The Road to San Diego: Day 5 − 1 July, 2007
Tucumcari, NM to Santa Fe, NM
The Blue Swallow Motel had changed little since my last visit in 2000. The once colorful neon sign was dark as a result of a restoration being undertaken by the new owners, but motel itself still retained the scruffy charm of old.
Arriving the previous evening, we were greeted by the daughter of the owners, who had traveled from Washington state to help out for a few weeks. She possessed a cheerful, bubbly quality that was greatly appreciated after several hours of "trail dust". Shortly we had ensconced ourselves in rooms 7 and 8, a suite, with two full-sized beds plus a day bed. Wireless Internet access was a feature of the old inn, but I had a spot of difficulty getting a signal through the solid construction of the walls. Eventually, I decided to pull up a lawn chair and table beside the van and do a bit of work for class. The cool breeze was refreshing and the lack of flying nasties was of even greater benefit.
Daniel plopped himself in front of the television, while Jasa and Wendy played with a stray cat wandering the grounds. I brought out some turkey slices from the cooler along with a cup of water for the black and white street urchin, which he gladly partook of. He was of an indeterminate breed, but his face had a somewhat strange rounded quality. Coupled with his penchant for growling at invisible threats (he climbed in the van at one point and growled at the camping equipment), we decided that he must be a Round-Faced Growler. Eventually, he joined the female contingent in the room for an ice-cream party.
In the morning, we awoke to another beautiful, albeit hot, day. Daniel and Wendy loaded the gear in the car while Jasa primped and I continued to bang away at the laptop, assisting the class with questions on the latest assignment. The Growler had returned and made a place for himself beside of the computer. One of the ladies who worked in the office tried to convince me to take the kitty with us. Apparently he had been quite fond of eating the indigenous lizards which kept the insect population at bay.
While I declined the offer to add a fourth cat to the line-up back home, I was interested in the old VW bus (a.k.a. The Croc) parked outside of one of the rooms. The owner pulled down a newspaper clipping from the wall which detailed the history of the vehicle. The 1972 bus had been purchased on eBay for $787 and was currently the "star" of a movie entitled, "VW Nation".
Creating the "Great Wall of Daniel" in the back of the van, the day's drive was underway; a short trip as compared to the slogs of the past few days. By 4pm we had settled into the Santa Fe Travelodge. Opting for air conditioned comfort over the Bohemian ambiance of the Hostel de Santa Fe. After a brief rest in the room, we rang Daniel and Jasa in the room next door and made our way into the city proper.
Santa Fe can be thought of as an artsy core wrapped in a suburban/retail jacket. I'm not sure if it was due to the proximity of the Taos electromagnetic vortex or just general confusion, but I couldn't quite get my bearings in this town. I also felt a bit lightheaded, but this was likely due to the elevation (7,000 feet).
We spent the waning hours of the afternoon exploring the Cathedral of Saint Francis - an 18th century masterpiece in the West replete with arches, stained glass and the ever present sense of solitude. From the cathedral we circumnavigated the central plaza, wandering through the shops which were filled with jewelry, crystals, spices, artwork and, most importantly on this hot day, Snapple. In one of the emporiums, Jasa found a box to place a locket of her hair in for Jon (ahhh, such is the folly of youth! I found a wooden box with an ornate tile lid for Becky - in appreciation for her care of the Orange Posse while I am away. I also came away with a anklet made of round flourite stones.
Walking out from one of the shops we were greeted by a most unusual sight - a man walking a dog. Nothing unusual about that except for the cat riding on the dog's back and a small white rat perched atop the cat. The man escorted his entourage to a shady alcove and held court for the small group that had gathered to take in the unlikely quartet. Shortly thereafter, the man produced a tip jar, which I gladly contributed to in order to obtain a few photos. The cat and the dog appeared to be quite happy to take a break. The rat, on the other hand, was having difficulty finding a spot on the reclined feline that he would not slide off of.
As it approached 7 pm, the central business district began rolling up the sidewalks. Jasa and Daniel took the direct route back to the van, while Wendy and I opted for a more circuitous route around the cathedral. When we returned to the hotel, the ladies decided to give the pool a try while Daniel and I kicked the tires of the local brewpub.
The Blue Corn Brewery was not memorable for its beer, although it did offer a wide range of styles to choose from. Sadly, most of the in-house beers suffered from a lack of body; displaying a watered-down quality. The notable exception was a seasonal organic IPA with enough hop character and alchohol content to almost make up for its milder brethren. From a culinary perspective, the Tex-Mex offerings were quite tasty and the service was above average. We left the restaurant quite prepared for a good night's rest.
