The Road Otter

Madness In Macadam

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On the road again

March 26, 2015 by Road Otter

Road To Denver

  • It Rains in the Mojave?
  • Twisty Mountain Roads, They Look All The Same
  • What is it with twisty roads?
  • On the road again

  • Denver & Denvention
  • Road Back To LA

First published 8/6/2008

Another day, another road. Heading out of Santa Fe, we encountered more Adobification, seen at the beginning of yesterday’s report. Even the nice houses looked tacky after all that “adobe.”

As we headed north thru the Rockies, we drove under blue, blue skies with cumulus and cumulonimbus clouds along the mountain tops.

The Road AheadThe Road Ahead
The Road Ahead
Amazing VistasAmazing Vistas
Amazing Vistas
Amazing VistasAmazing Vistas
Amazing Vistas
Amazing VistasAmazing Vistas
Amazing Vistas
Amazing VistasAmazing Vistas
Amazing Vistas
Amazing VistasAmazing Vistas
Amazing Vistas
Bones Of The Mountains In RedBones Of The Mountains In Red
Bones Of The Mountains In Red
Bones Of The Mountains In BeigeBones Of The Mountains In Beige
Bones Of The Mountains In Beige
Bones Of The MountainsBones Of The Mountains
Bones Of The Mountains
Bones Of The MountainsBones Of The Mountains
Bones Of The Mountains

Do click on the images
to get the larger view.
I'm biased but I
think they're awesome.

As the road came down onto the high plains, odd bits of rock stuck up like thumbs thru the soil.

 

Rock Thumb
Rock Thumb
Thumb of rock, clothed in green velvet
Thumb of rock, clothed in green velvet

High plains in New Mexico stretched away into the distance, edged with mountains at first, then just flowing away to the horizon.

Ringed By Mountains

The road ahead beckons, empty, clean. This is a different form of road hypnotism. Become lost in this road and you may never return. Each mile of road leads to the next, the far horizon is your only destination.
TheRoadBeckons

As the road tops a hill, grazing herds of cattle, horses, and antelope can be seen. Yes, antelope. They came in to and out of view so quickly, I could not photograph them.
GrazingHorsesAndBarn

The clouds and the sun cause shadows to dance across the land, changing the shape of the land and the color of the grass in passing. The colors of the grass change from golds and greens, to shades of green, and back again, as the road flows over the prairie.

Grass Gold And GreenGrass Gold And Green
Grass Gold And Green
Grass And ShadowsGrass And Shadows
Grass And Shadows
Green Green GrassGreen Green Grass
Green Green Grass

ShortPowerPoles
It may be easier to transport wood to the prairies, but there are still reminders that wood is a precious commodity. These power poles are not much higher than the fence posts.

The borders between states seem to be quite dramatic markers. Between Arizona and New Mexico, the spectacular cliffs. The northern border of New Mexico with Colorado has some marvelous mountains. Above the mountains, the cumulus clouds gather, shading and sometimes raining on the ground below. Always a delight. The Colorado side shows some mine tailings there on the left. And shows Mother Nature starting her cover of green in the pockets of soil.

Mountains Of The BorderMountains Of The Border
Mountains Of The Border
Mountains Of The BorderMountains Of The Border
Mountains Of The Border
Cumulus Over ColoradoCumulus Over Colorado
Cumulus Over Colorado
Colorado Mine TailingsColorado Mine Tailings
Colorado Mine Tailings

ColoradoGrass

 

The prairie on the Colorado side seems drier. The land is covered in golden grass as far as the eye can see.

 

RainOnTheMountains

 

Cumulonimbus gather on the mountains, rain and lightning dance in the distance.
ColoradoWash

In a few of the low places, a carved wash will appear, attesting to the occasional ferocity of thunderstorms in the mountains.
ETsShip

 

And then you get the odd lenticular cloud formation. ET anyone?

 

ColoradoThumb

 

As in New Mexico, the odd thumb of rock still appears.

 

Shadows Of Gold And Brown

 

The clouds and sun dance again, changing to brown the golden hue of the grass.
HouseOnTheHill

 

The house on the hill commands the heights, and is master of all it surveys. The view must be marvelous.

 

MileHighStadium

After all that space and grass, we arrive in Denver to catch rush hour…and Mile High Stadium. Go Broncos!

Filed Under: Road Goes Ever On

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