Day 99 of 117 on our “Go West, Young Man” Two Lane Adventure – Wednesday 10/03/18

Today, we took a car caravan trip to Los Alamos. We drove up NM Route 502, also known as the Senator Clinton P Anderson Scenic Route, it was a gorgeous drive. Five Miles out of Los Alamos we witnessed the breathtaking views at the Anderson Overlook Park. It is in White Rock, New Mexico and is high atop the Pajarito Plateau. It gave us a gorgeous view of the Rio Grande Valley, Jemez Mountains and the Sangre de Cristo mountains.

Our first stop was the Los Alamos Visitors Center. It is located in a small outdoor mall in the heart of downtown. The two ladies there, were very helpful and gave us a little bit of direction. We gave Kent and Jan a ride today. Jan was interested in going to the Manhattan Project National Historical Park Visitor Center first. So, we walked the couple of blocks to it. Along the way, we passed a unique art exhibit of an eagle.

Before we got to the NHP Visitor Center, we also passed by the US Post Office, which was on our walking tour. This is the site of the first post office in Los Alamos. Named after Otowi Railway Crossing, the Otowi Post Office was located in the Los Alamos Trading Post. During the Manhattan Project, however, the secrecy of the work required that all civilian resident’s mail go to PO Box 1663, Santa Fe, New Mexico. The current Post Office was built in 1948 as part of a Community Center funded by the US Atomic Energy Commission. The building signaled their ambition of developing Los Alamos into a permanent community.

Seven years ago, Los Alamos dedicated two new bronze life-size sculptures of Dr J Robert Oppenheimer and General Leslie R Groves created by the Santa Fe artist Susanne Vertel. They selected the Los Alamos Boys Ranch School to become the home of the Manhattan Project research during World War II. A Master Plan for historic sculptures was prepared, received appropriate approvals, and accepted by the Los Alamos governing body. The Plan identifies historic figures or representative figures to represent the five eras of the Los Alamos Plateau: Ancestral Pueblo, Homestead, Ranch School, Manhattan Project, and Cold War. The Historical Sculptures “Master Plan” proposes 18 bronze lifelike statues representing five eras of Los Alamos History be placed in multiple locations in the downtown Los Alamos area.

At the Manhattan Project National Historical Park we learned that from 1942 to 1945, the Manhattan Project, an ambitious effort to harness the power of yet unimaginable science and technology, paired the world's greatest scientific minds with thousands of skilled and determined Americans. Their efforts created the planet's first nuclear weapons and ended the most terrible war in the history of humanity...and it happened in secret. Keeping the Manhattan Project’s secrets saved countless lives, preserving and protecting the progress of literally earth-shattering new technologies. Secrets shrouded incredible scientific technology and the efforts of thousands of patriotic citizens in a seemingly impenetrable air of mystery.

The park currently includes three areas at Los Alamos, while there is currently no public access to the Department of Energy (DOE) facilities we learned about three facilities. Gun Site Facilities: three bunkered buildings and a portable guard shack. These buildings were associated with the design of the “Little Boy” bomb. V-Site Facilities: V-Site Assembly Buildings that were used by laboratory personnel to assemble components of the Trinity device in July 1945. Pajarito Site: Slotin Building, Battleship Control Building, and the Pond Cabin. The Pajarito Site was used during the war for plutonium chemistry research and later became the main site for critical assembly work at Los Alamos after the war.

We toured the Los Alamos History Museum. For 50 years, the Los Alamos History Museum, and its campus of unique homes and ancestral ruins, has educated residents and tourists about what makes Los Alamos unique. Ironically, the start of the history museum so many years ago came about because the Atomic Energy Commission was thinking about razing Fuller Lodge, the former cafeteria of the Ranch School. The Ranch School was acquired by the U.S. government in February 1943 to make way for the Manhattan Project.

Through the years, the Los Alamos History Museum acquired buildings and ancient ruins, allowing visitors to get a better feel on how people lived and what went on during the Manhattan Project and even long before there was a Los Alamos. The Museum’s main building is the restored Los Alamos Ranch School Guest Cottage. The campus includes Romero Cabin, which served as a home for homesteaders from 1913 to 1942, an ancient pueblo site, the Hans Beth House and of course Fuller Lodge. The next five years should bring some even more interesting changes, such as the addition of the house J Robert Oppenheimer, the inventor of the atomic bomb and a key figure in the Manhattan Project. We learned from the docent, that the museum owns the house but the resident has lifetime residential rights, but, she is 99 years old.

