The title comes from my eldest son, who in his jesting manner simply asked the question, "when does your and dads sacred quest end?" A simple question meant to ask "when will you guys be home", instead becomes the title for my post.
Twenty nine years of marriage molds you together, you become like a favorite pair of slippers, or a warm blanket, to each other. You pay no real attention to these slippers, or this blanket, perhaps washing them from time to time, or dusting off the dirt, but you put no real effort into them. You simply acknowledge, somewhere in the depths of your thoughts that these things make you comfortable. Now there is nothing wrong with this, but one must be aware that it can lead to taking your loved one for granted. I know I have been guilty of this over the years.
So we set out, early Thursday morning, with a hastily packed vehicle, enough food for simple meals and a grand dog named Samson. We headed north. We were both excited, eager to just get away from mundane life and see the beautiful outdoors. I was unaware at the time just how many blessings God had in store for us.
We headed north to Chama, New Mexico and visited the two beautiful lakes there. We stopped at El Vado for some fishing. Looking down on the lake we could see huge fish swimming around. My husband fished while I entertained Samson the dog, who believed all water was created for him to frolic in, and that any and every stick, up to the size of trees, were created and placed for him to retrieve. His first step into the lake was a shock, for he was more accustomed to the beaches of Washington, where Melanie often took him to play, and as he stepped out into water that was over his head he panicked a bit, his front legs flailing about, his back ones desperately seeking the ground, but after a few moments he got the hang of it and was swimming like a champ. We played for a bit, then walked the shoreline. I found several shell fossils which I placed in my pocket and we headed back to sit with Nef as he fished. He had several bites but no luck with catching anything. The huge fish just swam around uninterested in anything he had to offer.
We packed up and headed to Lake Heron, normally a huge beautiful lake, but the levels were very low with the years of drought and we decided not to stop.
We began searching for our first camping spot along the beautiful Chama River. We picked a old side road and headed down into the valley. As we traveled it looked as if we might be spending our first night in the middle of nowhere in particular, but finally we broke free into the river valley and found a beautiful campsite right next to the river, with beautiful red cliffs above. The river was bubbling over rocks and sang it's pleasant relaxing song. Black Billed Magpies were abundant and you could hear their calls and watch them as they flew about the cliffs. The valley was filled with numerous wildflowers. It was a breathtakingly beautiful place.
I sat in camp that evening and read from the Psalms, and was in awe of the majesty of God, and of the wonder of creation, of how beautiful the world is. I was humbled to think that He created it for us to enjoy. In awe of His goodness.
We slept that night in peace, with the river singing and we awoke to another glorious day. Oh how good is fresh percolated coffee on a mountain morning next to a flowing river! We had a breakfast of bacon and eggs, enjoyed our coffee and somewhere during that time it begin to lightly drizzle. Since we were deep in the valley and the road out steep and unkempt, we decided to break camp and head out.
We traveled through the Apache reservation on a quest of lakes, visiting Stone Lake, and Stinking Lake, both turned out to be small lakes surrounded by grass. We did not stop at either. We continued on our way to Dulce, New Mexico, admiring the beautiful scenery along the way.
Near Dulce, New Mexico, one of the mountain tops had rock formations that looked like a castle.
It had drizzled all day, so we decided to head back to Chama and find a motel room for the night rather than setup camp in the rain. We spent the night in a tiny room, built in the 40s, with a very quaint shower, a tiny little television and a comfortable queen size bed. We had dinner at a local restaurant and Samson and I took several little walks about Chama. That evening Nef and I along with Samson walked about the Chama Steam Train Station and had coffee and then we chased Samson around inside a local gift shop as he slipped his collar and decided to explore on his own.
The next morning we grabbed some breakfast from a local cafe and headed towards Taos. As we drove through the mountain pass we were in the clouds, with fog so thick at times you could barely see. We sang the Misty Mountains song from The Hobbit.
Far over the Misty Mountains cold
To dungeons deep and caverns old
We must away ere break of day,
To find our long-forgotten gold
The pines were roaring on the height
The winds were moaning in the night
The fire was red, it flaming spread
The trees like torches blazed with light
On silver necklaces they strung
The flowering stars, on crowns they hung
The dragon-fire, in twisted wire
They meshed the light of moon and sun.
We stopped at the Rio Grande Gorge and decided to walk out on the bridge. Samson was a little freaked out by the height and the traffic passing on the bridge. I managed to take a couple of pictures before everything went wrong. As we were walking off the bridge, intending to put Samson in the car, he panicked and slipped his collar, running out into the middle of the bridge and stopping traffic. He then headed to the little open air market on the side of the road and gallivanted about visiting many people before we were finally able to recapture him. We decided that it was time to continue our journey.
We headed out into the Sangre De Christo (Blood of Christ) mountains, named by the Spanish conquistadors as they gazed upon these beautiful mountains at sunset and the mountains were all ablaze in red.
We headed into Valle Verde on our way up to the Rio Costilla Park. There are no words to describe the abundant beauty we encountered and the photos although beautiful, do not do justice to the splendor we viewed. Our Creator is an awesome God, and I could not help but think of heaven and how wonderful it must be, for He tells us in His word that we simply cannot imagine the wonders in store, and I looked upon these views and thought how can anything be more amazing than this?
We made camp by a stream, with a ring of tall pines encircling our tent, and another ring of tall pines encircling our campfire. Looking out at the huge forests of tall pines, densely packed together and reaching to the heavens I was reminded of Elisha.
