The road tour starts off on Friday night, July 2nd as we leave Westminster,Colorado for an overnight stay on Salida, Colorado. The morning after a brief drive through old town Salida, we head south to Alamosa with a quick sightseeing, meandering drive through to the town stopping by the historic Hope buildning the Rio Grande Scenic Railroad yard. Now its on the Antonita, Colorado and the eastern end of the Cumbres & Toltec Railroad yards. Continuing our journey we headed south on highway 285, crossing into New Mexico where we came onto the unexpected Earthship residental development - community that is building with natural and recycled materials; using thermo/solar heating & cooling; doing water harvesting; providing electricity by solar and wind power; has contained sewage treatment and some of its own food production. After a brief stop at the Earthship development, its on to the Rio Grande Gorge cantilever truss bridge that crosses above the Rio Grande river 650 feet below. Had to stop for some bridge and gorge photos before heading to the town of Tao, New Mexico. We just drove through the town, since that we backed up taffic on the main street for blocks and blocks. With the Tao traffic experience behind me, I decide the back road to Espanola, known as the High Road that would take me thru and by towns of Penasco, Truchas, Cordova and Chimayo - founded near the end of th 17th century by Spanish settlers. In Penasco, I made a brief stop at Cafe Nymph and the beautiful tile wall next to the cafe. On the way to Chimayo, I took a side detour into the narrow streets on Cordova down in a valley, followed by a photo stop at the Santo Niño de Atocha chapel in Chimayo.

Continuing our journey down to Santa Fe, New Mexico , a stop is made in Chimayo, NM to visit the the Santo Nino de Atocha chapel and the El Santuario de Chimayo, where over 300,00 people make a walking pilgrimage to the church every Good Friday from all over southwestern United States and from abroad. Its getting late, so the journey continues down state highway 76 to Espanola. There we get an early meal followed by a short visit to the Plaza de Espanola, where folks were just enjoying the day listening to bands playing on the stage. Not much day light left, so we head on into Santa Fe and check into the Lamplighter America's Best Value Inn for a good nights sleep, preparing a long day of sightseing. Sunday, July 4th, 2010, after breakfast, we become tourist visiting a number of historic sites such visiting SITE Santa Fe Market place; the 'miraculous staircase' in Loretto Chapel; the Mission of San Miguel; the Inn of the Five Grace; and the beautiful Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi. On way back to the Lamplighter Inn, we make a quick drive up Canyon Road - home to a number of art galleries. On Monday morning we check out of the Lamplighter Inn for the trip back to Westminster, Colorado via I-25, with side visit to the historic Las Vegas, New Mexico Later we will learn about the Montezuma Castle, which ended up as a must see detour in the village of Montezuma, NM, just west of Las Vegas.

We were glad we stopped in Las Vegas, NM on the way back home. A town that is preserving the historic old downtown known as the Bridge District, which had a wild west history of lawlessness; to the newer downtown with the historic El Fidel Hotel; the closed Harvey House Hotel and the renovated Santa Fe railroad station/visitor center. At the visitor center, it was recommended that we must see the Montezuma Castle on the United World College campus in the town of Montezuma. As we got the college, the castle appears on a hill out of place with the surroundings. The castle, called the Davis International Center, is a huge building used to house guests from around the world during international conferences. While on the United World College campus, we were given a personal tour of the Montezuma Castle and grounds. Before leaving the college campus, we were directed to the Dwan Light Santuary - a building that incorporates twelve angles of light through windows and prisms to bath the interior with rainbows of colors. One last stop across the river from the college took us to the Montezuma hot springs - 10 bathtub sized pools situated above the river. After a meal at the Charles Spic & Span Bakey and Cafe, we find our way back on the I-25 for the last long drive back to Westminster, CO. It was a whirlwind 950 mile, 3-1/2 day enchantment journey.