Fuller Lodge was designed by Santa Fe architect John Gaw Meem and built in 1928. It served as cafeteria, infirmary, classroom building and social center for the Los Alamos Ranch School. At some point, I need to tell you more about the Los Alamos Ranch School, another causality of the Manhattan Project.

There was no Christmas vacation at the Los Alamos Ranch School in the winter of 1942. Informed by Secretary of War Henry Stimson in a Dec. 1 letter that the Army would take over the property in February 1943, Ranch school director A. J. Connell advised his students that they would have to work through the vacation to complete the school's annual curriculum. Laboratory theoretical physicist Stirling Colgate, then a Ranch School student, remembers that on the evening of Dec. 7, 1942, the students were called together and told the news. Some of the more observant physics students had recognized Ernest Lawrence among the advance parties sent to the school, so they could guess that the Army project would have something to do with nuclear physics. Lawrence, who had won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1939 and appeared on the cover of Time magazine in 1938, was not unknown to the wider world as were his companions, J. Robert Oppenheimer and Edwin McMillan.

The closing of the Ranch school was the end of school founder Ashley Pond's dream. He had come west as a boy to be reinvigorated by the thin, fresh air of New Mexico, as had many others suffering lung diseases. Pond planned to establish a ranch school on a nearby homestead owned by his ranch manager, H H Brooks, where boys might "learn by doing' in the outdoors, in a style reminiscent of Theodore Roosevelt's ideal of the vigorous life. Before leaving to join the American Red Cross in 1918, Pond bought Brooks' homestead and hired Connell, then a Santa Fe National Forest ranger, to run the school.

Connell organized the school on the model of the Boy Scouts of America, consonant with Pond's vision of the outdoor life, and the scout uniform became that of the school. Its students became Troop 22 of the BSA. Connell added a standard college preparatory curriculum to the existing routine of afternoons and weekends spent outdoors. The regime endured by the boys who came to the ranch school was almost as stiff as the tuition. Divided into groups according to their physical maturity, they slept in the fresh air of screened-in porches at the Big House (on the site of the present Community Center). The seniors slept at Spruce Cottage (the home just north of the historical society), the headmaster's quarters. The first headmaster was Fayette Curtis. The academic program he mapped out with Connell included English, history, mathematics, science, languages, art and music. Subsequently, teachers like Church added advanced subjects like nuclear physics, physiology and aeronautics. Between 1920 and 1942, about 40 students between the ages of 12 and 16 attended the school annually, paying a tuition averaging $2,400, about $23,000 in today's dollars. Among the more famous graduates were Colgate; John Crosby, founder of the Santa Fe Opera; Professor Edward Hall of Northwestern University; New Mexico artist Wilson Hurley; and industrial executives like Roy Chapin of American Motors and John Reed of the Santa Fe railroad.

We gathered for lunch at the Blue Windows Bistro. It offered us 2 tables of 8, with warmth and charm. The Blue Window Bistro has been serving Los Alamos for over 30 years. Their goal is simple, to combine excellent service in a unique atmosphere with a focus on fresh, local, quality ingredients. Our meals were plentiful and delicious!

Thanks to the Blue Window Bistro, the curse that plagued a string of restaurants at 1789 Central Avenue, appears to have finally ended. Their success hasn’t been the case for several years. Central Avenue Grill was once in this space, but went into bankruptcy in March of 2012. The Dixie Girl restaurant took over the space in July of 2012, but the restaurant was sold in November 2013.

They launched a “name the restaurant” survey “The Manhattan Project” came out the winner. A bankruptcy judge ordered them to close the doors in May 2015. High Elevation was in October 2015, but the landlord took back possession of the space in May 2016. The Blue Window Bistro moved here in January of 2017 and success is king!

After lunch, we ventured to the Bradbury Science Museum. The Los Alamos technical areas of the Lab are not open to the public. However, the Laboratory’s Community Programs Office operate the Bradbury Science Museum, in conjunction with Bradbury Science Museum Association. It provides a window into the history of the institution, its national security mission, and the broad range of exciting science and technology research to improve our nation’s future. We experienced the exhibits and interactive programs within the Museum’s three galleries. The History, Defense and Research galleries.

