Chama River Brewery

Today was the High Desert ARC Social "feed".  The 4th Saturday meal had been at breakfast.  Today, it was changed for variety as a lunch.  The locale was the Chama River Brewery, Near Pan American Highway & Jefferson in Albuquerque.

The brewery has a limited menu, typical pub fare.  Good food, decent selection, and reasonably priced.

I started with a pint of their Amber Ale.  Very tasting ale, not too "hoppy".  A pleasant beer.  My meal was their "Build Your Own Burger".  I splurged with cheddar, bacon, and fries.  Washed down a second pint of ale.

Was an enjoyable lunch for the 15 members and spouses that attended.  Thanks Marcie for arranging.

Spare Bedroom

Information for my friends - the spare bedroom is now furnished.  Full-sized bed, night stand, lamp, clock radio, small TV, DVD player, 6 drawer chest of drawers and a walk-in closet.  The closet is about half filled with overflow from my move.

Anyway, ready for visitors to the Albuquerque area.  My house is in Rio Rancho.  There are lots of things to do in the area.  Downtown ABQ is about 25 minutes away at the junction of I-25 and I-40.  Amtrak serves Albuquerque via the Southwest Chief running from Chicago to Los Angeles.  Air Travel is through the Albuquerque Sunport, just South of downtown.  We also have the New Mexico RailRunner commuter train from Belen (South of Albuquerque) to downtown Santa Fe.

There are lots to see for history buffs - Spanish occupation, Civil War, ghost towns, Historic Route 66 are a few things to mention.

Give me a shout.  Would love to have you visit.

El Camino Restaurant & lounge

Sunday, I processes my photos from the drive on the Quebradas Back Country Byway.  Even had time to create the web site and changing one in the New Mexico section - a special page to back country byways.  Did not want to get out to find a place to food, decided at the El Camino right next to the motel.

Had a very inexpensive serving of meat loaf, mashed potatoes, corn on the cob, and roll.  Washed it down with a bottle of Alaskan Amber Ale.

Monday morning I stopped by the motel breakfast bar for some cereal, apple juice, and coffee.  Head out to shoot photos.

I started feeling ill a little before noon while stopping at the Winston General Store.  Got the chill.  The gatorade I bought came back up at couple miles down the road.  By the time I got back to Socorro, I was getting sick.

Spend the night in and out of the bathroom.  Bad case of diarrhea. Was able to drive back home without having any problems, but the problem was not gone until late morning.

I do not know it my problem was the food or a 36 hour bug.  In anyway, it was not fun.  As soone as my system was cleaned out, I started feeling better.

Cuchillo, Winston & Chloride, New Mexico

After shooting the birds at Bosque del Apache I drove South almost to T or C.  Headed West & North on NM 52.  This route took me to 3 ghost (or nearly ghost) towns.  The first of these, Cuchillo, is only a few miles of I-25.

Like many so-called "ghost towns in New Mexico had a mixture of abandoned buildings and others just holding on.  Yards are full with junker cars and other previously valuable items. They attest to broken dreams.

From Cuchillo, it was about 25 miles on a winding road.  At the junction of NM 52 and Republic Road you will find the village of Winston.  The only thing that gives a sign of any prosperity is the Winston General Store.

At the junction, make a hard left and head down Republic Rd, and follow the signs for Chloride.  At the end of the road you will find a interesting little village with much history and plenty of tongue-in-cheek humor.  I should have stopped in to see the museum .  Maybe another time.

At the Winston General Store I stopped to use the rest room and get some fluids.  Also, I wanted to get information about road conditions further North towards the VLA (Very Large Array).  The clerk at the store said it is 59 miles on a dirt road and seemed to disway me from driving this by myself.

At this same time, I started getting the chills.  I could feeling a bug had taken hold in my body.  With that I decided to high-tail it back to my motel in Socorro.

I spent the rest of the day, overnight, until early morning, nursing a bad case of intestinal discomfort. 

Bosque del Apache

Early rise and out of the motel to hopefully catch the morning flight of birds. I was driving NM 1 out of San Antonio.  There were a lot of photographers just into the refuge.  I stopped and took many frames of the snow geese as they leave the pond for their food spots.  It was a chilly morning (about 18 degrees) but there where a lot of birders out.  As the flocks dwindled I head over to drive the refuge roads.  There were more snow geese at the South end where I photographed some a previous visits.  On the North loop were many sand hill cranes.  Was able to get close enough to get a couple good photos.  Also go some great shots of other geese.  Was a productive photo shoot.