Silver City

Ted. Before leaving New Mexico, we wanted to spend some time in an area we had not explored before. Our friend, Jeff had suggested we consider Silver City. Nestled in the Mogollon Mountains in the southwestern corner of the state, the town of about 10,000 began as a tent city following a silver strike in 1870. Today, it is home to a small university and a lively artists colony. Surrounded by the Gila National Forest, with tons of hiking trails, it sounded perfect. 

After settling in to our Airbnb we visited the local historical museum, always a good place to get oriented. 

Silver City Museum

Here we heard a cautionary tale about poor planning as we learned about the original layout of the town. Little thought was given to the annual floods that coincided with the “monsoon season, the traditional late summertime period of frequent cloudbursts when 80% of the annual rainfall in the southwest occurs. Main Street was built along a dry wash so construction was probably easy with no trees or rocks to clear. Unfortunately it wasn't so dry when the monsoons hit. 

After an especially disastrous flood in 1895, the town fathers abandoned efforts to rebuild Main Street, wisely yielding to Mother Nature who had turned the old wash into a 55 foot deep trench. All of the businesses that hadn’t been washed away by the floods literally turned their backs on Main Street and relocated their main entrances to the back of their buildings which faced Bullard Street. So today, one visits all of the old buildings - now mostly cafes and galleries - along Bullard Street. Behind the rows of buildings lies a sunken garden. No, Silver City no longer has a Main Street; instead, they have "The Big Ditch!" City leaders have always known the wisdom of good branding! 

"The Big Ditch" today

We also learned a bit about the Mogollon Culture, a modern name given to the folks who lived in the region roughly 1,000 years ago. We decided to pursue this at the Western New Mexico University Museum which contains the world’s largest collection of Mogollon Mimbres pottery. When we saw the bowls we were stunned - not a word I usually associate with pottery. There were no pottery figurines or other shapes - just bowls. They were usually 6" to 12" in diameter.  Some had three colors and a few were oval but most were black on white and round. They were only decorated on the interior and all showed evidence of having used for simply eating food. The wild geometric patterns and crazy interpretations of humans and animals made Judy exclaim, “You think peyote played a role in this?” As if that weren’t enough, some bowls had been found covering the heads of human skeletons. Each of these particular bowls has a hole intentionally punched in it. One theory is that the hole would allow the departed person’s spirit to leave. We have seen a lot of pottery all over the world but nothing like this!

One sunny morning we headed out on the nearby Dragonfly Trail in search of the eponymous 1,000 year old petroglyph. “Be sure to look on the back side of the rock.” suggested a volunteer at the city museum. 

We strolled under bright blue skies through multicolored fields covered in wildflowers, thanks to the recent rains. 

The path wound around for a while and then descended to Twin Sisters Creek which tumbles down from a pair of nearby peaks known as, "Anyone, anyone?"...the Twin Sisters!

 Eventually eagle eyed Judy spotted the Dragonfly. 

A Native American symbol for water and healing, this petroglyph demonstrates that the location was important to the local population centuries ago.

Walking around behind the Dragonfly, we realized the rock formed the back wall of a little niche well above the stream below. It was protected from cold winds as well as predators, four legged and two legged. 

Look at the dark rock surrounded by orange lichen

On closer inspection we located the images. 

Can you see the figures?

One is pretty obviously a pregnant woman and another of a woman squatting to give birth. 

Local tradition says that the Apache tribes who wander these hills long after the Mogollon Culture people had disappeared, made regular use of this place. It was an ancient birthing room; probably one of the coolest things we had seen in all of our travels around this incredible state!

The cottonwood tree

Ted. As we drive across the plains and deserts of the American West, my eye often catches a line of green and yellow in the distance. Here, one can always mark a stream by the line of cottonwood trees following its banks. 

I love the cottonwoods for their gnarled bark. Brittle, they are often broken, trunks sometimes lying along the ground where they tumbled but didn't die. 

They are survivors, living through droughts and floods for hundreds of years. Naturally, a poet put it best.

"Cottonwood Tree 

A lone cottonwood tree stands on the rolling Colorado plain. 

A rippling stream flows nearby, its existence to sustain. 

Its lofty branches reach for the pristine Colorado sky. 

Tho' badly scarred, the ravages of time it continues to defy. 

I tarry 'neath its welcoming shade to muse about its past. 

For a century or more it has witnessed the passage of time so vast. 

Why did this sturdy sentry survive when others fell away, 

Yet, shedding a blizzard of cottony snow each ensuing May? 

I wonder if it was a landmark beacon for hardy pioneers, 

As they traveled e'er westward seeking new frontiers. 

Perhaps a patrol of cavalry paused 'neath its welcome shadow, 

To take respite from their weary trek across the sere plateau. 

Scars remain where buffalo scratched their hides upon its bole. 

I suspect that it was a sanctuary for graceful antelope on patrol. 

I could imagine a majestic eagle perched atop its aerie, 

Reposing from its search for prey across the endless prairie. 

Rustling leaves startled me from my nostalgic reverie. 

Were phantoms of the past gathering about this very special tree?

I felt as tho' God considered this solitary tree renowned.

I respectfully withdrew, sensing I'd intruded upon sacred ground!"

- Robert L. Hinshaw, CMSgt, USAF, Retired (© All Rights Reserved)

Albuquerque

Judy. Seems like every few years, we hop back to Albuquerque. The first time, of course, was during Covid, when we had to fly home on a moment’s notice, leaving our friend Jeff all the food we had just bought. Almost four years ago, we returned to stay with him, and planned a big morning at the Balloon Fiesta, which got rained out. 

Determined to further enjoy the city with Jeff, we stopped by one more time. 