We watched a film that tells the stories of the race to build the first atomic bomb during the Manhattan Project. We learned of the history of Los Alamos. Early in 1939, the world's scientific community discovered that German physicists had learned the secrets of splitting a uranium atom. Fears soon spread over the possibility of Nazi scientists utilizing that energy to produce a bomb capable of unspeakable destruction. Einstein penned a letter to President Roosevelt urging the development of an atomic research program later that year. Roosevelt saw neither the necessity nor the utility for such a project, but agreed to proceed slowly. In late 1941, the American effort to design and build an ATOMIC BOMB received its code name — the MANHATTAN PROJECT.

A breakthrough occurred in December 1942 when Fermi led a group of physicists to produce the first controlled NUCLEAR CHAIN REACTION under the grandstands of STAGG FIELD at the University of Chicago. After this milestone, funds were allocated more freely, and the project advanced at breakneck speed. Nuclear facilities were built at Oak Ridge, Tennessee and Hanford, Washington. The main assembly plant was built at Los Alamos, New Mexico. Robert Oppenheimer was put in charge of putting the pieces together at Los Alamos. After the final bill was tallied, nearly $2 billion had been spent on research and development of the atomic bomb. The Manhattan Project employed over 120,000 Americans.

Secrecy was paramount. Neither the Germans nor the Japanese could learn of the project. Roosevelt and Churchill also agreed that Stalin would be kept in the dark. Consequently, there was no public awareness or debate. Keeping 120,000 people quiet would be impossible; therefore only a small privileged cadre of inner scientists and officials knew about the atomic bomb's development. In fact, Vice-President Truman had never heard of the Manhattan Project until he became President Truman. Although the Axis powers remained unaware of the efforts at Los Alamos, American leaders later learned that a Soviet spy named KLAUS FUCHS had penetrated the inner circle of scientists.

By the summer of 1945, Oppenheimer was ready to test the first bomb. On July 16, 1945, at the Trinity Site near Alamogordo, New Mexico, scientists of the Manhattan Project readied themselves to watch the detonation of the world's first atomic bomb. The device was affixed to a 100-foot tower and discharged just before dawn. No one was properly prepared for the result.

A blinding flash visible for 200 miles lit up the morning sky. A mushroom cloud reached 40,000 feet, blowing out windows of civilian homes up to 100 miles away. When the cloud returned to earth it created a half-mile wide crater metamorphosing sand into glass. A bogus cover-up story was quickly released, explaining that a huge ammunition dump had just exploded in the desert. Soon word reached President Truman in Potsdam, Germany that the project was successful. The world had entered the nuclear age.

Another film reviewed the work the Lab does today to ensure the safety, security, and reliability of the US nuclear deterrent. Exhibits include information on the Laboratory’s research on life sciences, achievements in space, supercomputing, energy and the environment.

The most interesting exhibit to me, was the “Fat Man” bomb exhibit. The "Fat Man" was the second plutonium, implosion-type bomb.  The first was the "Gadget" detonated at the Trinity site on July 16, 1945.  In the implosion-type device, a core of sub-critical plutonium is surrounded by several thousand pounds of high-explosive designed in such a way that the explosive force of the HE is directed inwards thereby crushing the plutonium core into a super-critical state. Dropped on the Japanese city of Nagasaki on August 9, 1945, it was the second nuclear weapon used in a war. There was a replica of the bomb. The original weighed 10,800 pounds, filled with highly enriched plutonium core surrounded by 5,300 pounds of high explosives.

Another part of the Los Alamos History Museum is the Hans Bethe House. These houses are on Bathtub Row, because they are the only homes that had bathtubs. It is now the Harold Agnew Cold War Gallery of the Los Alamos History Museum. Formerly called Master Cottage Number One, it was the first residence built by the Los Alamos Ranch School. The quaint cottage has been home to eminent scientists. During the Manhattan Project, Edwin and Elsie McMillan moved into the house with their young daughter, Ann. When they moved out, Hans and Rose Bethe moved in. Both Edwin and Hans would go on to win Nobel Prizes for their scientific contributions.

There was a “point system” used to decide who got to live where. After the war's end, the home was assigned to chemist Max Roy, who lived there for almost 50 years and served as director of the Weapons Division at Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory, now Los Alamos National Laboratory. In 2013-14, philanthropists Clay and Dorothy Perkins purchased the Hans Bethe House and donated the property to LAHS, which has transformed it into a gallery with exhibits on Los Alamos during the Manhattan Project and Cold War.

