New Mexico Vacation Directory 2016

VAC AT I O N

D I R E C TO RY T M

travelnewmex.com • summer/winter 2016

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CONTENTS

Local isn’t a place.

CHECKING | SAVINGS | LOANS SERVING NEW MEXICANS SINCE 1958

800.983.7328 | SECUNM.ORG 2

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It’s a promise.

LO CA L C O N F I D E N C E

6: Northwest New Mexico’s Charm 6: A View From the Top in Northeastern New Mexico 8: Santa Claran Hotel Casino Adds “Tasty” to Its Offerings 10: Southeastern New Mexico 10: Old and New Flourish in New Mexico’s Southwest Region 12: Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, Inc. 14: Bien Mur Indian Market Center: Be Dazzled!

16: Chama: New Mexico’s Mecca for Year-Round Fun 18: Enchanting Socorro: A Treasure Among NM Destinations 20: Continental Divide Offers Great Day Hikes 22: Inn of the Mountain Gods and Ski Apache 22: Neighborhood in Rio Rancho Now Open 24: The Art World at Ventana Fine Art 26: North-Central New Mexico 28: Roswell: Aliens and So Much More 28: Carlsbad: Caverns, Bats and a River Running Through It 30: Canines Part of the Family at ¡Andele! in Mesilla 32: Winemaker ‘Living the Dream’ at Rio Grande Winery 34: Experience the Enchanted Wine Trails of New Mexico 36: New Mexico State Parks 38: Top 25 Reasons to Visit Gallup All Year 40: Alamogordo: Film, Sand and Space 42: Alamogordo's Dome Theater 43: Pop a Pistachio: New Mexico’s Other Tasty Treat 44: The Candy Lady Has a New Location 45: Patio Dining at its Finest, Church Street Café 46: Directory of Events for Old Town 47: Burro Street Exchange 50: Drought-Crushing Winter Gives Anglers Renewed Hope 51: Beauty, Baths and Beyond: Sierra County Offers It All 52: Honoring Generations of Military Service Members 56: Farmington Equals Fun for the Whole Family 58: Taos Pueblo's Living Community Has Much to be Admired 60: New Mexico Wineries Blend Family and Heritage 61: Santa Fe: Hospitality and Southwestern Charm 63: Nature Park Answers the Call of the Wild 64: Enjoy Your Vacation AND Save the Planet at Vermejo Park 66: Take a Vacation, Take a Look, Make a Move to Santa Fe 68: Bloomfield: A Good Starting Point for the Four Corners 70: Route 66 Casino Hotel The New Mexico Vacation Directory is published once a year in May by Moon Dog Publishing, Albuquerque, N.M. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information presented in this guide. The publisher does not take responsibility for the accuracy or legitimacy of the advertisers’ messages or that of the guest writers/columnists or any aspect of the business operation or conduct of the advertisers in the magazine.

For information and advertising rates, call (505) 350-8695 or (505) 259-7969.

9400 Holly Avenue NE Albuquerque, NM 87122

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COVER PHOTOS ON LEFT IN ORDER FROM TOP TO BOTTOM: ROCK CLIMBERS, PHOTO COURTESY OF THE FARMINGTON CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU. HERD OF ELK IN CHAMA COUNTRY, PHOTO COURTESY OF CHAMA LAND AND CATTLE. BICYCLIST IN MOUNTAINS, PHOTO BY LERMANNIKA.

COVER PHOTO ON THE RIGHT: KAYAKER, PHOTO BY SIRDOUGLAS OF WWW.OURSERENDIP.COM.

PUBLISHERS

ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE

GRAPHIC DESIGNERS

WRITERS

MATT GANTNER WILLIAM HALSEY

SCOTT SIMMONS

ASHLEY CONNER DANA BENJAMIN

BARB ARMIJO MARTIN FRENTZEL

HORSEBACK TRAIL RIDES in Northern New Mexico with

Rio Grande Stables ~Since 1992~

888-259-8267

www.riograndestables.com

575-776-5913

lajitasstables@bigbend.net

Taos Mountains ~ Rio Grande National Monument Red River Fish Hatchery Trails ~ La Vista de Questa Taos Ski Valley ~ San Cristobal Canyon www.travelnewmex.com | SUMMER • WINTER 2016

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Image courtesy Dottie Lopez

HOP IN! We’re driving into the world of low ’n’ slow cars with two great exhibits and a summer full of events, including lectures, music, a symposium on cultural identity, poetry slam, and family art activities.

Lowriders, Hoppers & Hot Rods: Car Culture of Northern New Mexico NEW MEXICO HISTORY MUSEUM

May 1, 2016 – March 5, 2017 113 Lincoln Avenue, Santa Fe

Con Cariño: Artists Inspired by Lowriders May 21, 2016 – Oct 9, 2016 NEW MEXICO MUSEUM OF ART

107 West Palace Avenue, Santa Fe

Partially funded by the City of Santa Fe Arts Commission and the 1% Lodgers’ Tax.

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Northwest New Mexico’s Charm is Native, Historic and Picturesque The glory and beauty of Northwest New Mexico can be seen in its events, celebrations, historic sites and Native American culture.

Monument and Chaco Canyon National Historic Park. Nearby are the Salmon Ruins and Bloomfield, one of the prettiest small towns in New Mexico.

Gallup is also where you will find the 34th-annual Red Rock Balloon rally in December and the 95th-annual Gallup Intertribal Indian Ceremonial in August.

Another national historic site is the venerable Hubbell Trading Post that still sells new and old Native American arts and crafts, and conducts two heavily attended auctions each year.

This part of the state is home to Gallup, the self-proclaimed Native American jewelry capital of the world. If you doubt that, simply step into Earl’s Restaurant on Main Street, and while you await your food from a menu that spans New Mexican cuisine to good ol’ meatloaf, you will be visited by local Native American artists showcasing their jewelry and artwork.

Near Gallup is Zuni Pueblo, an enterprising place with the only Native American Main Street Program in the country. Gallup and Zuni form the center of Native American trading in the state.

In Farmington, another major city in this quadrant, locals can find plenty of moderately priced lodging close to historic areas such as Bandelier National Monument, the Aztec Ruins National

Chaco Canyon is a U.N. World Heritage Site that has a nine-mile loop featuring five ruins. Canyon de Chelly National Monument has ancient ruins of cliff dwellings. To the south, El Morro and Inscription Rock contain more than 2,000 historic petroglyphs and inscriptions carved by Spanish explorers.

Just across the Arizona border is Window Rock, the ceremonial center of the earth for the Navajo people and the capital of the sprawling Navajo Nation.

A View From the Top in Northeastern New Mexico Elevation in New Mexico automatically spells vistas. That is certainly what you will get in the northeastern region of the state. The large quadrant has varied terrain ranging from plains to the highest mountains in the state.

A good place for a visitor to start is the Pecos River and the village of Pecos. There you will see one of the most extensive ruins complexes in the state and have easy access to trout fishing in the mountain streams flowing into its river.

