Sidetracked Charley

US 64 Going West   I have done a lot of blogs about the road to Raton. It is a lonely stretch of straight road shadows parts of the Santa Fe Trail. Wagon trains passed this way using the volcanic peaks as landmarks. I find it haunted not necessarily by ghosts of those who must have died between St. Joseph, Missouri and Santa Fe but haunted by the spirit of determination it took to load all their worldly goods and head into the unknown where few had passed, and even less had sent post cards to say they made it. There is no rush hour on this highway across the short grass prairie. But traffic on this particular day in the midst of the pandemic felt less than normal. Colfax county residents are finding other ways to deal with official business than go to the county seat in Raton. Raton is not in the center of the county by a long shot. But because it was at one time when such decisions were made the biggest population center. That is rapidly being challenged with the demise of mining....

Over the top and into the valley Frequent readers of my blog may remember the Revealed Truth on the Road to Raton series. The road to Raton has a huge fire burning. The Ute Park Fire is the first time in my memory a fire was actually named for the place where it began. The Hondo Fire began in Lama, NM. I wanted to call it the Cinco de Mayo Fire because that was the day it began because a person burning their trash in a barrel went to get a beer with his buddies. May is a bad month for fires in New Mexico after a dry winter. The canyon walls   But because of the   Ute Park Fire  US64 is closed between Eagle Nest and Cimarron. And if you want to get to Raton or points east or north of Raton you have to go NM120 through Ocate to Wagon Mound. My first revealed truth about this route is I rather like it. My post office is in Ocate and if you turn south from the center of town you can get to La Cuerva and the raspberry ranch. I visit this area frequently but not to...

Buffalo on the Vermejo Park Ranch The herd which was close to the highway was about 47 to 50 in number and included several of this year's calves. Needless to say we were going for the up close and personal photographs. Aunts and Calf And there really was no end of opportunities. The grass was long and lush and the bison all had their heads down. The calves were curious and edged closer to the fence and the adults almost unconsciously covered them. The entire herd comprise of adult females takes care of the calves. It was very interesting to watch. The Gang of three We got so engrossed in the herd by the fence we did not notice at first another herd moving into the area in the distance. Herd Two in the distance Herd Three coming through the pass Off with the long lens and on with the wide angle. I walked back to the car to get my second camera already set up with the wide angle. Jessica Duke and Equipment Management Jessica's High Country Photog...