At first the
scenery heading north from Fort Davis, Texas on Route 118 through the Davis Mountains was interesting
but after a while the thought crept in that perhaps the advertised longer
scenic route from Fort Davis to Balmorhea and Interstate 10 should have been
taken. But we were conscious of the long trek ahead of us and pushed on. One advantage was that we didn’t encounter a
single vehicle going in either direction for some 35 miles. After stopping for
gas in Van Horn on I 10, we were looking forward to a potential change of
scenery once we swung north-west along the Rio Grande. Gradually the
expectation was met as evidence of agricultural activity in the distance
increased. South of El Paso it became clear that the extent of irrigation was
disproportionate with what the Rio Grande could furnish. Dairy farms with
hundreds of head of Holstein cattle amazed us. These guys certainly think big!
We carried on with Interstate 10 through El Paso and the mere size of the city
was completely at variance with any expectation that a Clint Eastwood movie
might have raised http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Paso,_Texas
.
We crossed the New Mexico line and stopped at the State information center,
where a most helpful guy offered us coffee, maps and brochures. Some three
years ago, when Willem was researching RV camps near Sana Fe on the internet he
called the Hyde Memorial State Park where 7 RV sites were mentioned, way up in
the mountains, and enquired about the accessibility of those late in March. The official, Marcos, suggested we call a
couple of weeks before our expected time of arrival, because some years there
are up to 13 feet of snow on the ground at that time; other years, none. The
fellow at the Welcome Center called and lo and behold, Marcos answered that
things looked good this year and we should call a couple of days ahead of
venturing up the mountain.
Eight hours
after having left Fort Davis, we reached our camp site at Coach Light
Campground in Las Cruces http://www.zianet.com/coachlight/ . It was a good-looking outfit with full
hookups and pull-through sites, although extremely limited on restroom
facilities and vegetation. The latter was entirely due to the arid environment,
which seemed not to bother the indigenous folks at all. We regrouped a bit the
next day and Willem got business done at a Chase Bank branch, the first in
quite a while. Again, there were vast dairy activities inconsistent with the
arid environment, where lush green animal feed production covered hundreds of
acres. By then Willem’s curiosity had been overextended and he stopped at one
of these farms. A very friendly young fellow assured him there were much larger
similar operations east of El Paso. All
of these are irrigated from wells that are extremely strong, so they do not
depend on rainfall. Ordinary mortals have grown accustomed to the short supply of
rain and seemed to have switched from regular gardening to inventively using
rocks, stones and pebbles for beautifying their neighborhoods. The architecture
had strong hints of adobe, raising expectations for what was to follow further
north.
The next
morning we had no water in the RV; no one else had any either due to a water
line having sprung a leak. Fickie was under the weather, though and decided to
stay put, while the other three headed west to Deming on Interstate 10 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deming,_New_Mexico
. Since the previous day, dense dust closed in and on that morning,
visibility was really poor. Had it not been that neighbors from the 1970’s in
State College had moved to Deming after they retired and Willem and Susan having
remained curious about the area, even after both Kovars have meanwhile passed
away, we probably would have called off traveling there. But we persisted
through the dust and it was satisfying to witness where these good folks found
happiness and health – especially Helen, whose asthma problems were much
alleviated in Deming.
Whereas none
of the map-indicated scenic features along Route 10 to Deming was apparent to
us, the situation changed significantly along Route 180 in the direction of
Silver City. We had no information to the effect but evidence of mining and
mineral presence became increasingly apparent, underscored by place names, such
as Silver City and Vanadium, for instance. An exclamation point was added by a
vast open strip mine just east of Silver City, as we took Route 152 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chino_Mine
. This surely is an eye catching operation and a turnoff facilitated closer
observation down to where huge trucks and mining equipment appeared like mere
specs on the face of work surfaces. A huge endeavor dedicated to extracting
copper is what it was all about. But the
best was yet to come. We cannot give a better description of Route 152 than the
following, in the reverse direction of which we were traveling, though: http://www.desertusa.com/mag04/aug/nm_hy.html
We were
unaware of the Black Range Mimbres Mountains that loomed and mile after mile of
steep climbing with changing beautiful vegetation and forestry. By the time
Emory Pass had taken us up to over 8,800 feet, our appreciation attained
commensurate heights. Frequent stops for taking photographs in Fickie’s absence
could not do justice to what we observed – clearly, the bonus of the day! We
swung south on Route 27 and ultimately via Hatch onto Interstate 25 south, to
Las Cruses, where the dust problem prevailed. The difference that some 20 miles
to the west made with respect to this discouraging problem was amazing. Water
was still not restored in camp, although it was available at the restrooms,
where we could shower and collect a few gallons for kitchen use.
