We visited an adjacent gift shop. Proprietor asked, "Are you on the bus?" No, we said. "Good," he said. Tour buses used to stop at Ranchos and give passengers enough time to see and photograph the church and visit gift and craft shops around the plaza. No longer. Take your pictures and get back on the bus, is the order. Motivated us to buy something, though. We're suckers for sad stories this week.
From Ranchos we angled NW across the Taos mesa (On the Mesa, by John Nichols, author of The Milagro Beanfield War, is a passionate evocation of this mesa, the more remote parts, if I recall correctly) to US 64 which crosses the Rio Grande Gorge. We were looking for Lorraine's house -- Lorraine being a volunteer we had worked with Wednesday. Across 64 we found the road (unpaved, rocky) to her house and followed it several miles NW across more mesa with scattered houses. Just past her house the road ended, but there was a two-track path leading south toward 64, apparently. I had the Magellan GPS with us and it showed some lines across the mesa in that direction. Surely, we can get back that way, I said. I hate to backtrack.
Well, the main problem was that if we drove in the ruts, we'd high-center on the ridge between them. So, I tried to keep one wheel on the ridge, the other on whichever edge seemed the more drivable. We kept going and going, across a few washed out places until we finally came to ... a fence. No choice but to turn around and backtrack all the way. Fortunately, we didn't get stuck or Lorraine might have found a couple of stranded travelers on her doorstep.
Helen, at Shared Table, told us that the best Mexican food in the area was Lena's, in Arroyo Seco. That's where we headed for lunch -- up the road to Taos Ski Valley. Trouble was, other than an upscale restaurant that wasn't and couldn't have been Lena's, the only place to eat in Arroyo Seco was Abe's Bar, Grocery, and Grill. Thought maybe I might have gotten the name wrong from Helen, but the place looked good. Lots of pick-ups parked outside. About six tables squeezed into the half of the building housing the grill and grocery. Menu definitely Mexican, including homemade tamales, order at the counter. Wallpaper and table vinylcloths with matching chile patterns. Midway through a tasty lunch, I heard one of the patrons saying Hi to Lena in the kitchen. We WERE at the right place!
After lunch we strolled the shops in Arroyo Seco. Met a personable young man from Midland, TX in this A-frame pottery shop -- he lives upstairs and seemed to be really enjoying life. Would he go back to Midland? No way, not after he's seen Arroyo Seco. Susie bought a coffee cup to help his economy.
Speaking of pick-ups, old pick-ups are depicted in lots of local art. This one in Arroyo Seco may be the model:
Arroyo Seco also features an historic church -- this is the La Santisima Trinidad church, dating to ca. 1834.
We drove to the ski area and back and called it another pleasant day in Taos. We've had fun, also, on our excursions the last two days, exploring residential areas. Lots of dead-end streets, winding streets shaded by tall cottonwoods, adobe walls and hidden haciendas.
Cheers,
Susie and Rob
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