"Then Elisha prayed, ‘O LORD, open his eyes and let him see!’ The LORD opened the young man’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire.”
That night we sat at our campfire and gazed up through the opening above us into the night sky, so filled with stars that your eyes simply could not take it all in. That next morning I sat and gazed through that same opening at the clouds colored as the sun rose.
We traveled up a high mountain road, to a lake called Little Blue, it was a hard long climb and upon reaching the top you have to hike in about 1/4 mile to the Lake, which was a beautiful deep crystal clear lake. Nef fished while Samson and I explored. The scenery was spectacular. Nef pulled out his limit of two big fat trout, which we had for supper that evening.
We reluctantly left the Rio Costilla park, vowing to return as there are numerous mountain lakes we did not get to see, these require planning and time as there are hikes involved in getting to them. It was a beautiful place and one we highly recommend if you are in the area. I imagine we could have spent a month here and never seen all there is to see. We were told of one of the high lakes, which is a pretty good hike in, that has a beautiful waterfall. The man describing it to us said it was "like heaven to behold". We intend, God willing, to go back and see this place for ourselves.
We headed out upon a dirt road through the Valle Verde, and traveled almost 40 miles winding up and down the steep mountain passes. We reached an altitude of just short of 10,000 feet. We stopped for lunch at a small lake.
As we came out into civilization again, near Questa, New Mexico, I got a craving for a Root Beer, and asked Nef to stop should he see a place that might have one. As we traveled past a little store, I teased him for failing to stop. A short time later we past yet another small store, and once again I teased him for failing to stop. He had forgotten my desire for a Root Beer and he pulled over and turned around and headed back. Upon entering this tiny little store and informing the owner of my desire for a Root Beer, I was amazed to discover that they carried Boylen's Root Beer, and not only that they carried Bolyen's Birch Beer! Now Birch Beer is my all time favorite and not something you often find in New Mexico. I purchased four bottles and left the store excited with my find! God had a lot of blessings for us on this trip but I was amazed to be blessed with Bolyen's Birch Beer in the middle of nowhere New Mexico!
We traveled through Red River, which is another place that we intend to revisit, it has a multitude of things to do and see. Our main reason for visiting it was nothing more than a childhood memory of the song Red River Valley, and of my dad singing it.
From this valley they say you are going,
We will miss your bright eyes and sweet smile,
For they say you are taking the sunshine
Which has brightened our pathways a while.
Come and sit by my side if you love me;
Do not hasten to bid me adieu,
But remember the Red River Valley,
And the girl that has loved you so true.
I've been thinking a long time, my darling,
Of the sweet words you never would say,
Now, alas, must my fond hopes all vanish?
For they say you are going away.
Won't you think of the valley you're leaving,
Oh, how lonely and sad it will be,
Just think of the fond heart you're breaking,
And the grief you are causing to me.
From this valley they say you are going,
When you go, may your darling go too?
Would you leave her behind unprotected,
When she loves no one other than you.
As you go to your home by the ocean,
May you never forget those sweet hours,
That we spent in the Red River Valley,
And the love we exchanged 'mid the flowers.
I have promised you, darling, that never
Will a word from my lips cause you pain,
And my life, it will be yours forever,
If you only will love me again.
They will bury me where you have wandered,
Near the hills where the daffodils grow,
When you're gone from the Red River valley,
For I can't live without you I know.
Our intentions were to camp along the Red River, but as we traveled it there was nothing that called out, most spots were either highly congested, or too close to the main road, and the river was more like a brook than a river, so we kept traveling and considered whether we should just head for home when we came upon a sign for Lake Cabresto and decided to check it out. We drove along a road with numerous cabins and houses, some of them pretty unique.
I was expecting that our last campsite would be nothing like the previous ones, as we traveled up a high mountain road, more like a jeep trail than a road, and as the road twisted this way and that and I observed the nondescript campsites along the side I expected to settle for something far less spectacular than we had previously enjoyed. Once again I failed to remember that God was abundantly blessing us on this journey. We arrived to the top and found a beautiful mountain lake.
We headed out the next morning, traveling back into Taos and then following the Rio Grande all the way to Sante Fe. We sipped the last of our Birch Beer and agreed that it had been the very best of times.
As we traveled the last part of our journey, along I25 from Sante Fe home, one we have taken countless times, even then God had blessings in store, for He painted the sky with the most beautiful clouds.
Our journey came to an end. Although there are no profound words within this post, no amazing insights, only this simple truth. God is good. He created all things for our pleasure. He delights in providing even the most simple things for His children. He is trustworthy and true. He gives peace, He gives joy. He demands us to "be still, and KNOW that He IS God.
I give thanks to You, Father of life, Giver of good, my Rock and my Salvation, for this wonderful time with my husband, this scared quest. We found peace, we found joy, we found each other and most of all, we found You.
"When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: 'Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!' 'Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!' Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, 'Teacher, rebuke your disciples!' 'I tell you,' he replied, 'if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out."---Luke 19:37-40 NIV
(I heard the rocks and trees and lakes and streams crying out their praise to God. It was not an audible sound, it was a soul sound. I think most folks know that sound, your soul hears it when you look out at a spectacular view, when you see something that just stirs the soul....)
"You alone are the LORD. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all the starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you."---Nehemiah 9:6 NIV
"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard."---Psalm 19:1-3 NIV
"For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God."--Romans 1:20 NLT