Oh, it felt so good just to lay in a bed with the TV on, listening to the latest news. I let time slip by despite hearing of more triple digits. Today's plan was to take my time exploring both places and then heading south as long as I could during daylight.
I got as far as Quemodo, a small town of two hotels, one restaurant, an ag store and a gasoline station. I was 33 miles from the Arizona border.
El Malpais was an interesting site. It's where sharp lava meets smooth sandstone, and from a satellite photo the lava shows up as a black flow across the landscape. It's brutal terrain, especially in the heat, but worth a stop.
We hiked a three-mile trail around the Calderon, a short gravel path hike across two bat caves, lava tubes, a cinder cone and other features.
Lava from the McCarty crater around 3000 years ago. What looks like inhospitable terrain for flora is actually home to pinon pines, junipers and small brush, anything that can grow in the fissures and crevices of lava.
"Scientists studying the craters of the moon come here to do their research," said Lee, the ranger on duty today. He showed me the satellite map. I was impressed. "People don't realize that most of New Mexico is ancient volcanic rock; no one ever talks about that!" This is also true for most of the mountain ranges extending into Arizona. I've found lava rock in the Huachucas.
Mount Taylor's top showed an erupted volcanic top that had blown away. "Taylor is 2/3 taller than Mount St Helens!" added Lee.
I spent more time in this area southwest of Grants than expected. After stopping at the ranger station I drove on to El Morro, 21 miles fruther west on NM53. This terrain is famous for its "Inscription Rock," a large slab of sandstone on which ancient Americans, Spanish explorers and the first American pioneers coming through here from 1849 through the 1860s etched their names, dates and sometimes small poems. On top of this slab lies an old Puebloan village, Atsinna. Down below once stood a large pool that provided water. All that remains now is stagnant water that lays low until evaporation or more rain or snow water replenish the supply.
But all the petroglypchs, names and inscriptions alone were a fascinating collection of humans over time who had traveled through or lived in this area.
This small place was full of history, but by now the rock was getting to Sadie. She pulled on the leash to the next shaded spot, as I tried to decipher the writing on the wall. In 1605 Don Juan de Onate, goveror of the area called Nuevo Mexico and New Spain's most northern boundary, wrote his name on these rocks. He was ruthless with the Puebloans and because of his mistreatment of the Puebloans caused the first Puebloan revolt against the Spanish conquitadores. He punished the Puebloans by cutting off one foot of every captured Indian.
I could have stayed longer, walked up the mesa and completed the two-mile loop, but Sadie was clearly uncomfortable. We got back in the van and drove back toward Grants but this time via FR49/50, an old lumber road through Zuni Canyon. After a quick lunch break at Taco Bell again, and a tank full of gas, I was now driving the southern route of El Malpais, NM117.
This drive was more scenic, with several road stops along the way providing geologic wonders for the traveler: a sandstone arch, lava flows, and orange sandstone bluffs. This rock was harsh: one careless step into a deep lavarock fissure could cause some serious injury to a leg. And it's no rock for dogs to hop on. Sadie stayed in the van as I quickly romped around the geologic wonders. That anything or anyone could have made this terrain their home is impressive, and indicative of strong character.
Clouds to the south starting forming dark grew storm clouds as I approached Quemodo. Winds began to pick up and I was fighting fatigue. Severe t-storms had been predicted for this part of New Mexico, but the chance of them was a mere 10%.
Walter Cronkite, a journalistic pioneer of the 1960s and on, died today in New York at the age of 92. My mother used to watch his broadcasts. I remember the Kennedy assassination, the killing of MLK and Robert Kennedy and of course footage of Vietnam when we lived in Highland, IN. With his passing goes another American legend. He was perhaps the last American broadcaster who didn't wear facial make-up like the FoxNews guys now wear.
I got as far as Quemodo, a small town of two hotels, one restaurant, an ag store and a gasoline station. I was 33 miles from the Arizona border.
El Malpais was an interesting site. It's where sharp lava meets smooth sandstone, and from a satellite photo the lava shows up as a black flow across the landscape. It's brutal terrain, especially in the heat, but worth a stop.
We hiked a three-mile trail around the Calderon, a short gravel path hike across two bat caves, lava tubes, a cinder cone and other features.
Lava from the McCarty crater around 3000 years ago. What looks like inhospitable terrain for flora is actually home to pinon pines, junipers and small brush, anything that can grow in the fissures and crevices of lava.
"Scientists studying the craters of the moon come here to do their research," said Lee, the ranger on duty today. He showed me the satellite map. I was impressed. "People don't realize that most of New Mexico is ancient volcanic rock; no one ever talks about that!" This is also true for most of the mountain ranges extending into Arizona. I've found lava rock in the Huachucas.
Mount Taylor's top showed an erupted volcanic top that had blown away. "Taylor is 2/3 taller than Mount St Helens!" added Lee.
I spent more time in this area southwest of Grants than expected. After stopping at the ranger station I drove on to El Morro, 21 miles fruther west on NM53. This terrain is famous for its "Inscription Rock," a large slab of sandstone on which ancient Americans, Spanish explorers and the first American pioneers coming through here from 1849 through the 1860s etched their names, dates and sometimes small poems. On top of this slab lies an old Puebloan village, Atsinna. Down below once stood a large pool that provided water. All that remains now is stagnant water that lays low until evaporation or more rain or snow water replenish the supply.
But all the petroglypchs, names and inscriptions alone were a fascinating collection of humans over time who had traveled through or lived in this area.
This small place was full of history, but by now the rock was getting to Sadie. She pulled on the leash to the next shaded spot, as I tried to decipher the writing on the wall. In 1605 Don Juan de Onate, goveror of the area called Nuevo Mexico and New Spain's most northern boundary, wrote his name on these rocks. He was ruthless with the Puebloans and because of his mistreatment of the Puebloans caused the first Puebloan revolt against the Spanish conquitadores. He punished the Puebloans by cutting off one foot of every captured Indian.
I could have stayed longer, walked up the mesa and completed the two-mile loop, but Sadie was clearly uncomfortable. We got back in the van and drove back toward Grants but this time via FR49/50, an old lumber road through Zuni Canyon. After a quick lunch break at Taco Bell again, and a tank full of gas, I was now driving the southern route of El Malpais, NM117.
This drive was more scenic, with several road stops along the way providing geologic wonders for the traveler: a sandstone arch, lava flows, and orange sandstone bluffs. This rock was harsh: one careless step into a deep lavarock fissure could cause some serious injury to a leg. And it's no rock for dogs to hop on. Sadie stayed in the van as I quickly romped around the geologic wonders. That anything or anyone could have made this terrain their home is impressive, and indicative of strong character.
Clouds to the south starting forming dark grew storm clouds as I approached Quemodo. Winds began to pick up and I was fighting fatigue. Severe t-storms had been predicted for this part of New Mexico, but the chance of them was a mere 10%.
Walter Cronkite, a journalistic pioneer of the 1960s and on, died today in New York at the age of 92. My mother used to watch his broadcasts. I remember the Kennedy assassination, the killing of MLK and Robert Kennedy and of course footage of Vietnam when we lived in Highland, IN. With his passing goes another American legend. He was perhaps the last American broadcaster who didn't wear facial make-up like the FoxNews guys now wear.
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