On The Road to Rt. 66 - Exploring Albuquerque
/It is our 6th day traveling Rt. 66. We’ve been averaging over 300 miles a day, but today logged only 78. We spent it driving in and around Albuquerque!
Our first stop, the Sandia Mountains located within the Cibola National Forest.
We explored a bit first, checking out the ski slopes and hiking trails dipping in and out of the clouds. Quite an experience!
After a break from the high altitude, we ventured west to the Petroglyph National Monument. This National Park contains more than 20,000 images carved in stone - some recognizable as animals or people, others more mysterious.
Archeologists estimate most of the images were made 400 to 700 years ago by the ancestors of today’s Native people. Some images, however, may be 2000 to 3000 years old.
In our limited amount of time we were able to hike 3 short trails and see dozens of petroglyphs. One can only imagine the significance these images represented hundreds, perhaps thousands of years ago.
Our day ended with dinner in Albuquerque’s Old Town at a charming Mexican/American restaurant. The vibrant colors of the sunset over the mountains were just a taste of things to come as we leave the "Land of Enchantment," and continue our road trip west tomorrow.
Next stop - Flagstaff Arizona!