In the 1930’s the Power House building housed the Los Alamos Ranch School’s power generators. But, during the Manhattan Project, housing was so scarce that explosives expert and E Division Group Leader George Kistiakowsky moved into it.

We walked back to our car. We walked most of the downtown area looking at all of the interesting remains from the Manhattan Project era. On our way out of town, we spotted this sign. It is a recreation of the icon entrance to Los Alamos. 

It is a picture that is recreated in many mediums.

Day 98 of 117 on our “Go West, Young Man” Two Lane Adventure – Tuesday 10/02/18

Today we had a guided tour of Santa Fe. We were picked up at the RV Park by our bus driver and our guide, Tomas. Our first stop was the Round Building, also known as the New Mexico State Capitol and Legislature. This is where we picked up another tour guides. Our group of 16 people, were reduced into two groups of 8. The smaller group makes it easier to hear all our tour guides had to share with us. This is another perk that Yankee RV Tours provides.

The unique history of New Mexico is reflected in its capitols. New Mexico claims the oldest as well as one of the newest capitols in the US. The Palace of the Governors, built in 1609 on the north side of the Plaza, is the oldest capitol. It was the seat of Spanish, Mexican and American governments. Today, it is the New Mexico State History Museum. The current State Capitol was designed by WC Kruger, constructed by Robert E. McKee and dedicated in December 1966. It is built in New Mexico Territorial style, which is an adaptation of Greek revival and Pueblo adobe architecture.

The building forms the Zia sun symbol. New Mexico's distinctive Zia sun symbol is closely associated with the Land of Enchantment. Inspired by a design found on a 19th Century water jar from Zia Pueblo, it represents a circular sun with linear rays in four directions. To the Zia people, four is a significant number. It is embodied in the four directions of the earth, four seasons of the year, four times of the day (sunrise, noon, evening and sunset), and life's four divisions (childhood, youth, adulthood and old age). Everything is bound together in a circle of life, without a beginning, without an end.

The Capitol was renovated in the early 1990s and rededicated in December of 1992. The Capitol Art Foundation and Art Collection were also created at this time. All the art and handcrafted furniture in the capitol's permanent collection were created by New Mexico artists.

The foundation was created to assist in the acquisition of art for permanent, public exhibition in the State Capitol. The collection features contemporary masterworks by artists who live and work in New Mexico.

The Capitol Art Collection is housed throughout the public areas of the State Capitol, the Walter K. Martinez Walkway and the Capitol North, as well as outdoors on the capitol grounds and the Clay Buchanan Gardens.

The collection consists of a wide range of media, styles and traditions, including handcrafted furniture groupings. The mission of the Capitol Art Foundation is to collect, preserve, exhibit, interpret and promote appreciation of works of art that reflect the rich and diverse history, cultures and art forms of the people of New Mexico.

Since the art displayed in the Capitol is a foundation, New Mexico is one of the few capitol buildings that has religious art displayed.

We toured the second (ground) and third levels. The second level is the level visitors enter on. The Rotunda in the center of the building measures almost 50 feet in diameter and is inlaid with a turquoise and brass mosaic of the great seal. The great seal of New Mexico has changed little since the Territorial seal of 1851. The American bald eagle shielding the smaller Mexican eagle within its wings symbolizes New Mexico’s change of sovereignty in 1846. The bald eagle, which represents bravery, skill and strength, clasps three arrows in its talons. The smaller Mexican brown (or harpy) eagle grasps a snake in its beak and cactus in its talons. This portion of the seal is still the official symbol of Mexico. The scroll below the American and Mexican eagles contains the motto Crescit Eundo, translated from Latin “It Grows As It Goes”.  The date 1912 was added to the seal when New Mexico was admitted as the 47^th state. The word “territory” was replaced by “State” in that year.

  

The marble is Travertine, native to New Mexico. Looking up, the flags of New Mexico's thirty three counties are on permanent display from the fourth-floor balcony. The skylight is sixty-feet from the floor and represents an Indian basket weave; the blue represents the sky and the pale pink is the earth.

