before takeoff, a little late into Albany at 9:30.  Little guy behind me expresses it best: “We made it!  Yahoo!”

Here’s where Marjorie takes over the journalistic duties [w/ a few notes from R]:  “Is it a snake  ̶  or is it a . . . ?”  So, Russ leaves and the critters arrive.  I kill 3 ginormous daddy long legs spiders in the shower.  Lots of howling coyotes during the night.  But I sleep thru the really big excitement: at 2:30am Kay had to wake D & J to help deal w/ a creepy crawly critter in her room, either a snake or a very large millipede.  The latter was verified, but it was too fast to be sucked up in the vacuum cleaner (that seems to be the preferred method over swatting, squashing, or capturing under a glass jar).  Guess I’d done my duty earlier in the stay w/ the stink beetle so they didn’t wake me to help.  The rest of the day is spent getting ready for the library event.  Lots of cutting, folding, and pasting of bid sheets and item tent cards.  A fairly quiet day after the previous night’s excitement.

Saturday, 8/25:

          Preliminary setup at the community center w/ lunch break at a favorite Mexican café.  A busy day, but it’s fun to see things finally coming together.  The committee is made up of very dedicated volunteers  ̶  all friendly and easy to get along with.  No sign of the millipede, now known as Wilbur.  Kay thinks he’s probably lurking somewhere, perhaps behind the computer desk.  She’s a trooper to stay in the room at all!

Sunday, 8/26:

          Millipede update: the score is still critter 1 guest 0  ̶  I don’t think Kay is sleeping very well.  Finally, it’s the big day!  We head to the community center for final briefing.  Doors open at 1pm, but unfortunately the skies also open up, rain & wind make for a rather slow beginning.  Things pick up mid-afternoon and all goes well.  Nobody steals anything [Note: security was M & K’s responsibility], plenty of ice cream & root beer floats to go around, leftovers for the local senior center to pick up tomorrow.  Only a few items go w/o bids [Note: M donated one of her mixed media pieces to the auction and it sold] and there’s a reasonably small # of high bidders to call tomorrow.  Home about 6pm, I make grilled cheese & tomato sandwiches for everybody.  Busy day.  Early bed.

Monday, 8/27:

          More howling coyotes during the night, but no further sign of Wilbur.  Diane & I head to the auction site to meet w/ the gang for bidder follow-up calls and packing of supplies.  Doors close at 12, K & J show up to help load.  Everybody heads to Harry’s Roadhouse for celebratory lunch.  Yes, there really is a Harry, we actually see him.  Quiet evening at home.  K & I pack and everybody turns in pretty early.  More coyote serenades, this time they seem closer.  D says they only howl when they’ve killed something.  How comforting.

Tuesday, 8/28:

          “The Good, the Bad, and the . . .”  K & I have early flights so Saint Diane drives us into Santa Fe for the 5:45am shuttle to ABQ.  Because Eldorado has “lighting control” (all outside lights must be shaded on top) there’s very little ambient light and we enjoy a star-filled sky for the drive.  D plans to go home and count money from the big event; we’ll get a report later, I’m sure.  Pleasant ride to the airport as the sun comes up over the mountains.  We arrive in plenty of time to enjoy a last visit over coffee & muffins.  A somewhat tearful goodbye as we head to our respective gates.  Good!: Both flights listed “on time.”  Boarding begins w/ the usual  ̶  elderly, handicapped, kids, military, etc.  ̶  but wait!  Why are they all coming back into the terminal?  Bad!: Mechanical problems, w/ the anticipated delay there’s no way I’ll connect in Houston.  So, in a nutshell, I’m re-routed to Chicago and then to Albany, instead of ABQ to Houston to Newark to Albany [Note: Lucky girl!].  All goes well, I “enjoy” the layover in the United Lounge in O’Hare, into Albany about 11pm.  [Note: About 2 hours later than originally scheduled, as noted by R’s sleepy taxi service]  Oops!  Luggage has gone to Newark, but they deliver it next AM.  Glad to be home and looking forward to Matt & the grandsons’ arrival tomorrow PM.

          A wonderful trip to complete a busy summer of traveling.  Wonderful hospitality and companionship of good friends.  Beautiful sights.  Interesting culture and history.  Unusual critters.