Ridin' and shootin'

Enjoyed this spring weekend and the fabulous Texas blue skies - though it is still a bit breezy.....so much for March being "in like a lion and out like a lamb."  April seems to be the windy month this year. 

Friday night enjoyed checking out antiques, just arriving from France at an auction.  It is wonderful to walk though the old pieces, wondering what stories they hold. Their quality, workmanship and uniqueness far surpass what can be found in retail stores today. 

After grilling burgers, Saturday afternoon found us on the open Texas roads with friends, riding our motorcyles to Ponder, Texas. We made a pitstop at The Ranchman and enjoyed a bowl of homemade cobbler.  http://www.ranchman.com/   The bluebonnets are in full bloom. The early evening was prime riding weather! 

Sunday was another gorgeous day - so we went to Quail Creek shooting range.  http://quailcreekrange.com/  This outdoor range is fantastic - with "safety rangers" assisting and keeping everything safe for the newbie gunslingers. 

As you can see,  make no mistake, if you come into our house when AJ's not home, and you weren't invited, it will not be a good outcome for you....:)

Wolf Creek Ski

We have hit the slopes daily at Wolf Creek Ski, about 20 miles west of Pagosa. WCS has a base elevation of 10,300, and a summit elevation of 11,904. Average snowfall is 465 inches, the most snow in Colorado. During our week, the snow YTD is 228. 

http://www.wolfcreekski.com/wolf-creek-web-cam.php

Yesterday was a fantastic ski day - as usual (except for Wednesday of this week), the skies are gorgeous blue and there's not cloud one in the sky. Pagosa has 200 days a year of sunshine.

We have been a bit sore, but with our daily soakings at The Springs, feel the minerals are really helping how we feel. Yesterday we went into a pool called "The Cliffs". It does not have a filter on it, and comes directly from the mother spring - so ALL minerals go directly into the pool. A local told us this secret - and said a bit of soaking in it would cure anything that ailed us.  The temp was 109 degrees.....

This is our humble abode for the week.

View from our front porch.

We pass this farm on way to ski everyday - it's absolutely gorgeous!

Treasure Falls - obviously frozen this time of year. It is  steeped in folklore and legend. Its name comes from accounts suggesting that a chest full of gold was buried in the area after a group of Frenchmen was captured by either Spaniards or Indians. Visitors can think about the legend as they visit the scenic falls today. In the summer one can either hike to the falls (1/4 mile) or enjoy the view from the highway.

Making our way up San Juan Mountains to Wolf Creek Ski.

This is the summit of the Great Continental Divide. For those of you napping through 6th grade geography class, the Continental Divide is where all water to the west of the Divide flows to the Pacific Ocean, and all waters flowing east flow to the Gulf of Mexico. Obviously you cannot read the sign this time of year; but we've seen the postcards in town.

After some runs down Kelly Boyce, Easy Out, Turnpike and Powder Puff, we oh so eloquently swooshed off the lift and stopped at the top of the mountain and had a break at the Raven's Nest. The ski guy working there was friendly, sharing tips on which runs we wouldn't kill ourselves on and which ones would be challenging. 

Another group was in having some lunch, and was asking about the trails.  Ski guy says "How long have you been skiing?"  Amateur says "two hours, and I was thinking of going up to Alberta Face (black run)."  Skier guy "Umm....I think you should stick to greens today."

What an idiot!

At Raven's Nest, they offered snacks, drinks, burgers and this Frito Pie. This Frito Pie is created with a recipe from a Santa Fe restaurant and ski guy warned us, "it's spicy but will warm your belly!" 

It was so delicious!  Fritos, green chili stew, cheese, tomats, lettuce and sour cream (to help cool).  $3.50 each and a bottle of water later - we were back on the slopes, bellies warm until dinner time.  

Shrek had to have his pic taken in front of the Star Wars run; however, it's a black diamond, so this is as far as he got on it - and we continued down our green path.

 

Pagosa Springs (Ute Indian term for "healing waters")

We took yesterday off - giving our muscles a break from the slopes. We tooted around town, checked out some stores. The town is very small. There is one grocery store (City Market aka Kroger), Alco (a poor man's Walmart/5&10), ski rental shops, and some local restaurants (no big name franchises).  We explored - stopping by a souvenir shop with salt lamps and the usual t-shirts, a fresh bakery where we got some bread for our BLT's for dinner, and a malt shop for a chocolate treat. We then ended up (again) at The Springs.

