Road Trip 2013 - Yakima WA, Boise ID, Provo UT, Durango CO, Santa Fe NM, Flagstaff AZ, Palm Springs CA, Paso Robles CA, Rohnert Park CA, Eureka CA, Bandon OR, Cannon Beach OR

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Day 17 - Jemez Mountains

Los Alamos is a silly place - best put on your gambling shoes and stock up on your favourite brew before you go.

The totally utilitarian RV park in White Rock. You pay at the electronic kiosk, pull into your parking spot in the scrape next to the humming transformer farm, and just try to sleep.

Los Alamos National Lab's Biggest Bottle Rocket In The World. It is thought this bottle rocket would actually reach orbit. Nobody is willing to actually find out.

The Valles Caldera in the Jemez Mountains. This tranquil meadow actually lives on top of an active super volcano. There are many hot springs nearby as testament to the energy beneath.

This supervising cloud hangs low over the Caldera - watching for anyone who dares to go over that fence.

Wendy and Emma stamp off to explore the Las Conchas trail along the east fork of the Jemez River. We are above the snow line, and it's getting cold!

Wendy and Emma discover a really big rock on the Las Conchas Trail.

First snow must be more than a little chilling for folks who live this far out - and this high up a mountain range.

Russ strikes out on the trail to Jemez Falls - no one else is out here - except crazy Canadians who think it isn't really all that cold. Russ clings grimly to the idea that summer is not yet over - still sporting his shorts.

At Soda Dam these little characters made from nails could easily have been missed along the trail to the riverside. So glad I spotted them - they're amazing.

View north from the top of the lava flow that forms the Soda Dam.

Aspens still in full form as we descend from the mountains.

Still not tiring of this drive by shooting thing - the results are always unpredictable - you just have to make lots of photos - would never try this with film!!

It looks like Sedona, but it's the Jemez Reservation.

Between Bernallilo and Santa Fe we encounter this odd installation. We don't believe the local cover story that it's a south west native totem. Sure it is.

The sprawling maze that is Santa Fe. Thank goodness for Jill the GPS or I'm sure we'd have spent the last 10 days going in circles around Paseo de Peralta.

The outdoor kiva fireplace was barely warm enough tonight - the inside is much more comfortable.

 


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