Santa Fe

What a gorgeous city! 

In front of 'oldest house in USA

Cowboy Bruce!

You'd think you were on a movie set it's all so amazing!  The architecture here is strictly controlled so that it's all either 'adobe-style' or 'Territorial-style' in keeping with the history of the place.  Even the hotels look like old adobe dwellings.  Just goes to show you what you can accomplish with a vision!
We wandered thru Old Town and bought a few things ... Bruce got himself a cool 'cowboy' style hat (although he denies it's a 'cowboy hat' LOL) which looks very cool on him, and then he bought me a fantastic bracelet with unique silver designs and a fairly large-ish turquoise stone and some earrings that match.  I LOVE them!  There are so many cool shops here you could spend days (and lots and LOTS of money here!)
The RV park we're at is ok ... about 15 minutes from town and hardly anyone here.  I heard a lot of coyote noises outside last night ... sounded like they'd taken down something big and were having quite a feast.  Kind of cool!

At 8,800 ft - what a view!

We had a very cool hike yesterday at a place just off Canyon Rd in a preserve owned by the Nature Concervancy - Santa Fe Canyon Preserve I think.  We hiked up to the top of the mountain there - up around 8,800 ft.  There were times I didn't think I'd make it but with encouragement I did!  Legs were fine but the altitude makes it more difficult.  But the view was worth it!  It took about 2 1/2 hours up and only an hour down!  What a great day. We had started out wanting to take a bike ride but at the trailhead we found our bikes BOTH had flat tires!  There's a nasty thorn around here that sticks to and into everything and that's what got our bikes!  So we'll have to postpone the biking till they're fixed
Today we're going to explore more of the town - Bruce found a map on-line showing a 'Coffee Lover's Tour' so you know we gotta take that!

Loretto Chapel Staircase

April 1, 2013  Had a good day just toodling around Santa Fe.  Went down to the Railyards ... some trendy shops and cool restaurants.  Had our coffee fix, then found an REI and bought some new tubes for our bikes that have a sealant in them that will seal up punctures automatically.  The staff said the thorns (called Goat's Head I think) are a plague around these parts and this is what locals use.  Always learning! We then had a wonderful lunch at a brewpub and walked some more.  There's a chapel here called "Loretto Chapel" that has a famous spiral staircase that was built mysteriously by a carpenter in 1878 with 2x360 degree turns with no visible means of support.  To this day, it baffles architects and engineers.  No one knows who the carpenter was as he left as soon as it was finished and didn't even stay to get paid.  Pretty amazing!
We then walked around on Canyon Road for a bit ... a long, narrow road lined on both sides with very trendy art galleries.  The buildings are beautiful ... all looking like original adobe homes ... and just a treat to walk around.  Didn't buy anything ... nowhere to keep a 40' statue or gallery-sized painting!
We're off tomorrow ... heading for Taos.  Will write more in a few days!