We
reassessed our itinerary and decided to drop Leasburg Dam State Park and go to
Elephant Butte State Park, some 75 miles north on Interstate 25, for 3 days http://www.emnrd.state.nm.us/SPD/elephantbuttelakestatepark.html
. This lake in the Rio Grande is the largest body of clear fresh water
in New Mexico. Currently it is perhaps 40 feet below full capacity level, but
still about the same above where it had been a couple of years ago. It is a
beautiful sight and recreation area in this arid environment and although
rather deserted when we were there, the evidence of facilities capable of
handling up to 100,000 weekend visitors in summer is present. No matter how acclimated these folks act to
their arid homeland, these numbers speak of human fascination with water and
what it has to offer. We all have it; we all need it! Fickie and Stella made
the acquaintance of Bill and Linda from Vancouver, Canada. The four of them went
to soak at the Riverbend Hotsprings and
afterwards arranged for a get together for sundowners and hors d’oeuvres. Bill and Linda proved to be a very helpful
resource for our intended visiting British Columbia some four months hence.
They were supportive of our plan to hug the Pacific coastline, drew attention
to potential side tracks and had constructive comments on RV parks, ferries,
Victoria, Whistler and the route to Jasper, Alberta. They suggested we work on making reservations,
since our itinerary would take us there in the middle of summer. After three
nights we moved 150 miles north to Albuquerque, the largest city in New Mexico http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albuquerque,_New_Mexico
.
This place
is sprawled out over a very large area, bordered by impressive mountains to the
east. North, west and south, there seems to be no limit to where the city might
go. We were at the American RV Park on Interstate 40, some 6 miles west of
downtown. This park got the vote for the ‘best’ so far. Not for location,
beauty or ambiance but certainly for neatness, organization, helpfulness and
above all, a continental breakfast which was included! We were scheduled to be
there for 4 days. This was the longest stay in almost a month, to regroup
somewhat but more importantly for Willem to work on their tax returns that were
due on April 15. He embarked on this task electronically and after the first
day, had downloaded and printed just about all he needed. He spent a good bit
of the next day on TurboTax and phone calls to pull it all together and consult
with his financial advisor, Al. A good bit of time also went into researching and
securing accommodation in Victoria, British Columbia, whereto we will be taking
the ferry, while leaving the RV in Sequim Bay, Washington on July 7 for two
days. Also securing other reservations in Washington, Vancouver and Whistler,
British Columbia. Then we spent the
better part of a day in the old city area of Albuquerque. Very fascinating,
although hard on one’s feet.
We parked at
a charming square with plenty street vendors producing and offering their
merchandise right there on site. We parted ways to rejoin some three hours
later, with Willem and Susan aiming for the museum area and taking quite a
while to reach the Albuquerque Museum, close to the Science Museum. Susan
immediately headed inside, while Willem worked his way through the sculpture
garden outside. Many interesting pieces, mostly by local sculptors, are on
display. But the largest and extremely dynamic display of an extended group was
eye catching and very informative. It depicts a group of mostly European
settlers, representative of the 600 men, women and children that moved into the
area in 1598 under Juan de Oñate.
New Mexico Population
Estimates, 1600-1850[19]
|
||
Date
|
Spanish
|
Pueblo
|
1600
|
700
|
80,000
|
1609
|
60
|
?
|
1620
|
800
|
17,000
|
1638
|
800
|
40,000
|
1680
|
1,470
|
17,000
|
1749
|
4,353
|
10,658
|
1800
|
19,276
|
9,732
|
1820
|
28,436
|
9,923
|
1842
|
46,988
|
16,510
|
A remarkable
feature of the presentation is the plaques with the names and origins of this
vast number of people etched in brass. To people completely ignorant of this
historical event and the consequences thereof, this was of considerable value.
