Suggestions on how to spend a few days?

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08-16-2005, 12:08 AM
blue

NM - western Texas

Hello everyone!

I am new to this forum and I hope I can get some good suggestions from you.
I live in Europe and have visited the US many times - I am an amateur photographer and love seeing new things.
After a business trip to San Diego in mid October, I want to make some time (2-3 days) before leaving for Europe from Atlanta.
I was thinking to make my way east from San Diego by plane and get a car rental somewhere in between either for a round trip or a one-way trip, before ending up in Atlanta.
Since I know a little already about the area west of Phoenix/Toucon and east of New Orleans, I thought of exploring "the bit in the middle".

- for exceptional ideas I might extend the time
- I would also consider any other flight/drive combination
- I have some Delta airmiles left and can cover whatever I don't drive
- I could even do somthing really crazy like flying to Hawaii or Alaska and do a road trip there (only my start and finish points are fixed)

I would appreciate suggestions from you all.
08-16-2005, 09:05 AM
Mark Sedenquist

Big Bend

Quote:

Originally Posted by blue

I am new to this forum and I hope I can get some good suggestions from you.

Welcome to the Forum.

Quote:

I want to make some time (2-3 days) before leaving for Europe from Atlanta. Since I know a little already about the area west of Phoenix/Toucon and east of New Orleans, I thought of exploring "the bit in the middle".

Big Bend NP near Terlingua is a pretty amazing place for early morning and late afternoon light. Be sure to stay for dinner at the Starlight Theatre.

I think I would fly into Albuquerque and then make a radial roadtrip with time in Santa Fe, Taos, & Eagle Nest before heading to the south and heading for White Sands National Monument and then on to Big Bend.

Mark
08-17-2005, 02:13 PM
blue

Thank you very much. It took me a while to find some information on some of the spots you mentioned, but I like the idea. I liked it so much, I instantly mapped out a route - only to find that I would have to "do" about 3000 miles in 3 days.
Now my new plan is to extend the time to one week and focus on the northern part of NM, thus giving Big Bend and Carlsbad Caverns a miss. Do you think that is forgivable?
08-17-2005, 03:19 PM
NH87

Welcome!

Nice to see another Swiss citizen online! I am also from Switzerland, but temporarily living in the States..

NM is a wonderful idea! Being an avid photographer, you might also want to conisider heading up towards Utah, or Wyoming to see Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons (although you probably get enough of mountains living in the Swiss Alps!)

Nicholas
08-18-2005, 05:06 AM
blue

@NH87

Thanks for your message.

I have been to all the places you suggest on previous trips. Now I am trying to fill in the most attractive ones of the gaps I haven't seen yet.
And NM seems to be it!
I had considered ending up in San Antonio TX, but the time is just too short (and one-way rentals just too expensive).

Greetings to Palm Springs

Klaus
08-18-2005, 10:29 AM
lhuff

Don't Miss Mesa Verde

It's in Colorado, but just barely. I took a trip similar to the one you're thinking about three years ago. The drive along I-40 to Route 666 (its name changed the next year and I can't remember what it's called now) through the Navajo Reservation and into Southern Colorado was breathtaking. My sister got some beautiful pictures with a throw away camera, so I imagine a real camera would produce spectacular shots along that route.

Have Fun!
08-18-2005, 02:24 PM
blue

Thanks - Mesa Verde was already on my list!
The road is called US-491 now. Which stretch was the interesting one? I was planning to drive Gallup - Canyon de Chelly (AZ) - Shiprock (NM) - Mesa Verde thus avoiding the southern part of 491 (formerly 666).
08-18-2005, 07:13 PM
Robert Schaller

Your route

Your route as stated is a great one -- you'll enjoy it. Also, no problem on missing Carlsbad and Big Bend -- sometimes you have to make choices. They're both great destinations, but there's plenty of others in the NM area and you can save something of the USA for another journey!

One suggestion, as you leave Canyon de Chelly, take the back road over the Chuska Mountains via Tsaile (along the north side of Canyon del Muerto), then south to NM SR134 and over to Shiprock that way. Beautiful road, along the high elevation backbone of the Navajo Nation. There's some nice trout fishing at Wheatfields Lake, if you want to get a permit from the Navajos for some fishing.
08-19-2005, 10:39 AM
blue

Great Forum!

Thanks Bob,

I noted your suggestions - it is difficult to plan a route with a map only.
That's why I like this forum.

BTW, I just saw the pictures of your recent motor bike trip - phantastic!

I started use a friend's "MS Streets & Trips" software for mapping the trip.
If anybody would care to critique/comment on the trip, I would post/mail it.

Thanks for your interest.
08-19-2005, 10:44 AM
lhuff

The whole thing

"Which stretch was the interesting one?"

For me it was the whole road. We pulled over probably a dozen or more times because we just had to take a closer look or get a picture.

The route ModeratorBob sounds really interesting I may have to do that one day.
10-30-2005, 02:17 AM
blue

Great Trip - thanks for the suggestions!

Hello everyone,

this is just to say thankyou for the suggestions.
I followed your advice and did a week starting and ending in Albuquerque last week - and what can I say - it was one of the best road trips I have ever undertaken.
Here is what I did:
Albuquerque - Sandia Peak - Turquoise Trail - Santa Fe (+) - High Road to Taos - Taos (++) - Enchanted Circle - Rio Grande Gorge Bridge (++) - Chimney Rock - Mesa Verde (+++) - Navajo Route 13 & Shiprock at sunset (+++!) - Canyon de Chelly (+++) - Navajo Route 7 to Ft. Defiance - Gallup - Socorro - V.L.A. (++) - Route 12/180 - Silver City - White Sands (+++) - Route 70 Hondo - Route 380 - Lincoln (+) - San Antonio - Albuquerque.

All together just under 2000 miles and I shot about 1000 pictures, which I will have to sort out in the next few weeks.

Time of the year and weather were perfect - if anyone needs more details from me, please let me know.
10-30-2005, 02:29 PM
Mark Sedenquist

Thanks for the update

Quote:

Originally Posted by blue

I followed your advice and did a week starting and ending in Albuquerque last week - and what can I say - it was one of the best road trips I have ever undertaken.

That sounds perfect. Glad to hear it went so well. We are working on the RTA RoadTrip reporting tool and expect to have it ready for "kicking the tires" next summer.

Mark