The New Mexico Legislature consists of the House of Representatives and the Senate. There are 70 members of the House of Representatives and 42 members of the Senate. Representatives must be at least 21 years old, and senators must be at least 25 years old. All legislators must be citizens of the US and live in the district from which they are elected. Members of the house are elected every two years and senators are elected every four years.

We even visited the Governor’s Office and her gallery. The Governor’s Gallery was founded in 1975 as a venue for presenting the arts to a broad public and serves as an outreach facility of the Museum of Fine Arts. 

The focus of the gallery is on the art and artists. The Governor’s Gallery is a separate entity from the Capitol Art Collection. 

The collections we saw today were part of the Governor’s Awards for Excellence in the Arts.

Also, in the front lobby of the Governor’s office … one side is pictures and the stories of New Mexico children waiting to be adopted and the other side is pictures and stories of children that have been adopted.

We walked toward the oldest church. Along the way, we stopped where they still made adobe bricks. Adobe Brick Making at San Miguel Chapel happens every spring. Cornerstones and Historic Santa Fe Foundation host four Saturdays of traditional adobe brick making in Santa Fe during Heritage Preservation Month. A full size adobe brick is four inches thick, ten inches wide, and fourteen inches long. A brick this size weighs about thirty pounds. Adobe means mudbrick in Spanish. Cornerstones will use each full-size brick to restore buildings in Northern New Mexico.

The San Miguel Chapel is the oldest church in the US. The earliest documentation of the existence of San Miguel Chapel is from 1628. Oral history says that San Miguel Chapel was built around 1610, and it has been rebuilt and restored several times over the past 400 years. The original church, the “Hermita de San Miguel,” was built on the site of an ancient kiva of the Analco Indians. It is believed that it was constructed by Tlaxcalan Indians, who came to New Mexico from old Mexico in 1598 with a Spanish contingent led by Don Juan Oñate. In its early years, the church served a small group of Tlaxcalan Indians, laborers, and Spanish soldiers who lived in this area on the south side of the Santa Fe River.

The church was partially destroyed in 1640 at the hands of Luis de Rojas, a provincial governor who feuded with church authorities. It was reconstructed but was severely damaged again during the Pueblo Revolt of 1680. Twelve years after the Pueblo Revolt drove them out, the Spanish returned to Santa Fe, led by the Governor General Don Diego de Vargas, who ordered the repair and restoration of San Miguel Chapel. By the end of 1710, the work was completed and a new roof was in place. In 1798, the mayor of Santa Fe helped fund major repairs and the construction of the beautiful altar screen in the front of the church. An elaborate three-tiered bell tower was erected around 1848, followed by the installation of the 780-pound San Jose Bell in the bell tower around 1856.

In 1859 Archbishop Jean Baptist Lamy purchased the Chapel and adjacent land for the De LaSalle Christian Brothers, who developed a school on the adjacent site. Repairs were initiated again in 1862 by the Christian Brothers. A wooden floor was added, as well as the Communion rail and a large door at the entrance. In 1872 a strong storm struck Santa Fe and brought down the bell tower and, along with it, the San Jose Bell, which is now on display inside the Chapel. By 1887 the Chapel was in serious need of repair, but with no funds available, the Christian Brothers came to a painful decision to demolish the structure. When the local community learned of its plight, many people came to the rescue. At this time, the first of two stone buttresses were built on the front of the building to shore up the adobe walls, and the interior and exterior walls were plastered. A tar and gravel roof replaced the old mud roof, and a new, smaller bell tower was added. Two years later, two additional buttresses were added on the north wall.

In 1955, a major restoration was carried out under the direction of Ms. E. Boyd, a Santa Fe painter and Spanish Colonial art expert. The original dirt floor and sanctuary steps were uncovered and can be seen today just beyond the Communion rail. During this investigation, many human remains and pieces of pottery were found buried under the church floor which made for a fascinating educational experience.

After the church, we stopped at the Santa Fe Plaza. The plaza is the heart of downtown Santa Fe and has been for nearly 400 years. The Plaza remains the central part of the city, hosting Indian and Spanish markets and events as well as community gatherings, concerts and more. It was filled today with people enjoying the vendors and mild weather.

How do you get firewood in an adobe town with no trees? In the 19th century, Santa Fe trucked it in on the backs of burros. The burros would park and unload in Burro Alley where their human partners sold the wood and then spent the money in saloons and brothels, also in Burro Alley. The town celebrates Burro Alley's colorful past, part of it, anyway, with a life-size wood-laden burro in bronze, sculpted by Charles Southard in 1988.

