Las Vegas, NM to Silver City, NM and Tucson, AZ

September 2 - 3, 2021: 

I take route 25 south from Las Vegas, NM to route 41 south which travels across a wide open range area, quite beautiful in places to Moriarty, NM where I stop for a lunch break at a Pilot truck stop (not so beautiful).  I then continue south on route 41 through Estancia, NM to route 60.  

I then head west on route 60 to the town of Mountainair, NM where I visit the Salinas Pueblo National Monument Visitors Center.  

I then remember that I had seen these pueblo ruins on a map months ago and had wanted to visit them, but had forgotten about it, that’s happening more and more these days.  I am quite surprised that the visitors center was open and I am able to get information on the missions.  Two of the pueblo Mission sites are located nearby, Quarai Mission 8 miles away off route 55 and Abo Mission 12 miles away off route 60.  I decide they are a must see, I’ll stay overnight in Mountainair if need be.  Mountainair is actually an attractive and historic small town with a artsy downtown.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salinas_Pueblo_Missions_National_Monument

This is a fascinating cultural and scenic area

A beautiful mosaic mural on the wall of a downtown Mountainair gallery

She was a fabled spiritual and political advisor to King Phillip IV of Spain

I head to the Quarai Mission first which traveled through a small hispanic village with an old church, San Vicente de Paul Iglesias Catolica, built in 1878. There were several old adobe houses and a business with several classic cars and trucks behind locked gates.  

The Quarai Mission has a small visitors center and a 1/2 mile loop trail around the ruins with interpretive signs.  Tiwa speaking Indians migrated to this area before 1300 and established these Pueblos.  It is believed that from 400-600 people lived here in the 1600's. Spainish Fray Juan Gutierrez de la Chica came here in 1628 and started construction of the church.  By the 1670's the people of Quarai were suffering from drought, disease, famine and attacks from other hostile tribes which resulted in them moving to other areas.  In 1677 the mission was abandoned with Fray Parraga locking the mission doors, climbed into his wagon loaded with the church bell, sacred vessels and his personal effects and traveled north with the remaining Tewa people to other pueblos to the north.

      

The Pueblo appears similar to a condominium complex in this artists rendition 

Truly amazing how they built these towering structures by hand in the early 1600's

Surrounding the church were many pueblo buildings and Kiva

I then traveled to the Abo Mission off route 60 which has two trails, a 1/4 mile and a 1/2 mile trail with interpretive signs.  The Tompiro speaking Pueblo Indians first occupied this site around 1150 and it became a trade center by 1400.  Franciscan priests arrived here to christianize these people in 1622 and Spanish records from 1640 indicate that 1500 people were then living here.  However, the pueblo was abandoned in the 1670's, perhaps the Spanish were not so well received ? 

The day everything changed

Artist rendition of Abo Mission

It was a huge impressive structure

Church interior

The thickness of the walls

How these structures were built in the 1600's is mind boggling

I then return to Mountainair, the only issue being that there were no open restaurants, although later I did find a poor looking diner a few miles away.  No problem, I have plenty of food and cook two ears of corn that I had bought a few days earlier (not so fresh) in Boulder, CO.  I felt I could overnight about anywhere in Mountainair with no problem and I park on a street practically next to the police station for the night.

https://www.newmexico.org/places-to-visit/regions/central/mountainair/

Beautiful mosaic 

Interesting store, med's and ice cream ?

Mountainair is a railroad town with the frequent sound of long freight trains 

I was hoping that the Rosebud Saloon would be open, but it wasn't

I was also hoping that the Shaffer Dining Room would be open, but it wasn't

I loved the look of this old closed garage across the street

 In the morning, heading for Silver City, NM, I take route 60 west through beautiful red rock country parallel to the BSNF railroad line which is very busy.  I then get onto route 25 south passing through Socorro, NM and then make a stop in Truth and Consequences, NM for fuel and lunch.

