Mission accomplished. I’ve travelled throughout much of New Mexico and have developed an understanding of and appreciation for the region. Initially I thought I’d be focused on the geography because of the character of Santa Fe and Taos. It wasn’t long before the pre-Spanish indigenous cultures caught my eye, primarily because of how the State’s character today is influenced by the Puebloans. Surprisingly, the third theme that came through as significant was space technology from rockets to spaceships to UFOs!

A rough version of my path through New Mexico can be seen below.

The chronological order of my posts and hence the sequence of my trip was:

1. High Road to Taos
       Through a snow storm from Albuquerque to Santa Fe to Taos.
   

2. Four Gems Against the Odds
       Rio Grande Gorge, Aztec Ruins, Navajo Dam, and Steam Railway.
   

3. Magic Landscapes of Four Corners
       Valley of the Gods, Hoovenweep, Four Corners and much more.
   

4. Through Hopi and Navajo Nations
       Window Rock, Canyon de Chelly, and through two Indian nations.
   

5. Rocks That Tell Stories
       El Morro, El Malpais, and a view to forever at Sandia Crest.
   

6. Who names themselves “Truth or Consequences”?
       White Sands, Sandia Pueblos, El Camino Real and Spaceport (sort of).
   

7. New Mexico is Spacey
       UFO Museum, Space History Museum, Smokey Bear’s Grave
   

8. From Smokey Bear to Billy the Kid
       Carlsbad Caverns, Bosque Redondo Memorial, Billy the Kid’s Grave
   

9. Where Did the Puebloans Go?
       Jemez and Bandelier Monument and the Enchanted Circle.
   

Did I miss anything during my trip? Obviously lots but specific to geography I missed the northeast and the southwest. The former because it couldn’t fit in my timeframe; the latter because the road to Gila was washed out during a storm and Apache National Forest roads were closed due to snow. I’ll try to catch these on the return and if I do then you’ll read it here.

Unlike the rest of the U.S. the Four Corners region was most influenced by the Spanish and Mexicans. This has resulted in a culture distinct from that of the rest of the country. Every region has its own character but often its origins are obvious. This wasn’t the case for me with New Mexico but now I understand.

I’m glad I made the trip.