Drive around the mountains on Interstate 25 to the eastnortheast of Santa Fe, and you’ll be in storied Las Vegas, once one of the busiest and most raucous towns in the state.

Las Vegas is where cattle were brought from throughout New Mexico to be shipped to market. The town provided rest and relaxation for cavalrymen stationed at nearby Fort Union. It was also the first mercantile town in New Mexico, a convenient stop on the Old Santa Fe Trail, which began in Independence, Mo. Teddy Roosevelt came to Las Vegas to recruit the Rough Riders he led up Puerto Rico’s San Juan Hill in the Spanish-American War. These histories and many more can be found in the local museums.

BOURGUIGNON - “Lier, Belgium” • 18" x 15" • Acrylic, BROWN - “Morning Glow” • 24" x 30" • Oil AXTON - “Mountains in the Sea” • 20" x 24" • Oil, DAWSON - “The Monastery” • 15.5" x 17.5" • Pastel

Today the vibrant little city is home to New Mexico Highlands University, which began as a teachers’ college and has grown into a multi-disciplinary university. Las Vegas also is the site of an annual fiesta, two lakes and a historic preservation society that has helped to save the Victorian-era architecture of the town.

Saturday October 1 10 am – 5 pm

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North of Vegas are Fort Union and Cimarron, a fascinating village where Buffalo Soldiers and train robbers once mixed it up at the St. James Hotel. Some of the most gorgeous mountain scenery in the country can be found at Vermejo Park Ranch in Cimarron, where Ted Turner and his employees are providing Western hospitality to enthralled visitors.

PAUL-HENRI BOURGUIGNON • IRBY BROWN JOHN AXTON • DOUG DAWSON

VENTANA FINE ART 400 Canyon Road

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Santa Fe, NM 87501

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505-983-8815

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800-746-8815

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www.ventanafineart.com

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Santa Claran Hotel Casino Adds “Tasty” to Its Offerings Española Valley’s local casino adds “tasty” to its list of amenities. The Grill at the Santa Claran opened in late 2015.

The Grill at Santa Claran offers American and New Mexican cuisine for breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert. The Grill is ideal for everything from business breakfasts to family-friendly dinners and romantic dining.

Offerings include a selection of fresh salads, hearty sandwiches and hot delicious plates straight from kitchen’s grill. Specialties include huevos rancheros, prime rib and fish and chips. The Grill at Santa Claran is open Sunday through Wednesday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Thursday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

With the addition of the new restaurant, The Santa Claran Hotel • Casino has shaped up to be a destination resort that meets the needs of both locals and visitors far and wide. Santa Clara Development Corporation is the driving force behind the Santa Claran Hotel • Casino’s unique concept. The hotel and casino—combined with a Black Mesa Golf Club, the historic Puye Cliff Dwellings, Big Rock Bowling Center and Santa Clara Pueblo’s cultural events—make the Santa Claran a place for families to reconnect or romance to be rekindled. There’s enough to do in the hotel and casino or just outside its doors.

The total Southwest experience includes New Mexico historical attractions, great dining on site and nearby, gaming, shopping, a round of golf at the Black Mesa Golf Club in La Mesilla. It’s all a 30-minute drive to Santa Fe and about 40 minutes to Taos.

“We envisioned that the hotel would be the home base for people to get out there and enjoy an authentic New Mexico vacation,” said Adelmo M. López, marketing brand supervisor for the Santa Claran. “Offering a lot of outside opportunities, in addition to big-time casino gaming, was no easy task, but thanks to Santa Clara Pueblo, we think we have a lot to offer our guests.”

The Santa Claran Hotel • Casino is gaining in popularity.

Locals flock there, and thanks to New Mexico’s booming movie industry, word is spreading. The Netflix hit “Longmire” used the Santa Claran for various scenes. “The attention it brought was great. We really hope other TV and movie productions will consider us,” said López.

Northern New Mexico surrounds the welcoming hotel, which sits in the center of Española. The seven-story hotel has 124 rooms and 21 suites and a seventh-floor event space with panoramic views that will take your breath away. While the hotel is family friendly, its 16,000 square-feet of meeting and event space also makes it perfect for corporate meetings and events.

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The architecture and the inside décor provide a perfect mix of traditional pueblo and New Mexico style, and modern amenities make it luxurious. There are balconies, a large indoor pool with sun deck and a 24-hour fitness center.

Big Rock Bowling Center is a 24-lane center that hosts leagues and parties and is open seven days a week.

Other places to eat and drink include the Center Bar, serving cocktails and appetizers, and the Java Lounge, which proudly serves Starbucks coffee.

Perhaps one of the most beautiful attractions, and one that the Santa Claran promotes through self-guided and guided tours, is the Puye Cliff Dwellings, once the ancestral home of the Santa Clara people. This national historic landmark features early pueblo architecture, an 1800s Harvey House and an awe-inspiring panoramic view of Northern New Mexico.

There’s also golf at the Baxter Spann-designed 18-hole golf course, which has been ranked among America’s top 50 by Golf Magazine. The sandstone ridges and mountain vistas are truly something to behold.

The Santa Claran Hotel • Casino will celebrate its 15th anniversary in June. As its motto suggests, when you stay and play at the Santa Claran you “Escape to the beauty of the Southwest, experience the hospitality of Santa Clara Pueblo and discover more than you expected to find.”

For more information on any of the attractions, visit www.santaclaran.com.

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Southeastern New Mexico: Cowboys, Smokey Bear and Aliens

In the territorial days and into statehood, ranching occupied the bulk of Southeastern New Mexico. Then came the railroads. Since the late 1920s, this region has been an oil patch, so visitors will see drilling rigs and pump jacks while driving the highways en route to adventures that can include everything from skiing to spelunking.

The terrain in this quadrant ranges from the flat expanses of the staked plains on the Texas border to the Sacramento Mountains where the villages of Cloudcroft and Ruidoso are nestled.

Ruidoso in the winter offers refreshing mountain air and some decent skiing at Ski Apache. Inn of the Mountain Gods is a hot spot for gambling as well as other recreation, such as golf or relaxation at the spa. Additional gambling venues include Ruidoso Downs and the Billy the Kid Casino.

Those seeking a Western adventure need look no further than Hobbs, home to the Western Heritage Museum and where cowboys, ranches and a race track are on center stage.

To the west, Carlsbad has the world-famous caverns, with a newly refurbished elevator for better access to the caves.

North of Hobbs, you land in Portales, county seat of Roosevelt County and the home of Eastern New Mexico University.

Turn west at Artesia and travel through the mountains down to Alamogordo, Holloman Air Force Base and the fabled White Sands National Monument. Alamogordo is also where you’ll find pistachios.

To the north is Carrizozo, and east of ‘Zozo are the older reaches of Lincoln County: Capitan, the birthplace (and grave) of the original Smokey Bear; and Lincoln, the tiny village where Billy the Kid notoriously shot his way out of jail.

