Red Rock and Rinconada Canyon

October 2
Quite a day! We awoke to the sun illuminating the red sandstone rock of our campground in Churchrock, NM (near Gallup). After breakfast we broke camp and walked to the trailhead for a hike, It was interesting that the campground was being used for a Regional Cross Country track meet at the time. As many as 15 high school teams were represented and part of the hiking trail was their course. We walked several miles on the trail which was beautiful and full of sedimentary rock features.

 This is the Churchrock.

 This is ???

 White SS capping the softer red SS with cross bedding.

Campground is at the grove of trees and cost us $10.

After the hike we headed out for Albuquerque, another 120 or so miles. Just North of the city is a National petroglyph monument, Rinconada Canyon in the Rio Grande valley. We hiked this trail for several miles and were treated to sights of some very old and elaborate art work. Also we saw some trashy modern smiley faces and some recently inflicted gunshot wounds to the figures. Some people!

Petroglyph on black volcanic basalt.

After the petroglyphs we made a run for Santa Rosa, another 120 or so miles East along I-40. Albuquerque seems like a really neat city, billed as the original mile high city (Boulder had a better publicist) but getting away involved crossing the Sandia mountains. We didn't get to the 12,000 foot or so elevation of the peak, but Rose was straining to get out plus we had a headwind that must have been at least 40 mph. The headwind kept up all the way to Santa Rosa and probably took 2 mpg off our fuel mileage. It was brutal! We finally got to Santa Rosa and abandoned our plan to camp in the state park as we were being chased by a really ugly looking black cloud. It is monsoon season in the SW. We found shelter at the American Motel on old Rte 66, run by, of course, middle easterners. We're all Americans now, Jack! Just after we walked across the street for pizza, the storm caught up with us with really heavy ran and lightning. Glad we weren't camping!

Back on the road again soon, headed for Amarillo. More later.