We typically engage in leisurely departures, leaving our motel rooms just before required check-out time and this morning was no exception. We headed North on US-84 headed for what is called the “High Road to Taos.” On previous excursions through this part of the country, we had followed US-84 to NM-68 – the easy way. This time we had much more time so we turned off 84 at Pojoaque and headed up the sometimes one-lane NM-503 to Vadito, continuing from there on NM-518 into Taos. The scenery was stunning. We didn’t need to shop so we skirted Taos and headed East on US-64. 64 is a gorgeous mountain road through pine forest with ample creeks and rivers which were filled with New Mexicans flyfishing. The entire drive from Santa Fe to Raton is very scenic. Near the prairie Southwest of Raton, in the midst of bison, elk and grazing pronghorn, we passed the Whittington Center which is a huge expanse of land where certain NRA members can pay ridiculous amounts of money to shoot at targets and animals. I don’t think they shoot at each other although you never know. I knew quite a few NRA members when I lived in Oregon and they sometimes shot each other, particularly during deer and elk seasons.

Some four or five hours after our departure from Santa Fe, we pulled into the Raton Pass Motor Inn, a funky old 1950s vintage motel at the bottom of the New Mexico side of Raton Pass. Our room had floors lumpier than the ocean during a typhoon, no disabled amenities and interesting decorations. However, it was warm which was great since it was 40 degrees outside. Our room had an assortment of spineless cacti which I did not realize were plastic until shortly before departure. The place was pretty quiet and the beds were good. Down in the town of Raton (which means “rat” in Spanish), we found a place to eat called the Asian Buffet. Because of Covid, there was no buffet but we were still able to get good ala carte items from the kitchen.