Finally, you can't leave the Southeastern quadrant without mentioning Roswell. If you are curious about UFOs or aliens, this is the spot aliens allegedly visited in 1947. Venture out for a short drive to nearby Bottomless Lakes State Park, where no UFOs have been reported.

Old and New Flourish in New Mexico’s Southwest Region The state’s historical landmarks dating back hundreds of years are plentiful in the southwest quadrant of New Mexico, but mixed in with the old is a new frontier that is waiting to be explored.

Plans are underway for commercial space travel at the fledgling Spaceport America near Alamogordo, with its two-mile long runway, the Spaceport Operations Center, and the Virgin Galactic “Gateway to Space” Hangar Facility.

This quadrant’s largest city is Las Cruces, a former railroad town and agricultural hub that’s now a science and tech center thanks to New Mexico State University. The quaint village of Old Mesilla, once a social gathering place because of its distinct central plaza, sits at the southwest corner of Las Cruces.

To see one of the state’s most unique and thriving industries, pay a visit to the village of Hatch, best known for producing New Mexico’s famous green chile.

Other places to see in this quadrant are Silver City, an old mining town; the Gila Wilderness and its Trail of the Mountain Spirits National Byway; Fort Bayard and the boot heel towns of Deming, Lordsburg and Columbus; the City of Rocks State Park just east of Deming; and the ghost town of Shakespeare near Lordsburg, where reenactments of frontier life take place.

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Step right up to see the greatest little big top ever made, handcrafted by the one, the only W. J. “Windy” Morris! yyy You will be astounded and amazed!

This miniature 1920s railroad circus includes a moving street parade, elaborate miniature wagons, sideshow, tiny tents, and big animals!

First time on view since 1986! yyy On view April 3–December 31, 2016 Public Opening: Sunday, April 3, 1–4 p.m.

Featuring amazing aerials, acrobatics, and antics of Wise Fool New Mexico. yyy NEW MEXICO RESIDENTS WITH I.D. FREE ON SUNDAYS. CHILDREN 16 AND UNDER AND MNMF MEMBERS ALWAYS FREE. Funding for this exhibition provided by the International Folk Art Foundation, the Museum of New Mexico Foundation and donors to the Exhibitions Development Fund. photograph by kitty leaken

On Museum Hill in Santa Fe · 505-476-1200 · InternationalFolkArt.org www.travelnewmex.com | SUMMER • WINTER 2016

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Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, Inc.

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Gateway to the 19 Pueblos of New Mexico®

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The Indian Pueblo Cultural Center (IPCC) is celebrating its 40th anniversary and recently unveiled a major museum renovation to the public. The new permanent museum exhibit, renovated for the first time since the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center opened in 1976, is called We Are of This Place: The Pueblo Story.

“The renovated museum is the culmination of years of working with our Pueblo communities to create a modern museum that does justice to our living culture,” says IPCC’s Cultural Engagement Officer Travis Suazo (Laguna, Taos, Acoma). “What this new exhibit says is ‘We are here, we have

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Bien Mur Indian Market Center: Be Dazzled!

Walk into Bien Mur Indian Market Center and experience Indian art, traditional and contemporary, in all of its diversity and beauty.

Bien Mur—the name means “Big Mountain” in the Tiwa language—has been an Albuquerquearea landmark for 40 years. It was named for the majestic Sandia Mountains that also gave their name to the Pueblo and its Sandia Resort and Casino.

The largest retail arts and crafts store in the Southwest; solely owned and operated by the Pueblo of Sandia.

-Authenticity Guaranteed-

Known for exceptional customer service, Bien Mur is a world-class destination for tourists and locals alike who are looking for high-quality, authentic, handmade Native American arts and crafts. Bien Mur is the retail marketing arm of Sandia Pueblo and its nearby resort, located north of

Inventory of the Bien Mur Indian Market Center:

Center. Or take the Rail Runner to the Sandia Pueblo Station and catch the shuttle.

Those buffalo on the prairieland outside? They’re also part of Sandia Pueblo, specifically, the 107-acre Sandia Buffalo Herd, a project established to help restore populations of this once-threatened animal. Indian tribes across the country are cooperating in the resurgence of the American bison, nearly exterminated in the mass slaughters in the 19th century.

Still, it is rare to have a buffalo preserve so close to an urban environment. You are encouraged to experience this magnificent animal in its natural setting. The herd’s westernmost rangeland boundary is near the parking lot east of the center. Photography is allowed from the parking lot without any special permits.

Albuquerque on the Sandia reservation. Take I-25 north to Exit 234 and turn east on Tramway Road, then turn right on Rainbow Road. The market is in the circular building next to the Bien Mur Travel

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Meanwhile, feast your senses on the grandeur inside Bien Mur Market’s lavish, light-filled, kiva-shaped showroom. Bien Mur Indian Market Center is a charter member of the Indian Arts & Crafts Association, a national organization of craftspeople, traders, dealers, museums and collectors concerned with the accurate imaging and marketing of Native American arts and crafts. The association’s members subscribe to a code of ethical business practices and are knowledgeable about the products they sell. That means you can be confident that you are buying genuine, Native American creations at honest prices. Many are extraordinary, one-of-a-kind pieces. All items have reliable quality. In the inventory at Bien Mur, you’ll find Hopi, Navajo, Zuni and Santo Domingo (Kewa) Pueblo jewelry; pottery; storytellers; Navajo rugs; Zuni fetishes; sand paintings; flutes, rattles and drums; war bonnets; moccasins; Pendleton blankets; Zapotec rugs; and American Indian books and music.

For more information about Bien Mur, call (505) 821-5400.

Hopi, Navajo, Santo Domingo, and Zuni Flutes, Rattles & Drums Jewelry War Bonnets Pottery Moccasins Storytellers Pendleton Blankets Navajo Rugs Zapotec Rugs Zuni Fetishes Books & Music Sand Paintings

Retail & Wholesale Association Membership

Bien Mur Indian Market Center 100 Bien Mur Dr NE, Albuquerque, NM 87113 505-821-5400 Monday – Saturday: 9:30am – 5:30pm Sundays: 11:00am to 5:30pm.

Call for seasonal hours.

www.sandiapueblo.nsn.us

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Chama: New Mexico’s Mecca for Year-Round Fun One of the best-kept secrets in New Mexico is the enchanting Village of Chama. At an elevation of 7,860 feet, Chama is nestled high in the Southern Rockies, just 120 miles north of Santa Fe.

PROUD SPONSOR OF

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The historic Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad steam trains leave the Chama depot daily from Memorial Day weekend to mid-October. Riding the railroad is a day trip of exhilarating mountain views and fall colors.

Fishing local trout streams and lakes is a leisurely pleasure and for a real experience, try fly fishing the Rio Chama, which runs the east side of the village. Hikers and mountain bikers find many trails, including the Continental Divide Trail nearby. The Sargent’s Wildlife Area surrounds Chama with meadows and trails for hiking and horseback riding. Hunting adventures with reliable guides are close to town.

