Our first stop was the Valles Caldera National Preserve, a big beautiful bowl 20 miles across, the result of a volcanic eruption that then fell back upon itself, subsequently over the eons pushing up several mounds in the shape of mountains. The National Preserve is set in a huge meadow through which a small river runs, and is inhabited by all sorts of creatures including prairie dogs and elk.
As we arrived after following a curving mountain road, a young Park Ranger offered to give us a tour. He was in his first assignment and eager to practice, so as he drove the van and stopped at several sites, he gave us a running narrative of the ecology, geology and history of the place. Afterwards, Jan and I took a mile and a half hike around the smallest of the pushed up mounds, the Cerro La Jara. On the back side of the cerro was where in the distance we saw the pair of elk.
After leaving the Valles Caldera, we drove to Jemez Springs to view the monument of the Jemez Pueblo which also depicted the interplay between the Spanish Catholic missionaries and the Jemez tribe. The ruins include a huge church, which in its heyday must have been breathtaking.
The rest of today's trip included a long drive to Alamagordo where tomorrow we plan to visit the White Sands National Monument. Stay tuned...
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