The Blue Swallow Motel had changed little since my last visit in 2000. The once colorful neon sign was dark as a result of a restoration being undertaken by the new owners, but motel itself still retained the scruffy charm of old. Arriving the previous evening, we were greeted by the daughter of the owners, who had traveled from Washington state to help out for a few weeks. She possessed a cheerful, bubbly quality that was greatly appreciated after several hours of "trail dust". Shortly we had ensconced ourselves in rooms 7 and 8, a suite, with two full-sized beds plus a day bed. Wireless Internet access was a feature of the old inn, but I had a spot of difficulty getting a signal through the solid construction of the walls. Eventually, I decided to pull up a lawn chair and table beside the van and do a bit of work for class. The cool breeze was refreshing and the lack of flying nasties was of even greater benefit.
Daniel plopped himself in front of the television, while Jasa and Wendy played with a stray cat wandering the grounds. I brought out some turkey slices from the cooler along with a cup of water for the black and white street urchin, which he gladly partook of. He was of an indeterminate breed, but his face had a somewhat strange rounded quality. Coupled with his penchant for growling at invisible threats (he climbed in the van at one point and growled at the camping equipment), we decided that he must be a Round-Faced Growler. Eventually, he joined the female contingent in the room for an ice-cream party.
In the morning, we awoke to another beautiful, albeit hot, day. Daniel and Wendy loaded the gear in the car while Jasa primped and I continued to bang away at the laptop, assisting the class with questions on the latest assignment. The Growler had returned and made a place for himself beside of the computer. One of the ladies who worked in the office tried to convince me to take the kitty with us. Apparently he had been quite fond of eating the indigenous lizards which kept the insect population at bay. While I declined the offer to add a fourth cat to the line-up back home, I was interested in the old VW bus (a.k.a. The Croc) parked outside of one of the rooms. The owner pulled down a newspaper clipping from the wall which detailed the history of the vehicle. The 1972 bus had been purchased on eBay for $787 and was currently the "star" of a movie entitled, "VW Nation".
Creating the "Great Wall of Daniel" in the back of the van, the day's drive was underway; a short trip as compared to the slogs of the past few days. By 4pm we had settled into the Santa Fe Travelodge. Opting for air conditioned comfort over the Bohemian ambiance of the Hostel de Santa Fe. After a brief rest in the room, we rang Daniel and Jasa in the room next door and made our way into the city proper.
Santa Fe can be thought of as an artsy core wrapped in a suburban/retail jacket. I'm not sure if it was due to the proximity of the Taos electromagnetic vortex or just general confusion, but I couldn't quite get my bearings in this town. I also felt a bit lightheaded, but this was likely due to the elevation (7,000 feet).
We spent the waning hours of the afternoon exploring the Cathedral of Saint Francis - an 18th century masterpiece in the West replete with arches, stained glass and the ever present sense of solitude. From the cathedral we circumnavigated the central plaza, wandering through the shops which were filled with jewelry, crystals, spices, artwork and, most importantly on this hot day, Snapple. In one of the emporiums, Jasa found a box to place a locket of her hair in for Jon (ahhh, such is the folly of youth! I found a wooden box with an ornate tile lid for Becky - in appreciation for her care of the Orange Posse while I am away. I also came away with a anklet made of round flourite stones.
Walking out from one of the shops we were greeted by a most unusual sight - a man walking a dog. Nothing unusual about that except for the cat riding on the dog's back and a small white rat perched atop the cat. The man escorted his entourage to a shady alcove and held court for the small group that had gathered to take in the unlikely quartet. Shortly thereafter, the man produced a tip jar, which I gladly contributed to in order to obtain a few photos. The cat and the dog appeared to be quite happy to take a break. The rat, on the other hand, was having difficulty finding a spot on the reclined feline that he would not slide off of.As it approached 7 pm, the central business district began rolling up the sidewalks. Jasa and Daniel took the direct route back to the van, while Wendy and I opted for a more circuitous route around the cathedral. When we returned to the hotel, the ladies decided to give the pool a try while Daniel and I kicked the tires of the local brewpub.
The Blue Corn Brewery was not memorable for its beer, although it did offer a wide range of styles to choose from. Sadly, most of the in-house beers suffered from a lack of body; displaying a watered-down quality. The notable exception was a seasonal organic IPA with enough hop character and alchohol content to almost make up for its milder brethren. From a culinary perspective, the Tex-Mex offerings were quite tasty and the service was above average. We left the restaurant quite prepared for a good night's rest.
