Day 1: The Southwestern Chronicles

The first day of my grand adventure through the southwestern United States consisted of a long day of driving from about noon until 8 pm. We arrived in New Mexico and decided to drive on to Santa Fe, one of my most favorite places to visit. It was bitter cold and the hotel had a magnificently painted adobe style fireplace that was beautifully lit and wonderfully warming on the cold December night. A variety of Santa Fe Winter goings-on were available for perusing in front of the fire and I took the opportunity to start out the trip in the this most amazing way. I learned about the outdoor activities that Northeastern New Mexico has to offer and made a pact with myself to return and do some of them.

The morning brought several inches of beautiful snow and cold air - perfect for exploring the city, especially downtown where the merchants sell their handmade silver jewelry. The shops were fun and friendly faces educated us about the local scene and the not-to-miss places along the route to Las Vegas, NV. Kyle got a kochina and I purchased a silver cross ornament for my Christmas tree. We ate downtown in a quaint upstairs restaurant with a bar and a corner fireplace that had the most amazing green chile stew. I absolutely HAVE to learn how to make it.

The end of the morning brought with it the realization that more driving was inevitable. As we passed the exits for Window Rock and Canyon de Chelly Kyle had to fight the urge to take me to see them. He knew I'd love to take pictures there. But, we drove on past and into Flagstaff, Arizona. Stay tuned for Day 3 of the Southwestern Chronicles coming soon.