Farmington, N.M. & Aztec Ruins N.M.
Posted 03-27-2010 at 09:20 AM by BillB44
This is one of those uncertain days that turned out to be surprisingly great. We left Santa Fe at 10:30A, having decided to take our chances and continue north west. Last night we checked weather forecats for a dozen places north, west and south. None looked good. Winds, cold temps, rain and or snow. So, we decided if we were going to have rotten weather we might as well have it in a cool place.
So, after four hours of driving through some wild and colorful sandstone terrain and black storm clouds spitting snow, we got to our stop for the night, Farmington, New Mexico. Ever heard of it? Us neither. But it’s 40,000 people strong and only 50 miles from Four Corners. It’s also just 14 miles from the Aztec Ruins National Monument.
We found a handy RV park run by a sweet old guy who has this elaborate model train set-up in his little office and winding outdoors. It’s called Mom & Pop’s RV Park, and it’s neat and tidy if a somewhat marginal location. But we’ve found all RV parks look identical from inside the ‘Spud at night, and we aren’t staying here to sit around outside, we’re here to spend the night and to see the Aztec Ruins.
It was 42 degrees and ice wind blowing out of the west at 30 mph, but we enjoyed our self-guided tour of the ruins regardless. They were misnamed by early Anglo settlers, not built by Aztec Indians but by ancestral Pueblo people centuries before the Aztec empire flourished.
From the 1000s to the late 1200s these industrious people built and lived at this remote site. The largest of the houses was 3-stories tall and had about 500 rooms. We could explore many of the small rooms, ducking low for each passageway, and touch the intricate original adobe masonry and the original ceiling beams! There are several smaller buildings, roads, earthworks and, of course, kivas. These all-important round rooms were sanctuaries, meeting places and probably worship houses.
The huge Great Kiva in the center plaza has been completely restored—and is the largest one in the U.S.—and is amazing to step inside.
Back in the monument visitor’s office we watched a 25-minute film on these Anasazi people, and restored our core body temperature. It was then 5:00 and the Rangers were ready to close up shop.
We drove back to Farmington, hit a modern Safeway for groceries then a nice restaurant called Taverna-A Greek Grill, for dinner. Other than being crushed that they couldn’t pour wine because didn’t have their liquor license yet, it was a great experience. Besides getting a needed break from Mexican, Tex-Mex, and New Mexican Mex food, we also were surprised when the music started blaring and the entire wait staff broke into a Greek line dance, gradually building in tempo and intensity as the entire restaurant clapped along. Soon they were kicking and orbiting laterally through the tables, as a young guy sprayed oil from his mouth which erupted in billowing flames. Who needs wine?
Drove back to Mom & Pop’s by 7:30 (past a hilarious billboard juxtaposition) and...what else...caught up on e-mails, freelance and the blog.
So, after four hours of driving through some wild and colorful sandstone terrain and black storm clouds spitting snow, we got to our stop for the night, Farmington, New Mexico. Ever heard of it? Us neither. But it’s 40,000 people strong and only 50 miles from Four Corners. It’s also just 14 miles from the Aztec Ruins National Monument.
We found a handy RV park run by a sweet old guy who has this elaborate model train set-up in his little office and winding outdoors. It’s called Mom & Pop’s RV Park, and it’s neat and tidy if a somewhat marginal location. But we’ve found all RV parks look identical from inside the ‘Spud at night, and we aren’t staying here to sit around outside, we’re here to spend the night and to see the Aztec Ruins.
It was 42 degrees and ice wind blowing out of the west at 30 mph, but we enjoyed our self-guided tour of the ruins regardless. They were misnamed by early Anglo settlers, not built by Aztec Indians but by ancestral Pueblo people centuries before the Aztec empire flourished.
From the 1000s to the late 1200s these industrious people built and lived at this remote site. The largest of the houses was 3-stories tall and had about 500 rooms. We could explore many of the small rooms, ducking low for each passageway, and touch the intricate original adobe masonry and the original ceiling beams! There are several smaller buildings, roads, earthworks and, of course, kivas. These all-important round rooms were sanctuaries, meeting places and probably worship houses.
The huge Great Kiva in the center plaza has been completely restored—and is the largest one in the U.S.—and is amazing to step inside.
Back in the monument visitor’s office we watched a 25-minute film on these Anasazi people, and restored our core body temperature. It was then 5:00 and the Rangers were ready to close up shop.
We drove back to Farmington, hit a modern Safeway for groceries then a nice restaurant called Taverna-A Greek Grill, for dinner. Other than being crushed that they couldn’t pour wine because didn’t have their liquor license yet, it was a great experience. Besides getting a needed break from Mexican, Tex-Mex, and New Mexican Mex food, we also were surprised when the music started blaring and the entire wait staff broke into a Greek line dance, gradually building in tempo and intensity as the entire restaurant clapped along. Soon they were kicking and orbiting laterally through the tables, as a young guy sprayed oil from his mouth which erupted in billowing flames. Who needs wine?
Drove back to Mom & Pop’s by 7:30 (past a hilarious billboard juxtaposition) and...what else...caught up on e-mails, freelance and the blog.
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