Terraced to overlook the beautiful San Juan River, The Springs offers numerous hot pools to choose from. Multiple temperatures, ranging from 83 to 114 degrees F. Our favorite is The Venetian, coming in at a toasty 104 degrees. They go as high as 111 degrees (Lobster Pot), but we haven't attempted that one. Probably the most "therapeutic" pool is Serendipity, or the waterfall pool.  A rushing waterfall of warm water pounds into the pool and we sit under the strong flowing water and let the water's force pulse and massage sore neck and shoulder muscles. Each pool has a unique name and it's temperature posted: Paradise, Clouds in My Coffee, Serendipity, Serenity, Treasure, Tranquility, Boulder, Aspen, etc.  

The medicinal effects of the water was studied by U.S. Army physicians in the 1860's and their reports concluded: "The waters of Pagosa are without a doubt the most wonderful and beneficial in medicinal effects that have ever been discovered."

Views from the pools while soaking.

As you step into these mineral rich waters, the various minerals and elements in the water are absorbed through the pores in your skin. The healing process is enhanced when the pores are opened by increased water intake prior to entering the mineral pools.

When we heat up too much - we step out & sit by the open fire pits - in our bathing suits - despite it being about 20 degrees. We also have to drink lots of water since the minerals are detoxing the body. 

AJ working his way down Kelly Boyce green run.

The scenery is breathtaking, as is the altitude...literally.  Being flatlanders, we are so high up (over 10,000 feet), the first day we kept catching ourselves yawning (due to lack of oxygen) and having to take some stops/breaks down the extra long trails. Compared to other popular ski resorts (Breckenridge, Snowbird, etc.) this is very low key - never a wait on the lifts (I only fell the first lift exit and have stayed upright since) and we have the entire mountain to swoosh back and forth at our own pace. 

Santa Fe, New Mexico

We were in Santa Fe, NM yesterday. The drive from DFW was 9 hours, but only because 13 miles outside of Cline's Corner (turn off for Santa Fe), three 18-wheelers got in a fight and none of them won.....one being a Fed Ex truck with packages strewn from here to Hogsnart!  After an hour of sitting in the middle of BF Nowhere.....we finally made it. 

What did we do before we could sit and play online on our phones while hubby was driving??? I quizzed Shrek with miscellaneous trivia, gave him stats and tid bits about Santa Fe, we found gas stations, places to eat on the historic Route 66, and even found our B&B for our night's stay.

Here is the first installment of our adventure!

We hit the historic Route 66 when we got to Abilene....and we were hungry.....so we stopped at the Big Texan. A famous steak ranch, created 50 years ago.   

The towering sign of a long-legged cowboy that owner/creator Bob erected next to the building became a major landmark on Route 66. From the beginning, the Big Texan welcomed weary travelers and migrating families whose roots spread all across America.

Beginning in the mid-1960s signs began cropping up along the Mother Road inviting travelers to come in for a 72-oz. steak dinner that was FREE if it could be eaten in one hour.  To date, 58,000 have tried, but only 8,000 have succeeded. One company has long-since disappeared with the dust of the old road, but the other still flourishes. Big Texan Steak Ranch billboards can still be seen to the east and west of Amarillo along Interstate 40 and on major north-south routes that run through the Panhandle. We opted for a much smaller version than the 72 ouncer.....and it was delicious!.....and back on the road we went. 

Whenever we travel, we laugh at the gas stations names. We're used to 7-11 or an occasional Stop N Go, but small towns always seem to have funny names. When we were in the Black Hills near Mount Rushmore we saw "Loaf N Jugs"....Here was yesterday's funny stop:

We made it to Santa Fe....ready to stretch our legs and get some rest.  That handy dandy internet on our phone found us Pueblo Bonito B&B.  I called while driving and a lovely gal said they had a vacancy. While the high season rate was $130, we got a great deal of $65 so I booked it.  http://www.pueblobonitoinn.com/  We pulled into Santa Fe, our eyes weary. We stepped out of the truck, the smell of pinon in the air -- a Santa Fe trademark. Our innkeeper walked us to our room and told us about the place. The B&B, once a home, was build over 250 years ago. Our room, The Santa Domingo, had maple floors, and a kiva fireplace.