10501 Lagrima de Oro NE Albuquerque, New Mexico 87111 (505) 293-4001 | www.LaVidaLlena.com

Chama has a lively western-style business district with lodging, RV parks and cozy dining establishments. Located at the junction of Highway 17 and U.S. 84 (take State Hwy 285 north from Santa Fe to Española, then take the “Chama Highway” 84 north), the Village of Chama is the perfect destination for anyone seeking scenic outdoor recreation.

Crowds gather in Chama for the famous Fourth of July fireworks display. The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad offers a fireworks train in the evening. Chama Days, the second weekend of August, is always fun with a softball tournament, family rodeo, dances and parade. Enjoy the Valley Studio Tour every Labor Day weekend and visit local artists.

Cool times in cool pines are the epitome of summer fun in Chama’s cabins and vacation ranches. For your safety and comfort, bring a light jacket or sweater for those cool evening walks, and check with the local ranger district before heading out to hike. Never travel alone and make sure you are adequately prepared. At these altitudes, the weather can sneak up on you.

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900 Loma Colorado Boulevard NE Rio Rancho, New Mexico 87124 (505) 994-2296 | NeighborhoodRioRancho.com www.travelnewmex.com | SUMMER • WINTER 2016

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Bosque del Apache

Enchanting Socorro: A Treasure Among NM Destinations Enchanting Socorro—the small city with a wonderful name—is a treasure among New Mexico destinations that lies just south of Albuquerque. Socorro means “help,” derived from

Dos Casitas en Socorro Bed & Breakfast Home Base For Your Adventures In Central New Mexico

575-835-2858 317 Eaton Ave., Socorro, NM 87801 DosCasitasEnSocorro@aol.com • DosCasitasEnSocorro.com

vertu

FINE ART GALLERY

Excellence In Southwestern Fine Art™

FEATURING CONTEMPORARY SOUTHWEST ART, SCULPTURE, JEWELRY

1ST SATURDAY EVENTS The first Saturday of each month our historic Hammel Museum is open to the Public from 9 am - noon Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array conducts guided tours from 11 am – 5 pm New Mexico Tech hosts 1st Saturday Star Party at Etscorn Observatory at 8 pm

the word ‘succor.’ That is precisely what Spanish settlers led by pioneer Don Juan de Oñate in 1598 received from the Pire Indians in the region. They had traversed a section of the Nuevo Medico Trail so arid and mean that the conquistadores had given it the name Jornado del Muerte, Journey of the Death.

Besides being the home of New Mexico Tech, one of American education’s best-kept secrets, Socorro is an outdoor recreation haven. Escondido Lake and Park offers fishing and camping, RV hookups, tent sites, bathrooms and potable water.

Box Canyon Recreation Area is a popular site for camping, hiking and rock climbing. Elephant Butte Dam and its recreation sites are to the south.

Locales for less strenuous nature walking also exist. In Socorro’s historic district, beautiful Elfego Baca Heritage Park is where you’ll learn about one of New Mexico’s legendary lawmen, and serene Isidro Baca Park honors Socorroans who served in the U.S. Armed Forces.

CINCO DE MAYO CELEBRATION – April 30th, Sedillo Park. Let’s celebrate! This year’s Cinco de Mayo Celebration is going to be fantastic. Live music, dancing, beautiful arts & crafts, delicious food. Fun for the whole family!

4TH OF JULY CELEBRATION – July 4th, New Mexico Tech Campus. This free outdoor festival featuring family entertainment, a lineup of some of New Mexico’s favorite bands, water slide and jump balloons, BBQ and other delicious food, and NM Tech’s Famous Fireworks Display at Dark.

Please bring your own chairs, shade and sunblock.

SOCORRO COUNTY FAIR & PARADE – August 31st-September 4th, Socorro County Fairgrounds.

A Labor Day weekend tradition, this event contains professional rodeos, exhibits, music, games, judged art, quilting, canning and more!

Visit the Socorro County Fair‘s website for more information.

SAN MIGUEL FIESTA – September 23rd – 25th, Socorro, NM. A decades long annual tradition, the San Miguel Fiesta is always a hit! Enjoy excellent music, delicious food, arts & crafts and much more! Contact (575) 835-2891 for more information.

FESTIVAL OF THE CRANES – November 15th20th, Bosque del Apache. The 28th Annual Festival of the Cranes is a celebration of the winter migration of the sandhill cranes to the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge.

Avid birders from around the world flock to the Refuge to view the spectacular exhibit of fowl.

In person it is even more stunning.

There is also a thriving contemporary arts scene in downtown Socorro. The historic Hammel Museum is open from 9 a.m. to noon the first Saturday of each month. The museum started as a beer garden and, in the intervening century, became a brewery, an ice plant and a soda bottling plant. The ice plant closed in the mid-1950s and is now preserved and managed by the Socorro County Historical Society as a museum.

The national Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array, one of the world’s premier astronomical radio observatories, is located on the Plains of San Agustin 50 miles west of Socorro. It consists of 27 radio antennas in a Y-shaped configuration. Guided tours are conducted at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. on the first Saturday of each month. The VLA site and Visitor Center are open daily from 8:30 a.m. until sunset.

On the evening of each first Saturday, night sky observing is offered at Etscorn Observatory beginning at dusk on the campus of NM Tech.

2017 Events (Jan-April)

The Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge is an ornithologists’ paradise, where thousands of sandhill cranes (and the occasional whoopers), snow geese, bald eagles and other birds overwinter in fields and marshes each year. The Festival of the Cranes, just before Thanksgiving in November, celebrates the arrival of the “birds of heaven” with guided tours, unparalleled photography opportunities and lectures. Bosque del Apache is a true conservation success story.

EASY TO FIND ON SOCORRO’S HISTORIC PLAZA SO MUCH TO SEE AND DO — COME SPEND A WEEKEND Wednesday - Friday 10 to 6, Saturday 9 to 5, Sunday Noon to 4 102 PLAZA STREET SOCORRO, NM 87801 575-835-4487 sales@vertuarts.com www.vertuarts.com

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Other upcoming Socorro events include: • Chile Harvest Triathlon—July 29-30.

• Christmas Electric Light Parade and Luminarias on the Plaza — December 3, Sedillo Park.

• 23rd-Annual Enchanted Skies Star Party—October 26, Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array. All-day event.

• Hot August Nights—August 20-21, Socorro’s Historic Plaza.

• Socorrofest—October 7-8, Socorro’s Historic Plaza.

City of Socorro, (575) 835-0240; www.socorronm.gov; www.facebook.com/socorronm.

Socorro Events

21ST ANNUAL COMMUNITY ARTS PARTY

– February 4th, Finley Gym. Free Admission.