After an hour on a washboard road out of Chaco, followed by two and a half on a major highway, we pulled into his driveway, exhausted and overwhelmed. Fortunately, he had a lovely meal waiting, and sent us off to bed, since we had to get up at 4 AM to get to the Fiesta. 

No rainouts this time! As the sun rose, so did a large truck balloon, flying the American flag, while the national anthem played over the loudspeaker. In minutes, balloon after balloon filled and lifted into the sky in what Jeff called a “magic moment.” That moment continued for the next hour, and the energy in the field was overflowing. People cheered every time a basket rose. The excitement and fun was everything we hoped for. 

Flag liftoff

Ready for liftoff

Finally saw the Fiesta!

My favorite balloon! 

After well-deserved naps and a tour of his desert garden, Jeff took us to Casa de Benavides, a well-known New Mexican restaurant. The outdoor ambiance was lovely, and the food out of this world. 

The next morning, we made a picnic lunch and drove to a living museum (quite close to our friends Carol and Keir’s home) called El Rancho de Las Golondrinas, where we learned about three periods of New Mexico history, the Spanish period, the Mexican period (do NOT confuse the two), and the territorial period. It was a beautiful day, and we enjoyed our lunch by a millpond. 

Our guide in the chapel of the Spanish period

Kitchen in the Mexican period

Territorial period is quite different from the others

Jeff knows the coolest places!

The following day we had another long drive ahead of us, down to Silver City, by way of Hatch, NM, where we stocked up on more Hatch chili pepper. Leaving our friend was tough, but since we already made tentative plans to meet up again, it was easier than expected. 

Till next time, Jeff and Albuquerque!

Return to Santa Fe

Ted. We spent a month in this magical city four years ago and learned a lot. Judy wrote a great blog post about the city which you can read in our archives (dated Oct 4, 2022). During our four day stay this time, we chose to do a bit more exploring of the surrounding area. 

Speaking of blog archives, on Feb 7, 2026 Judy wrote about our wonderful time at Maison Fleur in Hoi An, Vietnam. She mentioned a great American couple we got to know there named Eric and Christopher. At that time we discussed a possible rendezvous in Santa Fe where they have a second home. It turned out that we just missed them but they offered the use of their home for our stay. 

High on our priority list this time was to spend more time with Carol and Keir, Servas hosts we had met on our last visit. This time, a plan to spend two nights at their home was scuppered by our constantly changing plans to visit Chaco Canyon. However, they did invite us to dinner so we got to explore their lovingly restored adobe home in an old Mexican village south of Santa Fe on the river of the same name. They have travelled all over the world and shared many of their adventures with us.

Carol & Chef Keir

One day we drove to Taos to visit the famous pueblo only to discover that it was closed to tourists because of a funeral. What did that make possible? A fun hike in the Rio Grande Gorge. 

The river was really flowing from the recent rains

Taos Junction Bridge

We also made the journey out to Ghost Ranch where Georgia O’Keeffe lived and worked for 40 years. It is an inspiring place in many ways, especially with the arrival of fall colors. There was a beautiful shot no matter where I pointed my phone and I’m sure Ms O’Keeffe felt the same way when painting.

Chimney Rock

Judy loves a labyrinth!

Chaco Canyon

Ted. When Judy and I visited New Mexico four years ago we visited several pre-Columbian sites. Everywhere we went, folks told us that, to understand the historic roots of the Hopi, Zuni and other Pueblo people, we MUST visit Chaco Canyon, a vast collection of ancient buildings in the northwest corner of the state. 

Chaco Canyon, wherein lies Chaco Culture National Historical Park, is remote, bone dry and desolate. For the last 20 miles of a 3-1/2 hour drive from Santa Fe one must suffer a dirt road that is in poor condition. 

The flooding that the area was experiencing when we arrived in New Mexico meant that the dirt road had become impassable. Judy and I waited a week until a park ranger assured us that the road was mostly dried out and folks were finally getting in. The drive was rough but boy - was it worth the effort!

There were still some muddy stretches

Over 1,000 years ago, a people, now called the Chacoans, erected 15 major complexes of buildings in the place we know as Chaco Canyon. Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the park contains the largest collection of pre-Columbian buildings in the US. 

Archaeologists have made amazing discoveries there. Millions of stones and thousands of timbers were used in the building construction. No big trees grow in the area so the timbers were carried by hand from mountains up to 60 miles away. 

The tremendous amount of labor required for construction on this magnitude means that Chaco must have been the most important spiritual and trading center in the region. Large kivas (spiritual gathering rooms) are everywhere. Some structures served as astronomical tools to predict solstices and equinoxes. Artifacts uncovered include chocolate and copper bells from southern Mexico, Pacific coast shells and scarlet macaw remains from Central America.

Since the Chacoans did not develop a written language, many mysteries remain. The area has never had much water and there are no signs that food was grown locally. There are hundreds of rooms and dozens of kivas in the buildings but the evidence indicates that more than a few dozen people ever lived there! It seems possible that is was only used as a gathering site on specific occasions.  

Walking around the largest complex, Pueblo Bonito, we were stunned by the scale of construction. This one building contains over 650 rooms and 36 kivas and in places is four stories high. It’s nearly as big as the Colosseum in Rome! 

This model shows an overhead view of Pueblo Bonito

Crumbled walls

Interior walls

A sandstone cliff is directly behind the pueblo

There were many petroglyphs on the cliff wall

For those who are interested in learning more, there are lots of great photographs and fascination videos on the internet. I especially recommend two films from PBS; The Mystery of Chaco Canyon and Written on the Landscape: Mysteries Beyond Chaco Canyon. And oh - if you ever figure out why it was built, please let us know!