The group comprised of many from Spain and Portugal, Mexico and quite a few
from further south in South America; a
few from Britain and even one from Belgium. It is stated that many of the
present population of Albuquerque trace their ancestry back to these folks. Except
for some hiccups, this settlement had staying power and statistics indicate
that in 1600 they represented the bulk of the European origin presence in New
Mexico.
These
figures are interesting in showing how the population changed over the next
centuries, with Spanish peoples increasing and indigenous decreasing
significantly. The latter is in part attributed to deaths by diseases carried
in by new European settlers. The same phenomenon was observed in Africa and in
South Africa in particular, where the indigenous population was virtually decimated
by small pox introduced by passing ships to and from Europe, even before the
southward migration of black tribes that eventually brought them in contact
with European settlers moving upward from the southern tip.
The current viewpoint by experts today is that the objective of Spanish rule of New Mexico (and all other northern lands) was the full exploitation of the native population and resources. "Governors were a greedy and rapacious lot whose single-minded interest was to wring as much personal wealth from the province as their terms allowed. They exploited Indian labor for transport, sold Indian slaves in New Spain, and sold Indian products...and other goods manufactured by Indian slave labor."[5] The exploitative nature of Spanish rule involved them in nearly continuous raids and reprisals with nomadic Indian tribes on the borders, especially the Apache, Navajo, and Comanche.
Franciscan missionaries came to New Mexico with Oñate and a struggle ensued between secular and religious authorities. Both colonists and the Franciscans depended upon Indian labor, mostly Pueblos, and competed with each other to control an Indian population decreasing because of European diseases and exploitation. The struggle between the Franciscans and the civil government came to a head in the late 1650s. Governor Bernardo Lopez de Mendizabal and his subordinate Nicolas de Aguilar forbade the Franciscans to punish Indians or employ them without pay and granted the Pueblos permission to practice their traditional dances and religious ceremonies. The Franciscans protested and Lopez and Aguilar were arrested, turned over to the Inquisition, and tried in Mexico City. Thereafter, the Franciscans reigned supreme in the province. Pueblo dissatisfaction with the rule of the clerics was the main cause of the Pueblo revolt.[6]
Not understanding these matters in adequate detail, suffice it to mention the distinction between the pueblo Indians and the nomadic tribes, mainly Apache, Navajo and Comanche. Pueblo Indians established themselves in specific sites and often carved dwellings out of cliffs in ravines close to water. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puebloan_peoples The above indicates tension between Spanish and all Indian groups and by the time pueblos were essentially abandoned, the nomads were still at odds with non-Indians into the American era, when the last of those was subdued in the person of Geronimo.
Geronimo (Mescalero-Chiricahua: Goyaałé [kòjàːɬɛ́] "one who yawns"; June 1829 – February 17, 1909) was a prominent leader of the Bedonkohe Apache who fought against Mexico and theUnited States for their expansion into Apache tribal lands for several decades during the Apache Wars. "Geronimo" was the name given to him during a battle with Mexican soldiers. Geronimo's Chiricahua name is often rendered as Goyathlay or Goyahkla[2][3] in English.
After a Mexican attack on his tribe, where soldiers killed his mother, wife, and his three children in 1851, Geronimo joined a number of revenge attacks against the Mexicans.[4] During his career as a war chief, he was notorious for consistently leading raids upon Mexican provinces and towns, and later against Anglo settlements across Arizona, New Mexico and Western Texas.[5]
In 1886, after a lengthy pursuit, Geronimo surrendered to US authorities as a prisoner of war. At an old age, he became a celebrity; appearing in fairs[6] but was never allowed to return to the land of his birth. He later regretted his surrender and claimed that the US government had broken the promises made to secure it. Geronimo died in 1909 from complications of pneumonia at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.
Willem wasn’t sure what had happen to Susan
and checked the Art Museum, where the receptionist indicated that she had
become very well acquainted with this kindred spirit and fellow museum docent. She
waved Willem in to go look for Susan, which he did after making a nominal
donation. The art emphasis of the museum is on the work of Hispanic artists
from the area over hundreds of years and right up to today. The collection
includes a wealth of private collections from the area with rather notable
British pieces. In addition, artifacts include traditional clothing spanning
many generations, which are so well displayed that one can imagine turning on
pulsating Flamenco Latin music, could entice the figures to spring to life
right there!