This has always been a transportation corridor

Then a long uncrowded highway

I eventually come to route 152, the most direct route, and also perhaps the slowest route to Silver City, NM but definitely the most interesting route.  It also passes through the interesting old mining town of Hillsboro, NM.  I have driven through Hillsboro a couple of previous times, it’s an old mining town with a bit of an alternative culture vibe.  It would be a great place to live, but it is far removed from about everything.  It also has a great small museum, the Black Range Museum,  which has always been closed on my previous past throughs.  This time it was open so I stopped and had a guided tour, they have done an outstanding job building this museum and have a good collection of local artifacts.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillsboro,_New_Mexico

https://www.sierracountynewmexico.info/attractions/hillsboro-new-mexico/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Range

http://blackrange.org

Much of Hillsboro and the museum centered around Sadie who was quite a character

Dan and David found the gold in 1877 and everything changed

The Warm Spring Apache became the prominent tribe 

These Apache leaders somehow survived all the conflict

Margaret Reid was a remarkable woman

She became known as the Angora Goat Queen

The famous Ladder Ranch now owned by Ted Turner

Artifacts from the ranch

Sadie became a prominnet business woman

Sadie in her youth

Sadie in later years at her Orchard Hotel

Tom Ying worked as a cook for Sadie Orchard for many years eventually taking over the cafe and operating it successfully for many years.  They found much of the original cafe items in the building that now houses the museum.  He lived in Hillsboro until his death at the amazing age of 104 years old. 

Tom Ying Cafe tickets and other items

The original cookstove and several other cafe items remain 

I had sort of forgotten that this route to Silver City takes you through the Gila National Forest, the Black Range.  It is a very steep, hairpin turn laden two lane road up into the mountains and over Emery Pass and then down an equally steep and curvy downhill.  It is a beautiful drive and there are many small turnoffs for views and to relax from the stress of the drive, I have driven it before in an RV, much worse, I am wondering how I did that now ?  The last time I came through here was after a huge forest fire, everything was burnt, it’s nice to see how fast the forest has recovered.

The old highway bridge remains adjacent to the new bridge

The bridge spans a deep river canyon

View from the road 

It's remote wild country

After getting out of the Forest, the rest of the drive is a piece of cake, but there are many remaining steep hills passing through several immense mining areas.  Several entire mountains have been stripped bare, quite remarkable, as this area has been mined continuously since Spanish days.

Finally, I arrive in Silver City about 4 PM, it seemed like a very long travel day.  I park easily and walk along Bullard Street checking out the sights, the last time I was here was in 2016 ?  The town hasn’t changed much, still the same artistic vibe, it's a favorite place.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver_City,_New_Mexico 

A welcome sign

The original El Sol Theater built in 1934, now a performing arts center

The Silver City Press building

I hope one day to see this old bar restored

Always a favorite mural of mine 

I was drawn to the vibrant paint in contrast to the old victorian architecture

Corner of the Palace Hotel

This building has many great mosaic covered windows

Many beautiful buildings in Silver City

Beautiful old theater building

I eat at a favorite Mexican restaurant, the Jalisco Cafe, still as good as I remember.  The Little Toad Brewery is also still open and they have live music scheduled from 7-11 PM, that’s my game plan. 

The band “The Senators” actually is very good and there is a large crowd in attendance.  The Little Toad is about the only live music venue open at present, very sad for such a liberal, free spirited, artistic, college town as Silver City.  The brew pub has expanded to another room and an outside patio where the band is playing.

I spend the overnight on a street in the downtown, very quiet and peaceful.  In the morning, I go for breakfast then check out a downtown car show and do a last minute pass down street where I buy a new $12 straw hat. 

A late 30's Chevrolet that was beautifully restored 

The hispanic car guys always add artistic nostalgic elements that I love

The ride out of Silver City on route 90 over the Little Burro Mountains is scenic passing another huge mining area and then on to Lordsburg, NM.  

Lordsburg, NM is most depressing, almost every business on Main Street including all motels are closed and boarded up, it looks like a ghost town.

I had to pull over for this view

Back in Arizona at the route 10 rest stop

 I then get on route 10 west which is an easy 140 mile drive until you get to the most scenic Texas Canyon area with the out of this world rocky landscape.  I think everyone stops at the adjacent rest area just to take a better look and a few photos.  It’s then all downhill into Tucson with escalating development and traffic congestion.

I arrive home about 3 PM, it’s really hot, close to 100 degrees, but I’m tired and it feels good to be home, for a while ?

The End