On our last day, after a morning of shopping in town (where I scored a gorgeous rug and some fun dreamcatchers for my friends), I decided to explore the valley. I found a trail about a mile from our pueblo, and followed it down, down, down to some hot springs along the Rio Grande. I got my boots nice and dusty, dipped my hand in the Manby Springs, and even made a friend at the bottom of the gorge. After leaving him with his people and hiking back up, I took the jeep round some rough, winding, dirt roads over to the Jon Dunn Bridge. The weather was great, and the locals were taking advantage of the river for some fishing. It was a great sight to end the trip on. I’ve fallen in love with New Mexico, and now am even more looking forward to moving west.
I’m so thankful to have had the opportunity to join my dad and brothers for this trip. I was initially sad about missing iSXSW and the crazy, drunken Panama City Beach vacation my friends took, but I know now that I made the right choice for me. It was so fulfilling to be in the mountains, and my adventures even sparked some big ideas for me to pursue. I did hours of research to find the two trails I ended up exploring, and I don’t think that should be the case. I either want to take advantage of Google Map Maker (and potentially pursue a job with them), better documenting local and national trails, or create my own online resource that eases the experience of finding trails and all the information you need for a successful hike. It’s just a thought for now, but I hope to turn it in to something more over the coming months as I research for my road trip. I’m excited to find a potential project that brings out my passions, and I’m incredibly motivated to pursue it.
Wendes Gray 