Truth or Consequences and Chile...Boo!

The plan was to spend Halloween in Truth or Consequences, NM so we drove from Taos south, through Santa Fe and Albuquerque (which I can finally spell), and landed in T or C. We quickly realized that Truth or Consequences wouldn't be a good resting place. The town changed its name from Hot Springs to Truth or Consequences in 1950 after a game show. The place is pretty depressed so we cruised on down to Hatch, NM so I could check out the chile capital of the world. I was in heaven! We stopped at Sparky's for some BBQ pork and green chilies and we were not disappointed! We wanted to cover a little more ground so we decided to spend the night in Deming, NM which is a popular rock and mineral collecting area near the southern border. A roadrunner that looked just like "Roadrunner" crossed in front of my car on the way there which made me smirk.

Taos Mountain Balloon Rally

As it happened we landed in Taos during the 29th annual Mountain Balloon Rally. At sunrise (between 7-8AM) they had their "mass ascension" so I had to get up early, but it was worth it. After coffee and the balloon viewing, we went to the San Francisco de Asis Mission which was built between 1772 and 1815. The church was a popular subject for Georgia O'Keeffe so it felt oddly familiar. We tried to get Bloody Mary's and watch football after our busy morning, but they aren't allowed to serve alcohol until after noon on Sundays...apparently its an old Catholic thing. Taos is probably one of the coolest towns I have ever been to. Its bohemian culture is charming and inviting and the food is incredible!

No big deal, I was just in 4 States at the same time!

So far I have driven a Mitsubishi Galant from Tucson, AZ to Gallup, NM to Taos, NM. My mother hides her eyes every time I pass a semi-truck, which never fails to make me laugh. Ridiculous! Northern New Mexico is breathtaking! It was a little out of the way, but no Southwest road trip would be complete without a trip to the Four Corners! Its maintained by the Navajo tribe, and its kind of a tourist trap, but I figured I had to do it once. I took highway 64 from the Four Corners Monument to Taos and witnessed some of the most beautiful scenery ever. I wanted to stop at a "Trail of Fear" haunted house on a Navajo reservation but my mom said just reading the sign scared her to death so it was "out of the question!". I had an amazing dinner at my uncle's restaurant in Taos and then went to a bar to listen to soul music and check out all of the Halloween costumes. New Mexico takes Halloween very seriously...I like it here!

Gold, Glory, and God

The San Xavier Mission was founded by the Jesuit Father Kino in 1692. Its the oldest intact European structure in Arizona, and its the oldest Catholic church still servicing the original community for which it was built...the Tohono O'odham of Wa:k. The Mission was around 150 years before the area was even part of the United States! The Baroque facade beautifully pays homage to 4 female saints and to the mother country, Spain. The main alter inside has two huge gold lions that were restored by Gloria Giffords, Congresswoman Gabby Giffords mother (TOAST!). The surrounding area had an amazing variety of cacti and scenic mountain backdrops from every angle. This is a must stop for anyone visiting the Southwest.

What Would Dillinger Do?

Tucson, Arizona is a city with a lot more history than I realized. The historic Hotel Congress is where we found ourselves for the first night of our Southwest road trip. It was built in 1919, but in January of 1934 John Dillinger and his gang were captured here. Its rumored that many ghosts frequent the building, which is probably why they have a table that is a giant ouija board in the lobby! It was pretty fun to sit there and attempt to communicate with spirit world while I drank my morning coffee. The vibe of the hotel is massively cool, but the windows are single pane glass and its located in a pretty busy part of town so its quite loud at all hours of the night...I must be getting old.

Mt. Roberts with Lady Baltimore

Labor Day weekend in Juneau visiting the sis. We took the tram up Mt. Roberts for an amazing view of downtown Juneau, Douglas, and the Gastineau Channel. A one-eyed bald eagle named Lady Baltimore lives at the top of the tram. A poacher (I had no idea people "poached" bald eagles) shot Lady Baltimore through the beak and the the bullet exited out her left eye. The whole story/situation/exhibit is a bit freaky, but it was totally worth the trip up because Native Alaskans own the whole operation the artwork and old photos they have on display in the lodge area is some of the best I have ever seen.

42nd Annual Oregon Country Fair

The Oregon Country Fair never fails to impress me with the sheer amount of hippie freaks concentrated in one area. It is the ultimate people watching event of the year...hands down! The entire fair is on private property, nestled in the woods. All of the vendors (artists, tarot card readers, massage therapists, wood workers...etc) booths, food stalls, stages, drum circles, you name it, are tucked in the trees and grass in little makeshift stands that look like tree forts. Its a total trip! Where else can you see a man, in full drag, on stilts that look like goat legs, jumping rope?! I mean come on! Tops are 100% optional for women and 50% of the people are totally high on life :)

This couple was more than happy to pose for me! "Happy Fair!"