This morning we left Gallup, which is located right in the middle of the Zuni Reservation, and continued our trek toward the East. Unfortunately, there is not an abundance of through highways in New Mexico so we were obliged to do our first few hours on I-40 to Albuquerque. There we turned Northeast up I-25 toward Santa Fe but we escaped the interstate just beyond Bernalillo, turning North on US-550 to San Ysidro. After crossing through some amazing terrain with spectacular erosion effects that have contoured them, we headed east on NM-4 through the Jemez Pueblo and on into the Valle Caldera, the extinct remains of a gigantic volcano.

Those that have seen a TV serial called Longmire, filmed in the Caldera, have had the opportunity to see the lead character’s gorgeous cabin and the pretty meadow it sits in. The series is supposed to be about an area in Wyoming but filming in the 20 degrees below zero winter elements required most of the filming to be done in New Mexico. There is a visitor center in the center of the Caldera and the cabin can be spotted to the Southwest. There are birds and prairie dogs and elk that patient viewers can see athough the elk may require binoculars.

After considerable ogling, we continued on East through Bandelier National Monument and then a bit South into Santa Fe, where we checked into a very small but quite pretty motel called the Silver Saddle. It appeared to be quite rustic outside with vine-covered ramadas, flowering landscaping and Cerrillos Road, a major thoroughfare, right outside. As it turned out, the rooms are decorated in a cowboy motif with plaster cowboy antique lamps, spurs and hats on the walls along with some cowboy paintings, including one of a cow. The original builders must have done a good job because we could not hear the voluminous Cerrillos Road traffic in our room, which also had a small kitchenette. All around, it was a great place to stay despite having a toilet for the height-challenged. The beds were comfortable and the rent was very reasonable.

As it turned out, we did not need the kitchenette because right across the street from the motel was Castro’s where we got a great meal. They served us pastry things called sopapillas which were light and crispy and very tasty, particularly when slathered with honey. They had a terrific menu and an equally spiffy variety of beers available to wash down their luscious food.