Sabbatikos

Anticipating a late night at the Caroline Rose concert, we wisely booked late flights from Albuquerque back home. This gave us the perfect opportunity for one last adventure along the historic Turquoise Trail. This scenic route, rich with history and sage-dotted landscapes, winds its way through picturesque little towns and desert vistas between Santa Fe and Albuquerque. We were eager to dive into its charm, explore unique stops like the artist haven of Madrid, the quaint village of Cerrillos, and see the sweeping and dramatic views from Sandia Crest. It promised to transform a rather mundane trip back to the real world into a memorable exploration of more of New Mexico’s hidden gems.

Our first stop was Box Studio and Sculpture Garden, which was unfortunately closed. We then tried to access the adjacent Garden of the Gods, which isn’t open to the public but does have a pullout and plaque by the side of the road and some interesting rock formations. We continued into the nearby town of Cerrillos, which, being Monday, was deserted and everything was closed, making it a ghost town.

The next stop was the artist colony and hippie-town of Madrid (pronounced Mad-Rid, according to the local radio station, KMRD 96.9 FM). Again, as it was a Monday, almost every business was closed and the town, an oasis in the desert, was itself deserted.

We tuned our radio dial to 96.9 and listened as far as the signal would allow (which seemed to be about 5 miles).

Our next stop was the St. Francis de Assis church in Golden, NM which dates from 1839. We didn’t see a single soul (or ghost) while in Golden.

Our advice to anybody traveling the Turquoise Trail and wanting to explore galleries, stores, and restaurants, is not to do it on a Monday. The trail was dead quiet.

Clara spotted a curious place on the map called Tinkertown, and its name piqued our interest, so we decided to make a stop. What we discovered far exceeded our expectations. Tinkertown is a fascinating folk art museum nestled in the Sandia Mountains, meticulously crafted over 40 years by artist Ross Ward. The museum is a magical labyrinth of hand-carved figures, intricate and interactive dioramas, and vibrant murals, all created from recycled materials and heavily influenced by his time painting circus and side-show canvases and banners. Each corner of Tinkertown told an intricate story, inviting us to slow down and inspect the idiosyncratic details he imbued in his art. Our spontaneous detour turned into an unforgettable highlight of our trip.

After our eccentric adventure at Tinkertown, we drove to the top of the Sandia Crest for the most breathtaking sights. As we ascended to the summit, which stands at an impressive 10,678 feet, we were rewarded with a panoramic view that was nothing short of spectacular. From this vantage point, with precipitous cliff under us, we could see the sprawling cityscape of Albuquerque below. The Sandia Mountains has been occupied for centuries by many who must have appreciated their dramatic grandeur.

In the distance, the Albuquerque International Sunport glinted under the New Mexico sun, reminding us of our impending departure. This extraordinary vista was our final stop in New Mexico and offered a perfect, awe-inspiring farewell to our Santa Fe adventure before we headed home.