JIM AND LINDA'S TRAVELS: The High Road to Taos Scenic Byway

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

The High Road to Taos Scenic Byway

Our “drive” today was one of our longer trips. We left this morning at 9 a.m. and returned at 4:30 p.m. traveling 250 miles.

In order to get to the “scenic” part of our drive, we had to go north on I-25, past Camel Back Rock and the Buffalo Thunder Casino.

The scenic part of our drive began in Espanola; driving through many villages (pueblos) with names of Picuris, Penasco, Talpa and Rancho de Taos.

In the distance, we could see the Taos Mountain Range. The highest peak in the Range is Wheeler Peak at 13,161 ft.

This drive also took us through the Carson National Forest. As we continued to the higher elevations, we noticed the dark clouds forming……and thought….”Oh no, not again!!!” But, we were lucky this time……only a few drops of rain……no sleet.

We arrived in Taos around noon and, of course, needed to find a place for lunch. We found a restaurant in the historic district of Taos called Doc Martins, found a parking place and deposited the last of our change in the parking meter. As we were walking through the courtyard of the restaurant, we noticed that they has posted a copy of the menu. THANK GOD! Now, you all now that I am what some of you refer to as a “picky” eater but, when I looked at this menu and saw that one of their dishes contained rattlesnake, we were out of there in a flash!!!!!! We ate at Applebees.

After our enjoyable lunch at Applebees, we started home, again driving through many villages (pueblos) with the mountain range in the distance.

Our final stop for the day was at a little pueblo called Chimayo. This community is known for its famous church. Santuario de Chimayo is especially known for El Posito, a hole in the floot of a side chapel filled with healing earth. We were not allowed to take photos of the inside of the church, but here are a few of the outside.