Our lunch destination was, Cowgirls. Since 1993, the Cowgirl has been serving up barbecue, regional American cuisine, and a whole lot more at its Railyard location near downtown Santa Fe. You know me, I love history … here is a little bit about this small place, but there is nothing small about it! Late in 1987 a small group of New York City restaurateurs were looking for the next new dining concept, when a couple of gals, came up with the idea of promoting the culture of the American Cowgirl through the foods of the American West and Southwest. Soon enough, they’d roped in a talented chef from south Texas and started gathering family recipes as well as their favorite regional road-trip recipes.

Within weeks they’d partnered up with the late Margaret Formby, the founder of the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame & Western Heritage Museum in Hereford, Texas. The resulting Cowgirl Hall of Fame Restaurant opened in New York’s West Village on Valentine’s Day 1988. Success quickly followed as New Yorkers rediscovered the savory flavors of authentic barbecue and comfort food. Not content just to ride the chilly canyons of Manhattan, one of the New York partners, Barry Secular, got the urge to move some of the BBQ to the True West and the seeds that would become the Santa Fe Cowgirl were planted. Come June of 1993, the second Cowgirl Hall of Fame Restaurant opened in a hundred-year-old building in the historic Guadalupe district of Santa Fe.

Fast forward a couple of decades later and the Cowgirl BBQ occupies almost the entire block where it started, now having added a Billiard Parlor, a commercial catering kitchen and several private party rooms. The patio is one of the most inviting summertime venues for locals and tourists alike and the Cowgirl has become a local institution. We enjoyed our catered lunch in one of the private party rooms. Our lunch was authentic New Mexican cuisine. It was delicious and very enjoyable.

After the bus picked us up, we came back to the RV park, we were going to relax outside, but Mother Nature had other plans and we all relaxed inside our rigs to the pitter patter of rain. Tomorrow is another day and we are headed to Los Alamos.

Day 97 of 117 on our “Go West, Young Man” Two Lane Adventure – Monday 10/01/18

We had a relaxing morning before we started all of our Balloon Fiesta Rally stuff. Charlie and I went into town to get the red chile sauce that our friend, Pat Burnworth wanted. We found it the other day, but we wanted to be sure that it was the correct sauce. Once we verified, it was right … we now have 12 jars for her! She used to live in New Mexico and said she had not had good enchiladas since they left. Well, here is hoping that the sauce can make her some awesome enchiladas! She spoke so highly of it, I grabbed a jar of their salsa to try. If it is good, we might come home with 12 jars of it too!

At noontime, we had our welcome gathering for the Yankee RV Balloon Fiesta! It is a small group of our leaders, George and Kelly, and 7 rigs. But, it is funny that we were on our Southwest Grand Circle caravan with one couple that is on this rally.

Yankee RV Tours has a traditional welcome of root beer floats. Kelly and George added some lunch to our welcome. We enjoyed our root beer floats with grilled hot dogs and chips. Our group has 2 couples that have never been on an RV caravan or rally with Yankee. I like the fact that this is a smaller group, it should be real easy to get to know everyone.

We enjoyed a Yankee dinner at the Ranch House. They are a Bar and Grill offering a variety of American cuisine. In 2005, Josh Baum and his wife, Ann Gordon, started a small restaurant to showcase Josh’s passion for smoked meats. Josh’s BBQ became a mainstay of Santa Fe, but by 2010, it had out grown its little spot. So in December 2011, the couple expanded their vision and moved to a larger space, the result was The Ranch House, which serves up Josh’s signature specialties in a casually sophisticated setting. It is not your average barbecue joint.

They source hormone and antibiotic free beef from New Mexico ranchers, and their hormone free dairy products come exclusively from farms that promote open grazing. We started our meals with soup or salad. Our entree choices included Red Chile Honey Glazed Baby Back Ribs, Brisket or Pulled Pork Plate, Smoked Chicken Enchilada, Green Chile Brisket Burrito or BBQ Shrimp Pasta. We ended our meal with coffee and Apple Crisp. We all enjoyed our meals at The Ranch House, but I needed a long walk after that meal.

Sally and I did take a walk when we got home ... But ... I still feel over full, but tomorrow is another day!

