We have visited New Mexico for 3 extensive trips: in 2000, 2002 (included an Elderhostel) and a 2006 Monaco caravan. Click on the links for each page.
2000: Trip to South Texas and New Mexico
Aug. 2: Arrive Austin, TX
Aug. 3-6: Irwin Family Reunion, Rockport, TX
Hot out here in Texas. Visited the US Lexington aircraft carrier outside Corpus Christi. Filming of a new movie named "Pearl Harbor" was taking place there; one of actors is Alec Baldwin but doggone, we didn't see him. Did see a number of extras who must have been miserable in their old wool army uniforms.
Good turnout for the Irwin reunion. Three (Jean, Irv, RosaLea) of the remaining five (LeOra, Jess) in the oldest generation attended. Also in attendance were two of Irv's children (Raymond and Jody) with spouses (Nancy and Grant) and 2 children. RosaLea's 2 sons (Richard and Rex) and wives (Carol and Jane). Loyd's son (Jim), wife (Jackie) and 2 children. One of Bill's sons (Tom) and his wife (me), and 2 of our children (Julie and Laura) plus one spouse (Eric). LeOra's son (Bob). There were some "outlaws" in attendance: the Williams from VA, Gloria from CO, Nancy Irwin's parents from IL.
Aug. 7-11: San Antonio, TX
Aug. 7 we left Austin for San Antonio, where we will stay for a few days before making our way to Albuquerque. First calamity: big wind came up suddenly and bent the awning struts, so the RV will spend some time at the RV doctor Aug. 10 and 11. We hope to get back on the road in the afternoon of the 11th and start making our way to New Mexico.
Aug. 11: RV is finally fixed by 5 PM so after spending the day putzing around, we drove to Fredericksburg, TX, a community settled by Germans which was also the home of Admiral Chester Nimitz. There is a Chester Nimitz Museum and the George Bush National Museum onthe Pacific Battles of World War II.
Aug. 12: We toured the National Museum of the War in the Pacific in Fredericksburg, TX, all morning then drove through desolate west Texas to Carlsbad, New Mexico.
Aug. 13: Spent the day in the Carlsbad National Park , hiking and taking pictures. Click to see the pictures.
Aug. 14: Spent the morning touring the Living Desert Zoological and Botanical State Park . Arrived in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Stagecoach Stop RV Resort where we will stay until Sunday, Aug. 20. View from our RV part is great.
Aug. 15: Got a tire on the car fixed (second calamity) that kept going flat on the drive fromCarlsbad. Went to the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in Albuquerque to check out pottery and rugs. Went by the National Petroglyph Monument visitor's center where there are thousands of petroglyphs in the lava fields; but it was too hot to even think about hiking into the area which has no shade or water.
Aug. 16: Santa Fe -- toured the Palace of the Governors, the Georgia O'Keefe Museum, and negotiated with a Santa Clara potter for a black-on-black pot. Then we went to the San Ildefonso pueblo north of Santa Fe and bought another pot -- done by a 13-year-old great-great-grandson of Maria Martinez, the "mother" of the black-on-black technique. See the picture of pots below.
Aug. 17: Drove to Chimayo on the way to Taos and ate at the Restaurante Rancho de Chimayo where we had dined on our last visit to this area. Great New Mexican food and gallery of unusual jewelry and pottery. Those beautiful pots were just for looking. Went on to Taos (the town), tried to visit the historic Taos Pueblo but it was closed to tourists, went to the Taos Ski Area, and the fantastic and surprising Rio Grande Gorge Bridge; the gorge is like a small grand canyon. Also passed by the distinctive camel rock.
Rio Grande Gorge (near Taos) Camel
Rock (near Santa Fe)
Aug. 18: Back to Santa Fe; bought a red pot by Jemez (HEY-mis) potter Lawrence Yepa. Attended the famed Santa Fe Opera production of "Rigoletto" which was magnificent and enhanced by a thunder storm which was visible through the sides and back of the theater.
Aug. 19: Annual Indian Market in Santa Fe with about 1200 Native American artists from all over the country; bought lots more pottery!
Pottery purchased in New Mexico in 2000.
Left to right:
Red melon bowl by Anita Pauline Romero , Jemez
Black-on-black bowl by Merton Sisneros , Santa Clara
Black turtle by Jason Suazo , Santa Clara
Red seed pot by Lawrence and Lupita Yepa , Jemez
Red and green vase by Jenifer Tse-Pe' Sisneros , Santa Clara
Miniature red polychrome bowl by Be rnadette Vigil , Santa Clara and Pojoaque
Black rabbit by Martha Mirabal , Santa Clara
Thin micaceous bowl by Crystal Julian , Jicarilla Apache
Black-on-black vase by Derek Gonzales , San Ildefonso
Polychrome seed pot by Carrie Chino-Charlie , Acoma
Red turtle by Linda Cain , Santa Clara
Aug. 20: Travel from Albuquerque to Cortez, CO, via Shiprock, NM.
Shiprock (Ancient Volcano), NM and View
from Roadside between Shiprock, NM, and Cortez, CO
On August 5 we left Aiken, SC, to drive back to the southwest. After a couple of stops in Ft. Worth and Austin, we continued on to Albuquerque, NM.
August 14 - 19: Attended our 4th Elderhostel in Santa Fe .
2002 Pottery Purchases
In August we purchased 6 more pieces
of pottery to add to our collection. 
Left: 10.5" tall Acoma vase by Gary Toya , covered in stylized butterflies and kokopellis.
Right: 1. 2-tone redware carved
and polished bowl by
Linda Cain
of Santa Clara
2. miniature pot by
Carrie Chino-Charlie
of Acoma
3. micaceous black vase by
Edna Naranjo Romero
of Santa Clara and Taos
4. white corrugated pot by
Jackie Shutiva Histia
5. black
polished melon bowl by
Anita Suazo
August 15: Visited Chaco Canyon where we viewed films in the Visitor Center and hiked to ruins on the top of the mesa above the canyon.
2006: In September and October, we attended a 3-week Monacos in Motion caravan called "Land of Enchantment." Of course, since we were back in the land of beautiful pottery as well as scenery, I purchased more pots.
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| A. A. Peynetsa, Zuni | Denise Chavarria, Santa Clara | Candelaria Suazo, Santa Clara | Elston & Dena Yepa, Jemez | Larry Antonio Chino, Acoma |