Hands-on Arts Workshops for all ages! Typical workshops include: Center-Piece Group Project by Founding Artist Rebecca Taylor Titus, aka Rodaki Deiner; Mr. Squiggly Coloring Me Pages; Tie-Dye; Pottery Wheel; Play Dough; Candle Dipping; Weaving; Masks; Jewelry; Sculpture; Banners; Valentine Cards; Decoupage; Cornstarch Mush; and lots more!!!

BATTLES OF SOCORRO CIVIL WAR REENACTMENT – February 24th-26th, Escondida

www.Socorronm.gov

Lake. A reenactment of the battle in which Brigadier General Henry H. Sibley led his force of 2,500 men across the Rio Grande and up the east side of the river to the ford at Valverde, north of Fort Craig, New Mexico, hoping to cut Federal communications between the fort and military headquarters in Santa Fe. ST. PATRICK’S BLUES FESTIVAL – March 18th, Sedillo Park. Fun for the whole family! Breweries, wineries, music, food| and arts •&WINTER crafts! www.travelnewmex.com SUMMER 2016 19

Continental Divide Offers Great Day Hikes Crossing the Continental Divide is a mission worthy of Lewis and Clark. The elevations range from 4,000 feet above sea level to 14,000 feet; the wildlife ranges from Montana grizzly bears to New Mexico coatimundi; and one would need to walk 3,100 miles to cross the United States along its backbone.

Imagine having the time to hike the whole enchilada—all five states, all 26 national forests, 20 wilderness areas, eight Bureau of Land Management segments and three national parks. Imagine the wildflowers, the scenic grandeur, the freedom from asphalt, concrete and traffic.

Members of Congress shared the dream in 1978, when passage of the National Parks and Recreational Land Act amended the National Trails System Act. Five trails were added to the system, including the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail. Although 50 years later it remains incomplete, volunteers and agency staff work on it annually as budget and manpower allow. Their work steadily aims at that dream of seeing this land along the trail that has been called a living museum of the American West.

A few hundred through-hikers do the complete journey every year, and many more take a segmented approach, taking it on a few days to a week or two at a time. Day-hikers, too, can enjoy their public lands heritage with whatever scraps of time they can devote to the route that separates the watersheds flowing to the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

SILVER CITY: THE GATEWAY

In the state of New Mexico alone, the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail crosses 650 miles, almost exclusively on public lands.

Silver City in southwest New Mexico is considered a “gateway community,” designated as such by the CDT Coalition, a nonprofit organization formed in 2013 to raise support for and awareness of the trail. The hope is that local citizens become trail visitors and stewards.

Silver City sponsors Trail Days events that inform people about the trail and engage folks in some light trail maintenance.

Day hikes along the CDT are available near Silver City. Brian Martinez, natural resources specialist for the Silver City District of the Gila National Forest, recommends day hikers visit the trail where it crosses the Burro Mountains, about 20 miles south of the city. There is a well-marked trailhead on the north side of NM90, and the trail leads to the top of Jack Peak where one can see into Mexico to the south and eastern Arizona to the west. Javelina, coatimundi and deer are among the wildlife commonly seen in the Burros.

Escape ordi nary

The CDT also is accessible off Bear Mountain Road (FR 853), where one may hike between Gomez Peak and Little Walnut Campground. The Gila National Forest is trying to keep all sections of the CDT to moderate hiking levels, Martinez says.

(continues on Page 26)

Explore History

Belen Harvey House Museum

Embrace Tradition

Miracle on Main Street

Experience Community

New Mexico’s Premier Resort Casino

Every once in a while, we feel the need to escape. To taste the good life. To find our lucky streak. To remember what life is all about. At Inn of the Mountain Gods, our epic alpine oasis is your perfect escape from the real world.

Annual Belen Balloon Rally

Call (505) 966-2730 or visit us on the web for information about Belen. belen-nm.gov 20

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FULL CASINO | LUXURY RESORT | FINE DINING | CHAMPIONSHIP GOLF InnoftheMountainGods.com

1-800-545-9011 Mescalero, NM near Ruidoso www.travelnewmex.com | SUMMER • WINTER 2016

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Inn of the Mountain Gods and Ski Apache Offer Adventure and Relaxation Nestled in a heart-pounding high-mountain setting of pristine, natural beauty, the Inn of the Mountain Gods has a well-earned reputation for its beauty and impeccable hotel service. Ski Apache’s reputation as one of the state’s best ski resorts remains as well. Now add a new dimension—zip line. Ruidoso has never been more inviting.

The Inn of the Mountain Gods and Ski Apache opened two distinct new zip line rides in 2015, and they have proven to be very popular with tourists and locals alike.

The Apache Eagle ZipRider at Inn of the Mountain Gods offers an exhilarating experience with incredible views of Inn of the Mountain Gods and Lake Mescalero. It is the shorter of the two lines, taking riders on a serene 2,668-foot trip across the waters of Lake Mescalero. Parallel cables allow riders to take the tour side-by-side as they glide over the lake and take in the scenery.

The majestic ride takes approximately three minutes and reaches speeds of more than 55 miles per hour.

Over at Ski Apache, the three-span Apache Wind Rider ZipTour offers guests a high-speed, high-altitude adventure for the most panoramic high-mountain zipping experience in the West. The Apache Wind Rider ZipTour starts at over 11,000 feet in elevation and tops more than 8,800 feet in total length. The first leg is more than 5,000 feet long and can reach speeds of 65 miles per hour. The next leg is 1,900 feet of thrilling ride from the top of the Elk Lift line to the top of Capitan. The last leg is another 1,700-foot ride that begins at the top of Capitan and finishes at the base of Ski Apache.

What sets the ZipTour zip line canopy tour system apart from other zip line canopy tours is the patented ZipTour® trolley, which ®

allows the customer to control speed of descent and overall ride experience.

The multi-stage zip line tour design allows guests to explore terrain via multiple zip line spans and short walks in between the spans. The braking technology of the ZipTour allows for cable spans that are longer, steeper and more dramatic than the typical zip line canopy tour. Instead of a four- to five-hour commitment to ride countless zip line spans back and forth down a portion of a mountain, the Apache Wind Rider ZipTour gives a full mountain exploration tour, top to bottom, in approximately one hour.

“The combination of these two separate zip line rides gives us the opportunity to provide our guests with a unique experience, rivaling any other zip line rides around the world,” said Director of Operations at Ski Apache, Justin Rowland. “From gliding over Lake Mescalero, to taking in the stunning views from the top of Ski Apache, our zip lines deliver a rush you won’t soon forget.”

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When visitors are done getting their adventure on, they can meet back at the Inn for all the comfy, cozy fun stuff, including mouthwatering cuisine for every palate, exhilarating gaming action, fine entertainment and breathtaking alpine scenery.

Situated high in the picturesque mountains of Mescalero, just outside of Ruidoso, the Inn of the Mountain Gods brings guests back again and again to enjoy the clean mountain air, stunning panoramic views and exciting gaming options.

New Mexico

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Neighborhood in Rio Rancho Now Open The Neighborhood in Rio Rancho, a new retirement community with a long-term care plan, is described as “A life plan community where ‘living’ and ‘planning’ merge.”

