Taos, New Mexico

Back at the end of August we went to New Mexico for a short last minute vacation with my family. I tried to summit Wheeler Peak, but didn’t quite make it. I wrote about our little adventure here, and here. What I never got around to writing about was our second day there in Taos. We were able to explore the town, and even walk around their local farmers market. We ate some great food, and sampled some CBD products. We were able to check out some local shops, a neighboring town, and even walked across the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge. It made for a pretty great day filled with family, and laughs. And there was something about Taos that drew us all in. Maybe it was the simplicity of it, or the laid back way of life? Maybe it was the cleaner air, or the mountains? Whatever it was, we just hated the idea of having to leave it all behind. We often found ourselves talking about how we were all meant to live there, or at the very least a place similar to it. Sadly, our responsibilities came calling. And as we made our way up the winding road that led us back to Texas I couldn’t help but to look out the rear window. Trying my best to commit it all to memory. To remember what it felt like. How it made me feel. I know that we’ll go back there one day. And maybe the next time I'll make it to the top of Wheeler Peak. Until then I have some pretty great moments captured that can take me back whenever I start to feel that pull.

For our second full day in Toas we all woke up and headed across the street for some much needed coffee. My legs were slightly sore at first, but all other signs of us having hiked over six miles were practically gone. We all climbed into the van, and made our way to the center of town which is called the historic district. After snagging a few shirts, and souvenirs at the little "I LOVE TAOS Co." shop we walked out into the plaza which was holding a farmers market. Y'all, this place was so neat! They had food cooking, and it smelled heavenly. Several vendors had both regular, and vegetarian/vegan options. They also had several musicians playing their music, and people dancing around. Swaying out in the lawn. We made our way over to "Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory" so that the kids could get some chocolate covered bananas. Minus the chocolate for my nephew. Then we headed back out to look at various vendors that were set up around the plaza. We stopped to sample some honey that's made by the "Taos Honey Co.". They let us know more about their company, and the products that they offered. They even have have a CBD wellness line of honey that's THC-free hemp infused. It tasted really yummy, and we ended up buying a small container. 3 oz. lasted about a month. Next up we checked out the local outside library. We browsed some of their books, and they had some pretty great deals. Emery ended up buying something she wanted before we made our way over to a booth with a huge banner that read "Wumaniti Earth Native Sanctuary". We spoke with the founder of the company, and she explained what their mission was all about: Sustaining Agricultural,  Economic and Healing Lifestyle within Cultural Communities. They offered a wide range of products, which I'll post about on their own, but out of everything I sampled I enjoyed the oils the best. Once we were finished browsing the booths we headed toward this really neat little toy store called "Twirl" so that the kids could explore. Y'all this place was so cool! Not only was it a toy store, but they also had an outdoor play place for the kids. And on the second floor they had a huge room filled with toys, plush chairs, and various games that the kids could play. We spent about an hour in that place, and the kids had a blast.  

After all of the shopping we got done it was time for food. When we asked a local for recommendations we were directed towards "Orlando's New Mexican Cafe". Now, don't let the "Mexican" in that name fool you. They did not, I repeat- NOT, offer rice and beans. I know, right? Once I got passed the shock, and as it was quickly pointed out to me that the name read "New Mexican" I moved on with my order. I opted for the "Create Your Own Bowl" selection with chicken as the main meat. And let me just say that the food was actually really tasty.  It was a perfect day out so we opted to sit outside. Everyone talked, ate, and laughed. We left with full bellies, and I totally recommend that you check out this little cafe if you're ever in the area! 

After our late lunch we headed out to the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge. This sucker is 1,280 feet long, y'all. It's also the second highest bridge on the U.S. Highway System. We walked to about the midway point, and it was a little unsettling. The wind starts to pick up, and you can feel the bridge vibrating as cars drive across it. I held on to the railing as I made my way down, but once the bridge hits open space I could feel my stomach drop a bit. They had these emergence call buttons placed on both sides of the bridge, and you kind of find yourself wondering about how often they've actually been used. We took some pictures, and leaned out a bit to see the drop below. My dad kept telling us "No dejes ir! No sueltes la barandilla." (Don't let go! Don't let go of the rail.) the entire time we were walking across. And once we made it to these sections that jutted out I was scolded a bit for letting go, and allowing Emery to stick her hands out. Once we made our way back to the car, we drove across the bridge, and pulled into a rest stop that had a trail entrance. Make sure you have cash if you ever stop here as they have several little vendors that offer hand made items. We walked a few feet passed the entrance before we noticed a section that veered off to the left of the trail. This allowed us to get closer to the edge of the drop off. And with a somewhat queasy stomach I walked out as close to the edge as I could get before finally sitting down. I can still remember my hair whipping around my face, and the small adrenaline rush that came with being inches away from that edge. We could see a rain storm making it's way in the distance, and just as we started the walk back to the parking area we saw a sandstorm headed our way. All of the little vendors started packing up their things, and we all climbed back into our van in order to head off towards our next destination. 

For our final stop we headed back out towards Wheeler Peak. Before you actually get to Taos Ski Valley there is a small village with shops, and then there are several areas where you can pull over in order to camp out or spend the day. We found a little section where we could walk around, and headed down towards a little river. The water was so cold, but Emery had a fun as she walked across a section in her bare feet. I snapped a few pictures, and after about thirty minutes we all climbed back into the vehicle. I looked into stopping at this little community called Taos Pueblo, but they were about to close to visitors. For the cost to get in, we’d only have about twenty minutes to explore and it just wasn’t worth it. However, if you ever get the chance to go visit I’m betting it would be a pretty cool experience. It’s a Native American community which is considered to be the oldest continuously inhabited one in the United States. I was actually bummed that we didn’t get to go in. And that’s about all for our adventure. We ended up heading back to the hotel so that everyone could hop into the pool. We were greeted with a sandstorm just as we headed into our rooms which was such a cool thing to witness, y’all! After some pool time we all had dinner, and then turned in for the night. We had an eleven hour drive the next day, and we needed to make sure everything was packed. 

Looking back, it was such an awesome trip. I wish we could have stayed longer. We spent time as a family, and we laughed so much. It’s trips like that that I want to have more of in my life. Being able to enjoy the company of the people I love most in this world while exploring new places is such an important thing to me. And I want Emery to always remember that. I want her to know that even when things are hard you should always appreciate the time spent with family. You know? Be in that moment. Love your family. Enjoy that time together. Because life passes by all too quickly. And when you start to look back you can see that those moments are truly priceless.