5/2/08 Bandelier and Chimayo

The wind died down but boy did it get cold. 24 degrees for the very cold campers.



Then it was off to Bandelier National Monument near Los Alamos. Leah and Matt check out the accommodations. Anything has to be better than a tent!



Eric, we found that they only allowed extended parking for those backpackers who were going to stay in the national monument.

We hustled off to the Santuario de Chimayo, which we were too late for two years ago. Santuario de Chimayo has been called the Lourdes of the West, with mysterious dirt in the “pozito”
We made our intentions and took some of the holy dirt to cure all our assorted ills. We ran into a photographer who was taking pictures as part of a new book on the prettiest small towns in the Southwest.


Up the road about a mile is a restaurant recommended by Pat and Barbara. Rancho de Chimayo served authentic New Mexican dinners in an old ranch house. The waiter recommended a nearby campground near a lake. Never take a recommendation about campgrounds from fishermen. The fisher guys use solely the quality of the fishing as their criteria for selection. Upon inspection of the campground, we headed up to Taos to spend another 24 degree night.