Planning started in 2013 when The Haverland Lifestyle Group, parent company of La Vida Llena Retirement Community in northeast Albuquerque, undertook the ambitious project to bring to New Mexico the future in retirement living. Before any dirt was turned, the company surveyed more than 30,000 seniors living in the state to identify what, exactly, they wanted in retirement living.

The results indicated that today’s seniors want: 1. an active lifestyle with opportunities for new experiences, education, travel, the arts, social activities and healthy lifestyle;

2. a well-equipped fitness center with an indoor pool and spa; 3. transportation services;

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Just 3 Miles West of I-25

4. a long-term care plan;

5. beautiful, spacious living with a full kitchen, plenty of cabinet space, walkin closets, large master bedrooms, and personal washers and dryers;

6. integration into the greater community with an emphasis on giving back and being socially responsible; and 7. gardens and a park-like setting.

The Neighborhood in Rio Rancho has all of these features and more. Many of the apartments were already reserved before opening, but there are apartments of varying sizes and locations still available.

For more information, contact The Neighborhood in Rio Rancho, (505) 994-2296, www.neighborhoodriorancho.com.

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UFO Festival

The Art World at Ventana Fine Art Ventana Fine Art has for 32 years been a prime attraction for art lovers who come to Santa Fe for a visit or to live. Located in a historic former schoolhouse on legendary Canyon Road, Ventana offers a tempting array of the finest original paintings and sculptures.

Contemporary and traditional works by established and emerging masters are displayed in nine spacious rooms Albert Handell and in sculpture gardens Santa Fe Gold 16” x 20” on all sides of the Item #13004 Pastel $7,800 historic building.

Painters John Axton, John Nieto, Albert Handell and Doug Dawson have been major draws for the three-plus decades of Ventana’s remarkable success. Nieto has been honored by major museums, including the Smithsonian Institution, the National Wildlife Museum, the Marine Corps Museum, the Booth Western Art Museum, the Heard Museum and many others.

Nieto’s universal appeal has won him collectors around the globe, Frank Balaam including Germany, France, India, Shelter of Balaam’s Wood 36” x 24” Item #16110 Oil $3,150 Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico and every state in the U.S. At 79 years old, Nieto continues to produce works of stunning originality, beauty and authority.

Handell and Dawson are widely respected teachers of painting, in addition to being prolific artists in oil and pastel. Both are authors of books on painting and frequent contributors to fine art publications; both have been inducted into the Pastel Hall of Fame, and both have won numerous honors and awards.

Tamar Kander Early Spring 36” x 36” Item #16568 Mixed Media $4,900

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Axton wins new collectors by developing new stylistic idioms and keeping earlier stylistic periods alive with always-fresh takes. Axton is a master manipulator of the oil medium, able to create every aesthetically pleasing texture, composition and color design that comes to his perpetually creative mind. From softfocus minimalism to the boldest non-objectivity, Axton

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Rebecca Tobey’s sculptures are known for the astonishing originality, beauty and meaningful power evident in every piece, from the smallest miniature to the monumental. Mrs. Tobey and her late husband, Gene, enjoyed a 20year artistic collaboration, during which they pioneered two concepts in sculpture that distinguish their work and have given it enormous appeal.

Roswell Events

Space cadets welcome.

shows a special genius in every painting and every phase of a truly remarkable career.

Cinco de Mayo Bring the entire family to this free event featuring live music, sporting events, vending booths and loads of fun. Don’t miss the Old Timer’s Balloon Rally, showcasing over 50 balloons.

May 7th - 8th Jennifer Davenport Together Forever and Ever II 60” x 48” Item #16293 Acrylic $10,000

Film Festival

Painters Jennifer Davenport, Barry McCuan, Lynne Windsor, Jean Richardson, Tamar Kander, Frank Balaam, Mary Silverwood, Paul-Henri Bourguignon and Gregory Smith all have unique styles and artistic ideations, coupled with technical brilliance that provides endless aesthetic enjoyment. John Nieto Dos Apaches 16” x 20” Interior and exterior Item #15045 Acrylic $7,500 sculptures by James Agius, Roger Martin, Obie Simonis, Malcolm Alexander, Michael Masse and Carol Savid bring grace, whimsy and sheer beauty to the mix. Paintings and sculptures on view at this must-see gallery please the eye and nourish the soul, making Ventana a complete delight in every season and for every reason.

Owner and director of Ventana Fine Art since 1983, Connie Axton is as passionate about community involvement as she is about her destination gallery on Canyon Road. She is an active member, past treasurer, current and past president, and frequent board member of ARTsmart; a founding member of the Canyon Road Merchant Association; and a member of the Santa Fe Gallery Association, the Better Business Bureau, and the Chamber of Commerce. She has been honored with the Mayor’s Award for her work with ARTsmart and was named to the Santa Fe New Mexican’s annual list of “Ten Who Made a Difference” for her John Axton contributions to the success of the Chaco Rain 40” x 30” Item #16285 Oil $7,000 many ARTsmart programs.

In conjunction with Roswell Movie Studios, this festival features international and short films, special events and panel discussions. Come enjoy three days of great films including Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Independent, Documentary and New Mexico-based productions.

May 19th - 21st

Hike It & Spike It Charity Football Tournament 21st Annual 4-on-4 Flag Football Tournament takes place Memorial Day Weekend. Roswell welcomes players of all ages and experience for this event.

May 22nd - 24th

UFO Festival UFO enthusiasts and skeptics alike are invited to join in this celebration featuring guest speakers, authors, live entertainment, a costume contest, parade and more.

SeeRoswell.com

June 30th - July3rd www.travelnewmex.com | SUMMER • WINTER 2016

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Continental Divide Offers Great Day Hikes (continued from Page 20)

ARE YOU TOUGH ENOUGH?

If you are looking for a good workout, the Rio Puerco Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management offers the Deadman’s Peak section of the CDT southwest of Cuba. Jamie Martinez, outdoor recreation planner for the BLM, says this portion of the trail is used for ultramarathon 50-mile events.

“This portion of the CDT is for the more experienced hiker,” she says. “It is mostly void of trees and there is very little water.”

The difficult hiking also offers some beautiful views from the tops of peaks and mesas, she says.

Tough hikers may reach the Deadman’s Peak segment by traveling northwest on U.S. 550 toward Cuba, then heading west on County Road 279. Follow 279 to the Torreon Road until you reach BLM Road 1102. Turn right on BLM 1102, and you will be at the trail.

Martinez is emphatic about carrying enough water to sustain yourself during the hike. It’s also a good idea to hike when the temperatures are cooler, both early and late in the day.

COOL HAND MUGZY

Jeff Mugleston is the go-to guy for New Mexico’s northern most trail segment near Taos. He is a seasonal employee of the Carson National Forest, and he has been working on the Continental Divide Trail since 2002.