By the time
this was behind them, there wasn’t time left to cross the street for the Science
Museum and within minutes of having returned to the truck, Fickie and Stella
also showed up and the decision was to head for a strip mall on the way back to
camp for a snack. Our attention was distracted by an ad for a haircut special,
to which all of us, except Fickie, responded. Stella had taken care of his head
a week or so ago. With three new looks on display, we bypassed the snack part
of the outing and headed to camp to kick our heels up, while something was
stewing in the pot.
The next
morning we set out for Santa Fe, after Willem had contacted Marcos about the
availability and accessibility of the Hyde Memorial State Park RV spots. Since
these were on a first come first served basis in winter, he had to go check and
an hour or so later, reported back by phone that it was a ‘go’ for us; there
were 3 spots vacant. We wasted no time in getting there after picking up a few
food items on the way into Santa Fe http://www.emnrd.state.nm.us/SPD/hydememorialstatepark.htm . We secured one of the sites in a campground
with only 7 for RV’s and a couple of hours later, it was full house. Three
years of planning ahead and making Marcos’ acquaintance worked out well for us;
so did the weather, which enabled us to comfortably haul the trailer 1,700 feet
up the mountain, where abundant snow was visible higher up and some in the
crevices around our altitude of 8,800 feet. We had electricity and water and a
very beautiful wooded spot, compared to the almost barren RV camps down in the
valley. Five nights in the place would afford four fine days to explore the
area and also to take things easy. The latter being of some importance, because
hereafter, we were facing no more than 2-night stands for almost two weeks.
The next day
was Friday and we explored Sana Fe and also established internet connections
from the lobby of a downtown hotel. Willem tried to contact Dave Lytle, a
Biophysics acquaintance from Penn State, by responding to an e-mail of 7 years
ago. At that time Dave was in the general area of Taos, NM. We also thought of
visiting Los Alamos, where Willem and Susan spent about 3 weeks in 1973 with Ed
and Judy Hildebrand, and Willem working in Ed’s laboratory, while Judy
entertained Susan endlessly. An unforgettable experience! They have meanwhile
left Los Alamos but Willem was vaguely aware of the fact that they were last in
the Washington DC area. Willem tracked their whereabouts down in the White
Pages but failed to establish contact before we set out for Los Alamos the next
morning. Dave on the other hand did respond and indicated that they have since
moved to Arkansas.
Los Alamos
is of course a place of enormous historic significance. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Alamos,_New_Mexico . It was there that the Manhattan
Project was pulled off: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manhattan_Project,
which introduced the nuclear age and defined the
world order, as most people alive today still know it.
Willem
hardly recognized the place he came to in 1973; neither the site of the
laboratory where he worked nor the neighborhood where the Hildebrands lived. Finding
the location of the Hildebrand’s house was rather futile because the property
burned down during the fire which hit Los Alamos hard a decade or so ago. What
wasn’t too difficult to remember and even reconstruct somewhat, was the route to
the lab, which included some sharp declines. Although not that out of shape at
the time, the altitude took a great toll on Willem when Ed put him on a bicycle
the first morning to go to work. He kind of bravely made it there but
completely lost face the afternoon coming back! These experiences repeated
themselves for at least half of the time of their stay.
We spent a
few hours in the very interesting Bradbury Museum of Science http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bradbury_Science_Museum . Before leaving, Willem asked the
principal attendant of the museum for directions to the Bandelier Monument
Site. She was most helpful and a more extensive conversation ensued. A native
of Los Alamos, she was knowledgeable on many issues, including the changes
we’ve sensed and the weather in particular. Willem asked her if the area is
classified as semi-arid, to which she responded that such used to be the case.
But the last decade was real dry – more arid and this contributed to the fire
problems that hurt the community so much. With her directions in hand and
encouragement to also stop in at the White Rock Outlook, we set out for
Bandelier https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8Fk2KMHrmw .
Our next
stop was Navajo Lake State Park, for which we departed early in the morning of
Tuesday, April 1.
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