July 6, 2025

July 6, 2025

One of the popular attractions in Albuquerque, NM is taking a Breaking Bad tour. While Aimee and I very much enjoyed the series, that is too much. We did tip our hat to the locally-filmed show by stopping at Walter White’s gravestone not far from our hotel.

From Albuquerque, we continued north on I-25 taking the El Camino Real trail to its terminus in Santa Fe. Just west of town we made a stop at La Cieneguilla Petroglyphs. This is an Indian rock art site managed by the BLM. Poorly I might add. Signage is almost nonexistant. After failing to find much on the basalt cliff face, we gave up and continued on.

Our next stop was at Santa Fe Community College to see Ethyl the Whale. This is an art installation bought from the Monterey Aquarium. It is made from recycled polyethylene plastic, hence the name. It is very cool and I can’t believe how big it is.

We drove into the center of Santa Fe stopping next at the Cross of the Martyrs. The trail up the little hill has a dozen storyboards on the history of Santa Fe. This oldest US capital city was founded in 1610 and was probably the most isolated spot in the Spanish empire. The local Pueblo Indians chafed under Spanish rule and revolted in 1680 killing 21 Franciscan priests. The cross is dedicated to them.

From the hilltop we get a great view of the old town center so we decide to walk there for a nice fish taco lunch. Afterwards I follow Aimee around as she peruses the many craft and art stores. The large downtown seems to be one large art factory. Besides the stores we see art pieces everywhere. Santa Fe is truly an art colony.

On the way back to the car we stopped by the Basilica of St Francis. I liked the bronze doors of the church. They are modeled after the famous Gates of Paradise at the Basilica in Florence, Italy.

After a couple hours, we left Santa Fe following the Santa Fe trail. After the US acquired the southwest from Mexico, this became the main trade route for the city. The terrain changes dramatically climbing into mountains full of juniper and pinyon pines. We also get a few short rain showers. Once over Raton pass we enter the grasslands of eastern Colorado. We take a break at a rest stop in Colorado City where we relearn about a Comanche-Spanish battle here. It reinforces a Comanche history book we read last year. Juan Bautista de Anza (of Tucson fame) hunted and defeated a Comanche chief here. From then on the two sides respected each other in a peaceful coexistence. Something the Texans to the east could never achieve.

We finished the day in Pueblo, CO, a small city on the Arkansas River. We stopped downtown first for a tasty Indian vegetable curry dinner. Afterwards we strolled their new Historic Riverwalk complex, modeled after the one in San Antonio. It is very well done. Aimee and I were both impressed. The real Arkansas River was rerouted to the south after a devastating flood.

We also saw some extensive artwork and storyboards about Charles Goodnight. We learned about him in Amarillo. He led famous cattle drives bringing Texas Longhorns west and north through here avoiding going anywhere near the Comanches.

We also ran into information on Zebulon Pike. At the same time Lewis and Clark were exploring the northwest, Pike was sent to look for the headwaters of the Arkansas River. He was also testing the boundary with the Spanish. Too close unfortunately. He was captured and sent down the El Camino Trail to Mexico. After his release he wrote a famous account of his expedition of discovery.