We really loved New Mexico. There was so much to see and experience, if we had stayed a year, we still wouldn’t have seen and done everything, but we were going to try to fit in as much as we could. On our way to Santa Fe, we stopped at the Puye Cliff Dwellings. It was a beautiful day to explore, and we were so glad we were able to see these. The views were amazing from up there.
Next up was the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, which is the mother church of the Roman Catholic diocese of Santa Fe. Built in the 1800 around the ruins of an older adobe church, it still has the old chapel in it from the original 1700s building.
Outside of the church are statues of Saint Kateri, the first Native American to become a Saint, along with the first Bishop of the diocese, Father Jean-Baptiste Lamy, and of course, St. Francis of Assisi. We only took a few photos in the church, as we didn’t want to be disrespectful to parishioners. The interior is incredibly beautiful and the artifacts it held were amazing. Very much worth checking out when you’re in the area.
That night, we were going to try a new kind of camping. We belong to boon-docking and dispersed camping groups, which are comprised of campers and people with available land/space for camping sometimes completely free, sometimes in exchange for either a small donation or helping out on the farm/vineyard/property. We thought Santa Fe would be a great place to try one of these, so we set up a place to stay via Boondockers Welcome.
We quickly discovered that this was not only a great way to meet and share ideas with like-minded wanderers, but we also learned so much about Santa Fe and the surrounding area from our host. We added her suggestions to our expanding list.
One of our favorite experiences was Meow Wolf. How does one even begin to describe this place? Well, Meow Wolf, which is supported by George R.R. Martin, is jam packed with interactive art and experiences that are accessed via an unassuming house inside a former bowling alley. There are hidden passageways, portals, and art you are supposed to touch. We found ourselves under the sea, in a refrigerator, in the tree tops, and in a black and white cartoon, to name just a few experiences. It is really something you have to see to believe.
We have since found out that additional facilities will be opening in other cities including Las Vegas, NV and Denver, CO. We are hoping to see what they do in those locations. Both will be amazing, to be sure.
On the way to our next stop, we took a little detour to check out Tent Rocks National Monument. They have a nice path through the canyons and amazing rock formations. It was a great way to stretch our legs and get some fresh air.
Our host recommended we visit the Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary. The sanctuary is another New Mexico non-profit supported by George R.R. Martin. It is located west of Albuquerque, in the Ramah Navajo Indian Reservation. The furry residents are primarily rescued wolves, hybrids, and other canids who should have never been taken into homes as pets. We found out that the higher the percentage of wolf in a hybrid’s make up, the shyer they were around people. And apparently, some were great escape artists from their homes before they ended up in the sanctuary. Wild animals simply do not make good pets.
The coolest part of this sanctuary is the campground they have. It is rather primitive, mainly tent camping, but a few flat spots to park an RV. That night, all of those wolves, coyotes, singing dogs, and hybrids sang us to sleep. OK, maybe sleep is an exaggeration, because they were very loud. And once the residents started their songs, then the locals chimed in.
Our former house was situated in the woods, and we often heard coyotes and wolves there, but that was nothing compared to being at the sanctuary. We’ll post the audio clip of their songs in a comment on our facebook page, if you want to hear it.
It was another very full week, and there was still more to see in this awesome State.
Stay tuned!
Traveling Team Fischer 