The mountains are beautiful as we clip down I-25. Denver –Colorado Springs – Pueblo – Walsenburg – Trinidad. All interesting in their very own way. The scenery gets open and rustic and makes you happy that Colorado is your home.
I have never been to Walsenburg or Trinidad. Both seem to be towns that development forgot. Grand old red brick structures, and I don’t get the feeling anyone has spent millions revitalizing. Has anyone ever heard of the Ludlow Massacre? A Bloody moment in our history. In April of 1914 the Colorado National Guard joined by the Fuel and Iron Company Guards, attached a tent colony of striking coal miners and their families. In that particular massacre 24 persons were killed. The miners retaliated in the following days destroying mine property throughout the 40 miles between Walsenburg and Trinidad. The death toll was between 69 to 200. Ludlow is now a National Historic Landmark and ghost town.
Next we hit Raton Pass which is beautiful. There is a small one gas-station- town of Raton, New Mexico where we stop for gas and I get to take this great picture of the Mesas Vista Motel. Unfortunately the cool sign outlasted the not so cool hotel. It looked a little dusty but they do accept personal checks.
Onto the Santa Fe Trail. We see signs warning of crossing deer, bear, elk and antelope but we only see the antelope. Not to ignore the avian population we also see prairie falcons, ret tail hawks, vultures, and one big eagle sitting in a tree waiting for road kill.
As the mountains give way to Mesas we pass the Fire and Ice Ranch which seems to go on forever. I would like to drive around the Fire and Ice Ranch, it would take a while for anyone to find you in that wonderful wilderness.
I’m not sure where Michael stashes all this great history or where he acquired it, but our next lesson is The Battle of Glorieta Pass which was a decisive battle of the New Mexico Campaign in 1862 during the American Civil War. The Union army which was made up mostly of Colorado Volunteer Militia prevented the Confederate army from marching north to the Rockies and occupying the west by burning their supply wagons. The Battle of Glorieta Pass is marked right outside the city of Santa Fe at the Pecos National Historic Place.
Santa Fe has leaked out of its terra cotta pot and become an adobe sprawl. The lovely square, art galleries, and way hip restaurants are all accessible from 5 exits off the highway.
Albuquerque is a giant big sister, but for us it served as an easy off, easy on, hotel and dinner stop. No complaints.
