A work trip landed me in Idaho Falls, ID. As the largest city in eastern Idaho I was expecting alot more than what I got. Its a pretty depressed little community. From what I could tell, the "falls" are essentially rapids that drop about 10 feet. The locals were friendly, Mormon, and wholesome so no complaints there, but Mitt Romney was a favorite topic and 5 out of the 10 people I asked named Olive Garden as their favorite restaurant in town.
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.
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!
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!
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.
