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.
As the road came down onto the high plains, odd bits of rock stuck up like thumbs thru the soil.
High plains in New Mexico stretched away into the distance, edged with mountains at first, then just flowing away to the horizon.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The prairie on the Colorado side seems drier. The land is covered in golden grass as far as the eye can see.
Cumulonimbus gather on the mountains, rain and lightning dance in the distance.
In a few of the low places, a carved wash will appear, attesting to the occasional ferocity of thunderstorms in the mountains.
And then you get the odd lenticular cloud formation. ET anyone?
As in New Mexico, the odd thumb of rock still appears.
The clouds and sun dance again, changing to brown the golden hue of the grass.
The house on the hill commands the heights, and is master of all it surveys. The view must be marvelous.
After all that space and grass, we arrive in Denver to catch rush hour…and Mile High Stadium. Go Broncos!