Day 21
Sunday 15th July New Mexico/ Colorado/ New Mexico.
Into Colorado to get oil changed at only Walmart for 100 miles but they won’t do it saying the truck is too high for the bay. We buy oil and a foil tray and do it ourselves right next to them with the help of a trucker called Mike, attracted by Lisa’s legs sticking out from under the truck. For future reference, Walmart will dispose of 10 gallons of oil for free.
Long climb up the mountain back into New Mexico and down the other side. Didn’t see any bears. 10 miles out of Raton on the plains we realise we didnt get petrol and there is no town in the near future so we return to Raton and start again. At $3.46 we realise the time of cheap gas is behind us to the east. Lovely open country at 40 mph with carved hills, cacti with roses, jack rabbit leaping off into the distance. Hardly any cars up here.
On through picturesque tree and river canyon country apparently owned by Boy Scouts. Canopied and lovely drive with great sheets of fiery rock pinnacles overhead. Opening out into a massive lake on the wide plain with a stunning mountain backdrop to dozens of rvs and shacks around and on the shore. Signs read ‘reintegration area’ and warn us against hitchhikers.
Lightning bolts amid dark clouds spread across the plain as we climbed at 20 mph over the hills and down again in sunshine rain to Taos, an artist town and adobe tourist center ‘the soul of New Mexico’. Nearly all the buildings are adobe - even the Best Western - and the red curves and greenery everywhere is very agreeable but oddly fake feeling too.
7 miles out of town, back on the prairie heading west, the bottom drops away and we are on a very high suspension bridge over the Rio Grande Gorge. We pull into the rest area next to the drop and marvel while we await golden eagles. 24 hr limit on parking. The toilets are lit and video monitored and we have a house on wheels so we decide to stay there in the open. As darkness fell shifty men avoided contact and moved their cars for a better view of the toilet. Taking photos of desert shrubs I disturb a lurker in a shelter. When all is still the silhouette of full burly drag totters to his truck in 3 inch heels and drives away. Sleep fitfully with one eye open and glued to a peephole in the blinds. 3 gunshots reverberate across the plain in the early hours.
Sick and puking all morning. Obviously have to get used to altitude slowly. Cant eat - only drink water and puke. My head hurts. H needed laundry doing after all. Drove up and over into Clorado to Trindad Walmart for oil change. They wouldnt take us. Did it ourselves in carpark with help of a very nice oil man called Mike. Suspect he didnt like seeing me under car. Back to raton to get on taos road. Went so far then H remembered petrol. Bad tempered back to Raton to fill up. Road wonderful all the way to Taos - which was a bit Newquayish in an adobe sort of way. Parked up at rest stop by gorge bridge where there are supposed to be golden eagles nesting. Tiptoeing round eachother while we check for cleared air. How funny - seems we chose a gay, cross-dressing trysting spot. Very strange musical cars as the voyeurs and action men jockeyed for position but once clever Hugh figured it out we both felt much happier and less threatened. I slept - H listened and worried until a blanketful of coyote, a trio of gunshots and a police patrol car made him feel better.