Day 96 of 117 on our “Go West, Young Man” Two Lane Adventure – Sunday 9/30/18

Today we drove around Santa Fe and found more of the El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail. We were on the El Camino Real for a while, when we headed into Santa Fe. Late in 2000, El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro (Royal Road of the Interior) National Historic Trail, was added to the National Trails System. It recognizes the primary route between the colonial Spanish capital of Mexico City and the Spanish provincial capitals at San Juan de Los Caballeros; San Gabriel; and Santa Fe. The national historic trail extends 404 miles from El Paso, Texas, to San Juan Pueblo, New Mexico.

El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro is recognized throughout the US and Mexico as a timeless route of trade and cultural exchange and interaction among Spaniards, other Europeans, American Indians, Mexicans, and Americans. Trade and travel on this trail shaped individual lives and communities and affected settlement and development in the greater Southwest. Recognition of this route as an international historic trail commemorates a shared cultural heritage and contributes in a meaningful way to eliminating cultural barriers and enriching the lives of people along El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro.

During the colonial years, New Mexico was tied to the outside world by a single thoroughfare that descended the Rio Grande valley from north of Santa Fe, dropped through the natural gate at El Paso, and wended its way via the provinces of the old Viceroyalty of New Spain to Mexico City, some twelve hundred miles to the south. This artery of commerce and travel was known as El Camino Real, which meant Royal Road or King’s Highway. Of the great highways leading north, this was the oldest, having been extended by segments throughout the 16th century. For a time, it also enjoyed the distinction of being the longest road in North America.

Some of El Camino Real had its earliest beginnings as Indian trails. Later, sections of the route were traversed by Spanish conquistadors and colonizers. Finally, with the coming of Juan de Onate's expedition in 1598, the full length of the trail was defined. The northern end of that trail, and the primary Spanish settlement, was initially located at San Juan Pueblo, but in 1600 it moved to nearby San Gabriel del Yungue, and ten years later the capital of the Spanish province of New Mexico was moved to Santa Fe. Once these settlements were established, the trail became a lifeline back to central Mexico; it served as a principal avenue of communication, commerce, and religious conversion by which goods flowed back and forth. Occasional caravans along the route typically consisted of 32 wagons, each of which was hauled by eight mules and carried about 4,000 pounds of freight. In addition, the typical caravan had other stock as well: cattle, sheep, goats, burros, and chickens. Royal decrees, mail, mission supplies, and private merchandise was included among the freight. People headed north included settlers and newly-appointed officials, while those headed south included retiring officials, friars, traders, convicts, and prisoners of war.

Traffic over the trail came to abrupt halt in 1680 when an Indian revolt, led by the San Juan Pueblo leader, Popé, forced all Spanish residents to leave New Mexico and retreat south to the Rio Grande valley. Three missions were built during their stay in that area: Isleta, Socorro, and San Elizario, all of which still stand. In 1692, however, the Spanish army reconquered New Mexico and recolonized formerly-abandoned pueblos and missions. Over the next 200 years, the trail witnessed increasingly varied traffic as quantities of trade goods and representatives of different cultures traveled it, bringing with them currents of change that would forever alter the face of this land. The trail remained active until 1821. After that date, New Mexico was supplied by both this trail and the Santa Fe Trail until 1846, and for the first several decades of American rule. Long distance traffic over the trail ceased when the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad was completed from eastern Kansas to Santa Fe in February 1880 and on to El Paso in June 1881.

We stopped in front of La Puerta Originals. La Puerta Originals is an architectural salvage company. It is family owned and operated company, doing business throughout the US. We wondered if the big buys on display in front of their business are made out of salvage. The business evolved out of founder Scott Coleman’s combined love of art, architecture and world travel. Scott was particularly interested in old world architecture. He began collecting discarded doors, columns and corbels, beautifully carved wood, iron work and other building materials bound for the landfill.

Collecting these materials became his passion and his inventory grew out of his garage and onto 4+ acres of doors, surrounds, reclaimed wood, timbers, metal work and other building materials. As word spread about the unique architectural elements of the La Puerta’s products, a new business was born – the production and manufacturing of custom doors and products made from his collection of antique materials. Now, 25+ years later, La Puerta Originals has the nation’s largest collection of architectural antique materials salvaged from around the world.

We will be exploring Santa Fe more, in the next few days.