A typical drive from the meadow city to Taos on highway 518 takes less than two hours. With a full Friday morning and open afternoon Will asked "So I have a few ways we can get from Las Vegas to Taos, want to pick the route?" We find ourselves on this road quite often, and Will's suggestion was a perfect idea. "Nooo," I tell him, "just surprise me!" Will can hold a surprise as long as he can hold a hot potato, he just gets too excited to hold it all in- so we left in a snap! We stopped at Pino's for some carne adovada burritos and headed north on 7th street.
Although he's from Texas, I must admit he is so familiar with the dirt roads and side roads of Northern NM that I can't help but think he studies maps when I'm asleep. Instead of staying on highway 518, we turned left at Las Dispensas. The recent snowfall was lightly plowed to the side and mud tracks ran ahead of us for miles. Eventually the county road is no longer plowed but heaping with snow--we were officially on the road less traveled. Will stopped for a gear change and we turned up the music; it was the oldies hour and we weren't ashamed to sing and keep the beat with our shoulders and nodding heads. What a luxurious afternoon. The big New Mexico skies were crisply juxtaposed to the fresh snow, the familiar woodlands warmly surrounded us as we caught a glimpse of Hermit's Peak. I had never seen Hermit's from this angle and as we continued driving through San Ignacio, the magnitude of the peak was more apparent than I had ever noticed. What a beauty.
Will's route led us from Sapello to Mora, descending the breathtaking steep road of Ledoux. The highroad presents to its drivers a marvelous view of the Mora valley and surrounding mountains. Good golly, it is worth the drive. From Mora we turn off to Angel Fire and mile by mile rode a single lane through the mountain. A school bus appeared and made several stops where the smallest of children hopped to the yards of their waiting abuelas. I remember such days- of long, rowdy bus rides, snowy but warm afternoons, and muddy shoes left at the front door of my grandma's house.
Will and I drove through Angel Fire and he was reminiscing of his childhood, as his parents and family built a cabin high in the mountain. He motioned and pointed to where about it was made, to the left of the ski resort. "Maybe in the summer we can go check it out," he said. I take note, he just gave me a summer weekend camp out idea! He was basking in nostalgia and telling me of "the time..." The snow glistened and we drove alongside a set of snow mobile tracks... "I've never been on a snow mobile, we should do that..." I said in a pleased tone, adding yet another activity for us to try in the future.
The rest of the drive went by quickly, maybe because we were back on a road I was more familiar with and each turn brought us closer the hum of Taos. Three or so hours after our left turn off of 518 we found ourselves nestled in the Taos canyon headed straight onto the Taos plaza at the Kit Carson intersection. I loved how easy it was to get far away from town and to feel so expansively alone and in the wilderness. I loved how sometimes the speed limit seemed to be too fast for a daytime cruise, and how not being rushed afforded us such a special drive. I loved seeing old adobe homes covered in snow with their wood stoves trailing smoke into the winter sky, and piles of chopped lena. I loved the informative and tangential conversations with Will, our shared laughter and moments of silence. I loved going the long way home.
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| A new view of Hermit's Peak |
