New Mexico

 After Mesa Verde we drove to Albuquerque, New Mexico.  We had two routes to chose from and decided to go through Durango, Colorado.  The drive to Durango was beautiful.  I found it difficult to see why the Anasazi people would chose to live in the cliffs and farm on top of a plateau when the valley was so green and beautiful.  Anyway, I would chose Durango and we've decided that will be a trip all it's own.  We stopped for lunch there and I wanted to stay.  Unfortunately, I think we had only traveled 40 miles and at that pace, we can't get anywhere!  The views changed dramatically after Durango, almost exactly at the border to New Mexico.  Suddenly, it was dry and flat and dull.  OH, and the WIND!  Thank you New Mexico for reducing my pathetic 10.5 MPG to a gas gauge falling so rapidly you can watch it 7!  OH, the pain!  But good times!

In Albuquerque, we found a restaurant recommended by a dear friend that lived in Albuquerque.  La Placita has an amazing history and the food was incredible.  We all enjoyed our dinner.  There is a tree in the central dining area.  It use to be the inner courtyard for the house.  The courtyard is now covered, but the tree is alive and grows through the middle.  We stayed the night in our first Walmart parking lot...if you chose to do this, do not park by the big trucks.  They run their motors ALL night long, and they pull out early in the morning.  

I had to go back the next morning to take pictures of Old Town.  The buildings were amazing.  I was drawn to this old church.  It is still in use today.

We left Albuquerque that morning and drove through Roswell, New Mexico.  Yes, we went to the alien museum.  I think Trent might have enjoyed the most.  Cole thought the alien statues were neat and watched for them to move.  While I chased down children, Trent spent the time reading all the exhibits and by the time we left, he knew more of the crash than any of us.