The Kiva fireplace comes from the American southwestern desert region. The name, itself, is actually derived  from  the  traditional underground meeting places  used  for religious rituals and spiritual ceremonies  by  the  Pueblo  Indians  of the southwest. Pueblo architecture provided the inspiration for this unique style of fireplace. Historically,  the  Kiva fireplace  was constructed  of  adobe in the corner of a room.  An inverted cone or bee-hive  shape  was  the norm,  with  a distinctive  arched  firebox  opening. 

Our basket of wood was waiting - as was the big, fluffy bed.  Here's the view from our bed.  That Kiva kicked out so much heat - we slept with no covers all night - the room was so toasty, despite it being in the teens just outside the door. If you ever get a chance to stay at a B&B do it!  The service is always so much better and it makes you feel like you are home....if your home was built 250 years ago and it had a kiva fireplace.....

Our view from our bed:

Our little room even had a nichos.....do you know what a nichos is? A nichos is the little pocket in a wall where religious folks put their saints.....If my house had a nichos I would have St. Anthony - patron saint of lost articles. Lord knows, anytime I misplace something, I pray to St. Anthony, "Dear St. Anthony full of grace, take me to it's hiding place" and 99.9% of the time, he helps me. Thematically, traditional nichos are part or extensions of household altars, and depict patron saints, ancestors, or an ex-voto. They can act as shrines, protection, or devotional objects, and may be part of active religious practice. The most common central figure is the Virgin Mary, and in Central America especially the Virgin of Guadalupe. Contemporary nichos have expanded into more non-traditional subject matter, including the secular or the humorous, but continue to represent themes and figures in popular Latin American culture.

For breakfast we hit Pasqual's.  Now, the B&B did offer a breakfast (coffee, teas, pastries, bagels, etc.) but if in Santa Fe, you cannot miss Pasqual's - it's worth the price and the wait!
http://pasquals.com/  Hubby had "Pasqual's favorite and I had the Chili Relleno Con Heuvos.....mmmmmm!

We strolled the streets (very quiet on a Sunday morning other than church bells) and checked out a few shops and also stopped at Loretto Chapel http://www.lorettochapel.com/history.html before hitting the road to Pagosa Springs. 

Loretta Chapel is home to the miraculous staircase. Legend says that to find a solution to the seating problem, the Sisters of the Chapel made a novena to St. Joseph, the patron saint of carpenters. On the ninth and final day of prayer, a man appeared at the Chapel with a donkey and a toolbox looking for work. Months later, the elegant circular staircase was completed, and the carpenter disappeared without pay or thanks. After searching for the man (an ad even ran in the local newspaper) and finding no trace of him, some concluded that he was St. Joseph himself, having come in answer to the sisters' prayers.

The stairway's carpenter, whoever he was, built a magnificent structure. The design was innovative for the time and some of the design considerations still perplex experts today.

The staircase has two 360 degree turns and no visible means of support. Also, it is said that the staircase was built without nails—only wooden pegs. Questions also surround the number of stair risers relative to the height of the choir loft and about the types of wood and other materials used in the stairway's construction.

Over the years many have flocked to the Loretto Chapel to see the Miraculous Staircase. The staircase has been the subject of many articles, TV specials, and movies including "Unsolved Mysteries" and the television movie titled "The Staircase."



Now on to Pagaso Springs!

Did you know?

DID YOU KNOW "Asians are efficient."? This is according to my teenage daughter. We were talking about her sister yesterday (who is known to be tardy when attending the events).  She says, "if C say she's going to be right there, you should always add 20 min. to the time. However, if an Asian says they will be there in 20, you will see them in 10. What made her think of this I have no idea. She went on to explain it was due to their high intelligence of technology that keeps them so timely.

DO YOU KNOW what a biffle is? Once again according to my teenage source, a biffle is a BFFL, which stands for (Best Friends For Life).  

DID YOU KNOW a "veggie" is a front pantie wedgie? This one cracked me up!  (No picture needed)