Our day was full of lucky choices, twists and surprises. My favorite kind of day.
We planned to go visit Georgia O'Keeffe's home and studio in Abiquiu, about sixty miles north of Santa Fe along Rt. 84. Around each curve and over each hill, we were stunned by the beauty of the scenery that spread out before us.
There were only a few structures along Rt. 84 so we picked the Abiquiu Post Office and the post lady directed us to an nearby hotel. The only way to tour O'Keeffe's property was to buy a ticket for $35 each and the tours were not available on Wednesdays. The manager sent us twelve miles north to the Ghost Ranch where O'Keeffe spent many years painting the landscapes. He suggested we visit a small museum and a visitor's center and maybe walk around.
At the entrance to the ranch, two horse trailers were parked and a dozen saddled horses waited restlessly for riders. At the brow of a hill, several cars were stopped ahead of us. We couldn't see what was happening, but waited briefly. When we moved again, we found a line of big trucks parked along the side of the road. Still puzzled, we rounded a bend and found a film crew making a movie! Racks of costumes, huge lights, fans, trailers, people with headphones, reflectors. It was crazy and such a shock!
The film crew we encountered on the dusty trail to Ghost Ranch.
They were making a pilot for a tv program and will return later to produce a movie.
We decided to hike the trail to Chimney Rock, three miles round trip and were so glad we did!
The view of the valley from the high cliffs
Resting along the trail
The trail began at 6500 feet above sea level and we climbed another 700 feet. The altitude was a bit too much for Steve who experienced some negative effects.
Afterward, we stopped at a gas station that clearly was the center of village life serving as the only deli, restaurant and general store in Abiquiu. We feasted on our first chili cheese fries and a turkey, bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich.
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