I Am Enchanted

July 13, 2020

I am freak'in enchanted! From the moment I entered the State of New Mexico I noticed road signs with the above symbol of the Zia people. Four is a sacred number which symbolizes the Circle of Life: the four directions, the four times of day, the four stages of life, and the four seasons - symbol of perfect friendship among united cultures (thanks Wikipedia).

There is just a different feel - a different "spirit of place". The observation of spirit of place is very much a part of Indian perspective, and is integral to the works of many authors (e.g. Ken Kesey), and recognized in early Roman literature. We, as modern Americans, have lost the tether to history of place.

All of a sudden, I drove the motorcycle around a bend and an open expanse lay out far below me. Just at that moment, Estimated Prophet, by the Grateful Dead, blared out from my bluetoothed helmet. A perfect moment in time. Bluffs in the distance with the face of the land looking like the face of a young boy trying to grow a beard - like little blotches of whiskers growing up on the land with red colored dry creek beds serpentining the land. Wisping clouds in the distance - I had the road all to myself.

In fact, I only saw 5 cars in the 112 mile trek from Tucumcari, NM to Las Vegas, NM. New Mexicoy has become my playground - a very large one. A high chaparral, descending into a valley, then taking the winding road up to another plateau. Amazing. Unfortunately, I had to disturb 3 black crows eating their Sunday roadkill brunch. They flew off just in time.

I have to admit it, if I had run into the Yaqui Indian Tribe out in this vast land, I would have indulged in a Peyote Ritual. A reference to the books by Carlos Castaneda written in the 60's - The Teachings of Don Juan, A Yaqui Way of Knowledge. The subtle spirit here was overwhelming.

I arrived in Las Vegas, NM, took a right and headed to Taos, NM. I hit a typical mountain rain - the temperature dropped from 92 to 53 in a matter of a second. I was wet and cold. A welcomed change - but did it have to be so extreme. The rain was hard, but lasted just a short time. The temperature bounded back into the 90's. I guess I could view it as the rain washing my clothes, providing much needed air-conditioning when I hit the sun again, and then drying my clothes in just 5 minutes. Nature's washing and drying machines. All clean, I entered Taos.

Upon arrival, I was disappointed to see the typical low rent boarded up strip malls and the occasional Mexican restaurants. Hoping for better I landed in a tourist square which was old Taos converted into typical T-shirt and trinket shops. I stopped for iced coffee, found a 5-star hotel on hotels.com, and got the names of great local restaurants. I booked a reservation at the Love Apple, a local food farm to table place. It was beyond good - with strict social distancing and mask wearing waiters. Good wine too :). Temps went down to the low 70's all was good.

The hotel, Palacio de Marquesa (close to the spelling of my last name), was wonderful. So, you do not have to feel like I have always been roughing it :)