day 10

Santa Fe to Ridgewaay

A very big driving day! Ran some errands in the morning - had to get those coffee filters - and got an insanely delicious breakfast burrito from the El Chile Toreado truck (a recommendation from Jamie and Peabe, thank you Jamie and Peabe).

Did about 8 hours of driving so listened to a lot of My Brilliant Friend, the Handsome podcast (especially helpful during the massive amounts of rain I encountered), and The War on Drugs’ Lost in a Dream on repeat.

Drove about an hour and decided to stop at Abiquiu Lake for a dip. It sounds like Georgia O’Keefe lived in the area at some point and was very inspired by the surrounding mountains (same). The swim was short but refreshing and I got to hang out with a little dog named Maisie.

Driving out of New Mexico from Abiquiu Lake was colorful in a way I had heard of but did not expect. Making my way into Colorado was a transition from desert to forest.

The real stunner was the Million Dollar Highway, from Durango to Ouray (aka Little Switzerland). It was one of the most beautiful drives I’ve been on. Photos do not do it justice, the mountains were colossal.

The Million Dollar Highway took me right to Orvis Hot Springs where I camped overnight. I spent some time chatting with a couple from Denver who had a lot of great stories of their travels: hitchhiking, train hopping, and crashing on couches. They were super excited for me to be on my trip and were very encouraging. I did many rotations between hot pools, sauna, and the cold plunge. and headed to bed.

day 9

Second full day in Santa Fe

Had some breakfast burrito leftovers at home and realized that I have a friend who lives in Santa Fe! He invited me over for dinner and recommended I make an appointment to shop at Santa Fe Vintage that day. Santa Fe vintage is an incredible collection of true vintage clothing, blankets, and prints. I didn’t end up buying anything, but what a special shopping experience.

Spent the rest of my day walking around and seeing what there was to see.

After wandering around, I had the pleasure of joining Peabe, his wife, daughter, and daughter’s friend for dinner at their home. We had martinis and not one but TWO kinds of pasta. It was so great to catch up and listen to stories of what they’ve been up to in the 5 years since I saw them last. It felt as if no time had passed. I left feeling grateful for their time, cooking, and friendship.

day 8

First full day of two in Santa Fe

Headed over to Counter Culture for coffee, a breakfast burrito and some reading. One of the recommendations I was most interested in from the hotel concierge was Ojo Santa Fe hot springs spa so I gave them a call and made an appointment for a massage and day pass. Once I got that figured out I went to buy tickets to the Meow Wolf museum and realized they were closed on Tuesdays so I would have to do Ojo and the museum in the same day - oops. Ojo was beautiful! I had one of the best massages I’ve ever had, used the hottest steam room I’ve ever been in (couldn’t stay in there for more than 2 minutes), dipped in one of the pools, read and took a lil nap, and walked through some of the trails behind the property.

Went to my late afternoon time slot at Meow Wolf - an indoor maze of rooms of floor-to-ceiling art installations.

Went home for a lil chill and change before heading to Horno for dinner. I had tuna tartare with a black pepper risotto cake and warm anchovy butter that was truly one of the most delicious things I’ve ever eaten. I also had a simple mesclun salad with watermelon radishes, a meatball with their grilled house made focaccia, and an blueberry crostata for dessert. Sitting at the bar made for great conversation with the bartenders as well as the person sitting next to me. After dinner, I headed back to Ojo for a quick dip in the hot tub before they closed.

day 7

Silver City to Santa Fe

Had a long drive ahead of me so grabbed a yummy iced honey cinnamon latte and veggie pastie from Tranquil Buzz and headed out. On the drive I finished listening to The Nightingale, started a re-read of My Brilliant Friend, and lots and lots of music.

Drove a bit out of the way to make a stop at White Sands National Park. Driving in, it looked like it had snowed in the middle of the desert. The sun was really intense, and the sand surprisingly crunchy until you walked out on the dunes.

Continued driving up to Santa Fe with beautiful surroundings - no surprise there.

I arrived in Santa Fe and went straight to my AirBnb (which was cute and spacious and very comfortable). Ate my leftover pizza and headed over to the El Rey to see Victoria Bailey, the country singer I met at Zócalo on Silver City who happened to be heading to Santa Fe the same night. The El Rey was a beautiful hotel with endless Santa Fe Style.
I asked the concierge at the hotel for recommendations around town. She was actually the general manager covering a desk shift for someone and she gave me a great little itinerary to inspire my next couple of days.

After Victoria’s set, I went to find her and say hello. I ended up talking to her, her boyfriend, and their two friends who live in Taos for quite a bit. They gave me some recs for my short time in Colorado, and they had a very sweet dog named Taco.

day 6

Bisbee to Silver City

Had a short driving day ahead of me so took my heckin’ time this morning getting breakfast. The Shady Dell has a diner onsite. They’re only open weekends so I am really glad I caught them. This breakfast sandwich was SOMETHING ELSE Y’ALL.
Bacon! Gruyere that was crispy! Eggs seasoned with chives! Chipotle aioli! And some crispy ass home fries. Sheesh.

The Shady Dell, aside from being a diner and trailer hotel, was a great collection of vintage vehicles and other treasures (surrounded by a cemetery on two sides!). Snapped some pics before I hit the road.

It took about 3 hours to drive from Bisbee to Silver City. I know I keep snapping 1000 photos of the road, but I can’t help it! It’s so beautiful, and I love watching the terrain change as I move across states.

Checked into a lil cabin at the KOA, and headed over to Whiskey Creek Zócalo. My friend David’s longtime friend Rafael (with the help of many friends) opened this bar/restaurant/venue last year. When David found out about my trip he said I had to stop by, and he was not wrong. I had a delicious wood-fired pizza with pepperoni and green hatch chilis, watched a California country singer named Victoria Bailey perform, and hung out with Rafael and his friends. There was a very clear sense of community there and I was welcomed with open arms. A special night at a special place - really hope to make it back someday.