Mugleston says he gets a lot of satisfaction when people stop him in a local grocery store and talk about their great experiences on the trail. Mugzy, as he is known by most of Taos County, says he sees a lot of hikers on the CDT in May and June if they start the trail at the southern end, and in October if they start up north in Montana. He says he has even encountered Europeans on the trail, people like “Mule Molly” from France who did the trail with two pack animals, and a pair of Austrians who did the trail on horses.

With the trail only about 70 percent complete, Mugzy cautions hikers that route finding can be a challenge. “They need to be pretty good with a map and compass,” he says.

He also recommends the app “CDT Hike” produced by the Guthook Company.

One of his favorite stretches of the trail is near Canjilon Lakes, but it’s closed now due to a tree-clearing project. “It’s also really pretty going either north or south of U.S. 64 near Hopewell Lake,” he says.

During the coming summer, the Continental Divide Coalition is sponsoring projects in the Carson National Forest and is looking for volunteers to help. Two week-long projects on Martinez Canyon have been scheduled, and if you want to spend your leisure time in the Living Museum of the American West, get on the coalition’s website, continentaldividetrail.org, and volunteer.

North-Central New Mexico: Home to Three Storied Destinations The large quadrant of the north-central and northeastern parts of New Mexico has, not surprisingly, an enormously varied terrain, ranging from the staked plains of the east to the highest mountains in the state to the Rio Grande valley. The north-central/ northeast quadrant is home to three of New Mexico’s most storied municipalities: Santa Fe, Taos and Las Vegas.

Santa Fe, of course, is known worldwide for its arts scene and its exotic (to many visitors) architecture. What is less well-known is that it is the oldest state capital city in the U.S. From the first European arrivals—Spanish colonists in the early 17th century— Santa Fe has always been the capital of New Mexico, which was called Nuevo Mejico on the first maps. It has remained the capital through Spanish colonial times, through the Mexican Republics and into U.S. territory and then statehood. Santa Fe also is the county seat of Santa Fe County, and as the state capital is the locale of many federal agencies. It’s no wonder that “government” in all its forms is a major employer. Right behind it is tourism.

Besides the many fine museums in the capital, you’ll find more than 200 restaurants ranging from streetside carts to white-tablecloth dining establishments and at least three neighborhoods full of art galleries.

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North of Santa Fe are the river valleys and ranges of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, where one of the oldest continuously inhabited housing entities—Taos Pueblo—sits just outside the arts-and-recreation village of Taos. Taos is where many of the state’s early arts pioneers—especially the famed Georgia O’Keeffe—started their New Mexico sojourns. The ancient village of Abiquiu to the southwest of Taos is where O’Keeffe lived and painted for many years.

Go around the mountains on I-25 to the east-northeast of Santa Fe and you’ll be in Las Vegas, once the busiest, most raucous towns in the state. Situated on the east side of the mountains at the point where they join the plains, Las Vegas is where cattle were brought to be shipped to market. Las Vegas provided R&R for cavalrymen stationed at nearby Fort Union.

Las Vegas was the first mercantile town in New Mexico, a convenient stop on the Old Santa Fe Trail that began in Independence, Mo. Las Vegas is where Teddy Roosevelt came to recruit the Rough Riders he led up Puerto Rico’s San Juan Hill in the SpanishAmerican War. These histories and many more can be found in the museums and events of Las Vegas.

Guadalupe National Park

Carlsbad Events Microbrew Festival on the Pecos Third annual Microbrew Festival on

Nature’s playground is calling.

the Pecos features tastings from local breweries, live music, specialty food vendors and more.

May 14th

Star Party Come to the Carlsbad Caverns National Park for summer evenings of stargazing and fun at dusk.

Jun. 4th, Jul. 2nd, Aug. 6th, Sep. 3rd, Oct. 1st & 29th

Car-A-Fair Outdoor car show featuring stock and modified vehicles of all makes, models and years. Sponsored by the Carlsbad Automotive Restoration Society (CARS).

June 4th

Dawn of the Bats Greet the day at dawn and witness hundreds of thousands of bats return to the cave entrance at the Carlsbad Caverns National Park.

July 17th

National Park Service Centennial To celebrate the 100th year of the NPS, the general entry fee at all National Park Properties will be waived. The Centennial Sunrise Service will allow visitors to view the sunrise from the top of the Guadalupe peak.

August 25th www.travelnewmex.com | SUMMER • WINTER 2016

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Roswell: Aliens and So Much More To a lot of people, Roswell is the place where, allegedly, an unidentified flying machine from elsewhere in the universe crashed in 1947. Supposedly, dead aliens were found. Then, to various true believers, the whole event was hushed up and called a weather balloon crash landing by authorities. Certainly the notoriety has been beneficial to Roswell, an otherwise unassuming farm, manufacturing, ranch and oil community on the staked plains of southeastern New Mexico. But there is so much more to this town.

The county seat of Chaves County, Roswell was the city that hosted the record-breaking skydive by Felix Baumgartner on Oct. 14, 2012. It’s flanked by Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge, a few miles to the northwest along the Pecos River and a place to see many gorgeous IFOs—Identified Flying Objects—in the form of ducks and other waterfowl from throughout the west.

Travel just 12 miles east on US 380 to the Bottomless Lakes, a state park for campers, hikers, swimmers, boaters and, unexpectedly in the high plains, scuba divers. Families will love the Spring River Park and Zoo, New Mexico’s only freeadmission zoo, which features a special fishing lake for children, exotic animals and an antique carousel.

Roswell also is an art center for the east side of New Mexico.

It’s where artist Peter Hurd grew up. Later in life, he lived to the west in the Hondo Valley with his wife, Henriette Wyeth Hurd.

Their work is featured at the Roswell Museum and Art Center, increasingly known in the art world for support of emerging artists through a residency program.

History buffs will like the Historical Center of Southeast New Mexico, a grand old house filled with area antiques, artifacts and a changing gallery of historical exhibits.

Roswell has a year-round slate of special events, including a grand Electrical Lights Christmas Parade that starts in the neighboring town, Carlsbad, travels south and winds up on the highway into Roswell on Thanksgiving weekend. There’s the Labor Day Pops concert and the Dragonfly Festival at Bitter Lake Refuge.

The annual Mike Satterfield Memorial Fireworks Extravaganza on the Fourth of July is everything you would expect in a town that has the only fireworks factory in the state. It is a big one!

Not to forget its claim to fame, Roswell also has its annual UFO Celebration on Independence Day weekend. Your visit would not be complete without a stop at the International UFO Museum and Research Center downtown. Pick up something green; make your own conclusions about the inexplicable crash of 1947.

Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, Inc.

A Great American Artist A Great American story

(continued from Page 12)

always been here.’ It gives visitors the tools to understand and learn from our history of strength and resilience.”

The new permanent exhibit represents all 19 Pueblo Indian tribes of New Mexico and builds upon the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center’s 40-year history of telling the story of Pueblo people in their own voices.

