One of our favorite sites in New Mexico is the complex and beautiful spires and weathered cliffs of the Goblin Colony in the Jemez area. The weathered volcanic tuff forms many clusters of steeples and chimneys and several giant, steep outcroppings. Interspersed are ponderosa pines and alligator junipers making for a wonderland of sights. We […]
Camping with the Kyle Millers We got invited to a pre-Memorial Day camping trip with Kelly’s brother and sister-in-law, Kyle and Dawn. We headed north to Colorado on Thursday morning, and arrived late afternoon, in enough time to find the campsite, get our things set up, and enjoy a nice dinner prepared by Kyle. We
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The short-grass prairie of the Pawnee Grasslands flows in waves of green hills interrupted by winding cottonwood stands along streams and in low areas. In some places there are more conspicuous bluffs and small buttes intersecting with the skyline and forming landmarks in an otherwise similar environment. The Pawnee Buttes stand out in relief against
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Set in the emptiness of southern Wyoming is a beautiful land of rounded rocks and cliffs. Vedauwoo is from the Arapaho word, “bito’o’wu,” meaning “earth-born.” The higher rocky hills seem to have given birth to many boulders, small to huge, set throughout the area. A beautiful spring day was perfect to explore this area from
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Red Wash Canyon is a surprising gem of a hike with an unusual slot canyon, an incredible palette of colors, and a fascinating petroglyph rock in a pass high above the Rio Chama. Kelly’s thoughts… Red Wash has much to offer. Near the trailhead, off to the side, is an unusual slot canyon. I’m always
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A low hill, visible from miles around, and with spectacular panoramic views of central New Mexico, has been the perfect place for people to display rock art for many years. Very ancient artwork had additions over generations, including vandalism and graffiti from recent times, as well as recent artwork including a baby deer and a
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A remote ruin in northern New Mexico is a last remnant of the Gallina people, a Pueblo tribe that disappeared before Europeans arrived in the region. A hike up a beautiful canyon and a stiff climb up the canyon side led us to a hidden cliff house tucked away in a secluded corner of the
New Mexico is an amazingly rich world of geology. Mountains, crystals, landforms and fossils are everywhere and there for the exploring. Our adventure involved a hunt for staurolite crystals… stauros, meaning “cross,” and lithos, meaning “stone”… “cross stone.” The unique shape of these crystals, often “twins” at 60 degree angles, makes them truly unique. There
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This was our second trip to our beloved Bisti Badlands in a couple of weeks. But this one was our first adventure with a mix of kiddos from our two families. Tori (Riki’s daughter) and Josey (Kelly’s son) are our youngest kids, and it was wonderful to finally get them together in the Wild. Although it
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Riki’s Random Ramblings I am making a list of things to do. This is normal for me. Getting them all done is not normal for me. Sometimes, when I look at the list at the end of the day, I have to write down some of the things I did that weren’t originally on my
