I got up on Sunday at 6:15. My bag had never arrived so we headed straight to the airport. We wanted to get my bag before it left the airport and got placed on a van with some driver hauling it around all day to parts unknown. I marched into the baggage claim area and the lights were off with all the doors locked. There was a sign on the door and it said lost luggage didn't open until 10 am. Being that we were bound for Santa Fe, that was not acceptable. I walked out, and by this point, I was fed up.
Mom strode into the terminal and fifteen minutes later, came out with my bag. Certainly I was relieved, but a part of me wishes I had been resourceful enough to get it. Apparently she talked to a gate agent, who them talked to someone else. My bag was in the overflow of the overflow room.
We drove back to the hotel for breakfast. Mom had told me I would enjoy this and she wasn't kidding. They have an omelet bar at the Marriott. I got one with bacon, two cheeses, and five vegetables. Plus sides of turkey sausage, wheat toast, and fresh fruit. And did I mention it was all comped?
It was time to leave Albuquerque in the dust and go north to Santa Fe. But we didn't take highway 25. We went with the Turquoise trail, which runs parallel to the highest, but travels through these old coal towns like Golden, Madrid, and Los Cerrillos. The tour was passing through this trail, so she wanted to explore this area to see what places were with stopping in.
Our first stop was the Sandia mountains and to take the tram from the ground up to the peak. As we approached the mountain, I looked up and my jaw dropped. This wasn't a train or a monorail, like I'd envisioned. No, it was like a hanging cable car that people use at a theme park to get from one side of the park to another. The difference was this car was climbing 4,000 feet straight up. We were going from 6,000 feet up to the peak of the mountain, around 10,300 feet.
Getting into the car was one thing, but that first push off towards the peak was something else. All of a sudden, a dozen people and I were right above the mountains. I felt pretty good as long as I didn't look straight down. As I looked around me, I was mesmerized by the amazing views. I could see layers upon layers of mountains. Downtown Albuquerque looked like a little village surrounded by brown squares of flat land.
The peak offered great views of Wheeler Peak, which is over 12,000 feet and the highest peak in New Mexico. I could also see Santa Fe and the San Pedro mountains. There was even a tiny square shaped rock cabin on the next crest for hikers to settle in.
After a half hour, we were getting ready to leave. We took the ride down to the terminal and I felt my ears popping as they adjusted to the chance in elevation. We were headed out the door with me in front, when I heard a thud and my mother growing in pain. From what I can gather, she tripped coming around a corner to the door. She reached out to grab the glass door to break her fall and her sciatica flared right up. She could hardly walk. Just to keep her from taking stairs, I drove the car illegally up a one way so it could be easier.
With mom in a great deal of agony, we resumed our journey north on the Turquoise trail. We spent some time in Madrid, which used to be a major coal mining town until the 1950s, when diesel began powering the railroad. This is like a hippie village, with eccentric art work and people riding on their cycles with wheels. I helped mom in the Mineshaft tavern and the staff gave her some ice, which helped her feel better for the moment. The tavern was a country-themed bar with a large outdoor patio, a cigarette machine, and a stage for live country music. We got a couple of iced teas and I ordered a green chile burger, one of New Mexico food staples. It was made from wagyu beef, which is a very high grade of beef, and it was topped with green chile strips, tomato, caramelized onions, and aged cheddar. The burger had a great beef flavor and the green chile added that extra kick off flavor and just a touch of heat. I think all I needed was some bacon for a little crunch.
This particular weekend was a challenging one to visit Santa Fe. They had a huge art festival, in fact, it was the largest Native American festival in the country all year. So in a city that is tightly crammed with loads of one lane roads and limited parking to begin with, it became that much more challenging to get anywhere in downtown.
Our hotel was the Drury Inn, which is just a block from the downtown plaza. Our room was ready early so we got our stuff set up before doing some sightseeing. It was quite a challenge with mom basically being so hindered by her pain. As we drove, the rain started, which would be the norm in Santa Fe over the next two days. It was like I was in Portland.
First, I went to Fort Marcy, which was the site of a battle in the Mexican American war. Right next to that is the Cross of the martyrs, a large white icon that I could easily see from my hotel balcony. There were only two other people there. Two teenagers making out. I'm just trying not to stare, but I was just thinking...they're making out next to the cross?! Still on a church kick, I visited San Miguel church, the oldest church in America. It was built back in 1610 and the original abode walls are still standing.
By this time, mom was getting crabby between her pain and not eating most of the day. I went back to the hotel and hit the gym for the next hour as the rain continued to fall hard on the roof. I did 45 mins between the elliptical and the treadmill with episodes of Bar Rescue playing in the background. I also did the bench press for the first time in maybe a year. I'm not lifting as much weight as I did when I was in the gym four days a week, but I still have my strength.
I was ready for a shower. Not just because I was sweating so much, but it was separate from the bathtub, and had a stone interior with dispensers of shampoo, conditioner, and soap. It was so nice, I just wanted to stay in there for an hour. Once I cleaned up, I headed down the hall from my room for Kickback, which is their version of Happy Hour. Every day between 5:30 and 7, guests can enjoy up to three complimentary alcoholic beverages as well as a food buffet. Unfortunately, there were only two beer options: Bud light and a local red ale that I didn't care for. Instead, I enjoyed a double margarita and a glad of Merlot.
With mom hobbled, I decided to get us pizza from Pizza Centro, a supposedly authentic New York style pizza joint. I walked fifteen minutes each way through downtown, which was a little confusing with the closed roads and dead end streets. But I arrived just as the pizza was getting boxed. I made sure to power walk through downtown and also not to make eye contact with a single soul, I didn't want anyone talking to me or possibly going after my pizza. I made it back to the room and we enjoyed the 18 inch Hell's Kitchen with marinara, sausage, caramelized onion, green chile, roasted red peppers, feta cheese, and mozzarella cheese. We left out the jalapenos and I just went with crushed red pepper. It was an amazing combination. First of all, they make their own crust and sauce so a lot of love goes into each pizza. The sausage was very well seasoned with fennel and Italian spices. The chile and peppers blended very well with the creaminess of the feta. I just settled in my bed with five slices, a bottle of sweet tea, and watched Summer Slam. Not a bad way to attend an evening, if you just want to indulge.
