Friday morning we went west out of Taos to the Rio Grande River Gorge.  I am a  NOT fond of high bridges and this one was really high over the gorge.  We crossed by car and then walked out on it to take pictures.  All I could think of was a big gust of wind coming along and over we would go.

Rio Grande River Gorge from HIGH ABOVE!

On the West side of the Gorge was this hippy style refreshment van.  Love it!

One of many shops in Taos and Santa Fe were filledh imports from Mexico.  It was like going into Nogales, MX in the 1960's.  I was in heaven.  Joe is slowly coming around to an appreciation of folk art from Mexico.

We headed east from Taos toward the Angel Fire and Eagle Nest ski resort areas. Beautiful country!

After we came down from the mountains, we entered the Kiowa Grasslands area and started spotting pronghorn antelope in small herds in fields of grass and sunflowers. I had been hoping to see antelope but thought that Flagstaff was my only chance.  We saw 70 plus through this area.  Amazing sight!   There was a stretch of road where you could see from horizon to horizon and nothing moved.  We were really out there on our own.  No problems, beautiful country, but the thought did pass through our mind, "How long would it take for AAA to come if we needed help". 

We spent the night in the little town of Mosquero, NM.  On the map, it looked like a fair sized town but when we arrived about 4 PM there was no one about.  Eventually a gentleman came over and we started talking and he said everyone was at the dedication of the new Equestrian Center near downtown.  It was tricky arranging for a place to spend the night and finding oil for the car.  Sheriff Gutierrez was helpful in trying to reach people who might have a room available.  

We decided to walk over to the Equestrian Center to see what was going on and to look for some people we had been told might have a room available.  The town had a free BBQ that was exceptional and they held a dance as dark approached.  It had been forever (my early college days ) since I had been to a western dance.  I was itching to get out on the dance floor and 2-step but Joe is not a dancer.  After all those years, I would have probably have looked like a fool, but the desire was there to 2-step.  This was a gathering of people from about a 40 mile radius and these were not the "rhinestone" cowboys but were the working cowboys and we felt honored to be there.

Arlene and Bobby Cordova graciously opened their home to us so we didn't have to sleep in our car.  Arlene and Bobby were childhood sweethearts and you could just see the committment and love that has gotten them through a lifetime of hard work and the joys and pain it brings.  Many thanks to you both!!!

Arlene and Bobby and their son and grandson.

Joe and I traveled on through open grassland that looked like it had seen plenty of rain and then, as the elevation dropped, we entered grassland with cholla cactus, but still it looked that they had had sufficent rain for the cattle.     

We spent part of yesterday and today in Logan, NM.  I had come down with a doozy of a summer cold and just needed to hit the bed and sleep it off.  It seems to have worked as I feel fine today and ready for more adventure.