Land of Enchantment

I booked the trip to New Mexico I was considering, and I'm approaching it with a mix of excitement and trepidation.

It used to be I'd take off on a solo trip to somewhere strange, with no reservations (of either the compunction or accommodation variety) whatsoever. I hate to think I've become cautious in my oldER age. But I do seem to spend more time considering the risks and consequences and such. It's not that I was ever particularly brave in, say, driving around France on my own. Rather I just didn't think too hard about it.

I'm also working really hard to restrain my tendency to try and see EVERYTHING. I have 7 full days and nights. In the old days that meant I'd do 2,500 miles or something. (Literally. My first solo road trip, up to the UP, was 2,000 miles in 5 days.) I mean, I've never been one to sit around and have a 2-hour lunch on vacation or while away 4 hours in single museum, but I think I can make some compromises.

Yes, there is a lot to see. But I'm pruning. The idea of going to Four Corners was intriguing. Just to stand in four states at once -- and do a quick series of FaceBook status updates from each -- held a lot of allure. But it's very far to go and there's very little else to see nearby and the landscape itself doesn't look too pretty.

Then there's the Very Large Array, which was featured in the movie Contact. Twenty-seven giant radio antennae pointed up at space! But my online research showed that they CGI'd a bunch of extra dishes into the background. It's still cool, but not quite the image I had in mind. And again, it's very far, and very remote.

So I'm gonna go slow (for me). I'm actually staying two nights in a row in one town, which is unusual. I'm going to savor stuff a little more, take little side trips, really explore things in some depth, and give myself time for more than a 30-minute hike here and there. This will be one trip where I will NOT be hiking at a fast jog, racing the setting sun because I've given myself less than an hour in a place that deserves a half-day.

I will see ancient Indian pueblos (including the oldest continuously inhabited settlement in the U.S.), old Spanish plazas, abandoned mining towns, beautiful canyons, high mountain towns. And MAYBE, just maybe, the RATTLESNAKE MUSEUM, with THIRTY species of LIVE rattlesnakes!!

Most of all, though, I'm really, really looking forward to seeing the stars again. It's been so long. When I went to the Grand Canyon 10 years ago it felt like I could touch the stars, they were so bright and close.

Now THAT's enchantment.