Later this spring, IPCC will debut a limited edition 40thanniversary Pendleton blanket designed by Jemez Pueblo artist George Toya. It will be available at Shumakolowa Native Arts inside the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center and online at Shumakolowa.com. On August 28-29, IPCC will mark its grand opening date (40 years ago in 1976) with a special birthday celebration.

To learn more, visit: www.facebook.com/IndianPueblo and www.IndianPueblo.org.

Georgia O’Keeffe, Black Hollyhock Blue Larkspur, 1930.

Oil on canvas, 301/8 x 40 in. Extended loan, private collection. © Georgia O’Keeffe Museum.

Galleries

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Home & studio

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museum store

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researcH center

www.okeeffemuseum.org

Carlsbad: Caverns, Bats and a River Running Through It Carlsbad is a warm and lively city in southeast New Mexico that is a wonderland for vacationers. First thing to do, of course, is visit world-famous Carlsbad Caverns, the colorful, fantastic underground chambers that have been delighting tourists and locals for more than 80 years.

Carlsbad Caverns National Park, created in 1930, is open every day except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s days.

Visitors to the cave can hike in using the natural entrance or take an elevator from the visitor center. The park is surrounded by White City, named for Jim White, the discoverer and explorer of the caverns. It was White who gave the most famous chambers their names—he dubbed them the Big Room, New Mexico Room, Kings Palace, Queens Chamber, Papoose Room and Green Lake Room. He also named many of the cave’s more breathtaking formations: the Totem Pole, Witch’s Finger, Giant Dome, Bottomless Pit, Fairyland, Iceberg Rock, Temple of the Sun, and Rock of Ages.

Star parties, with telescope access and programs about the night sky, are hosted by the park, often in conjunction with special astronomical events, such as a transit of Venus.

And there are the bats—17 species of which swarm out of and back into the bat cave daily. A program is given in the early evening at the amphitheater near the main entrance prior to 28

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the start of the flight, which varies with the sunset time. These programs are an excellent chance to learn about these surprisingly useful little critters. Flight programs run from Memorial Day weekend through the middle of October. Once a year, a predawn bat-flight breakfast is held where visitors can eat breakfast at the park prior to the morning return of bats.

Pure New Mexico

Building Albuquerque’s finest neighborhoods for 32 years.

If regional flora and fauna delight you, schedule a visit to Living Desert Zoo and Gardens State Park, a native wildlife zoo accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums that exhibits more than 40 species of animals and hundreds of species of plants native to the Chihuahuan Desert. While on the 1.3-mile, self-guided tour, you can explore Birds to Bison, a walk-through aviary; Never Cry Wolf, the habitat for endangered Mexican gray wolves; and the greenhouse where hundreds of succulents and cacti thrive. Go early—on the hottest afternoons, the animals tend to seek cool spots that make them harder to see.

Carlsbad, named for the Czech spa, is a river town. The Pecos runs through and, in fact, is the only river that crosses itself, thanks to the flume created by water managers a century ago. Riverside villas are prized and decorated beautifully during the winter holidays for the river cruising extravaganza called Christmas on the Pecos. It’s a homegrown event that brings out the hospitable warmth and charm of Carlsbad.

Rich Gantner, President 505-797-6655 • richgantner@lobo.net

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Canines Part of the Family at ¡Andele! in Mesilla When Andrea Schneider told her father she wanted to start a restaurant, he clearly explained that this was a lifestyle choice and if she went down this road she was going to have to live it and she was going to have to breathe it.

“He didn’t want me to sink a lot of money into a restaurant and then lose it,” she explains. Her father was a public accountant before retiring and had learned a thing or two about hanging onto money.

“For the first five years we were open, those were 15-hour days, seven days a week,” Schneider says. “I learned how to cook; I learned how to wait tables; I learned how to wash dishes.”

She already knew how to be a hostess after working a decade at another restaurant while attending school.

YAPPY HOUR

With her father’s support and guidance, the Mexican food restaurant ¡Andele! grew from a takeout window with a patio and three tables to two complete restaurants, a tortilla factory, two banquet rooms, a mercado and an award-winning salsa company run the last year-and-a-half by her sister, Rachel. In January 2016, Schneider celebrated 20 years in business, an achievement darkened only by the passing of her mentor and father, Philip, on Christmas Eve, 2014.

“I really miss him,” Schneider says. “We started this together, and I learned so much from him. Not just about running the restaurant, but about life.”

Schneider was somewhat overwhelmed by the recognition she received at the end of 2015. She was named Business Person of the Year by the Las Cruces Sun-Times that year, and the Ol’ Gringo salsa they produce won the New Mexico State Fair salsa

competition. The year before, it was the ¡Andele! brand that won at the fair.

“Yappy Hour” is another example of Schneider’s phenomenal success, a dog-friendly dining experience that became so successful and big it had to move to another venue. The patio at the ¡Andele!

Dog House, however, is still canine friendly. There is a fire hydrant near Delicious fish tacos, a house speciality. the door for scenting, bowls of fresh Photo by Martin Frentzel. water are served on the floor, and, of course, the menu includes hot dogs wrapped in bacon.

“Dogs become like your family, your child,” says Schneider, whose own four-legged pal is a Jack Russell terrier with too much energy to spend a lot of time on the Dog House patio. “He brings me his ball to throw when I am in the shower,” she says, illustrating the activity level of her canine companion.

HOSTESS WITH A BUSINESS PLAN

Human diners visiting the ¡Andele Dog House! have a complete menu to choose from and a serve-yourself salsa bar with a variety of flavors and temperatures to sample. The salsa company also produces a canine smoothie for a friend of the family, and at some point food products intended for four-legged customers may become part of the fare on the patio.

The Schneider family moved to Las Cruces from Dallas when she was in elementary school, and now she has spent more than half her life there. Her father’s goal was to get the family out of the big city, she explains, and he probably had no idea she would eventually become a restaurant magnet specializing in chile products.

The Mesilla restaurant where Schneider got her start as a hostess is still in business, and it’s a place where she thought she would work forever. When the original owner passed away, however, her plans changed and she began her stellar career. Instead of working to please customers for someone else, she started working to please customers for herself.

“I love what I do,” she says. “I love this business.”

She also loves Mesilla, although her two parking lots on Calle del Norte get a little crowded.

It’s best to plan on arriving early, or follow the big dog prints to the takeout window.

Customer Junebug gets a warm welcome from Andrea Schneider, owner of Andele’s Dog House in Mesilla.

Photo by Martin Frentzel.

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Visitors to Las Cruces, Welcome! ¡Ándele! Restaurante

is a locally owned, full-service restaurant located in "Historic Old Mesilla", New Mexico, serving the Mesilla Valley the finest authentic Mexican and Southwestern food for over 18 years. When it comes to top notch service and a one of a kind dining experience, stop in, unwind and order a meal you and your family will be talking about for years to come! You just might become a regular in no time at all.

Conveniently located in the Oñate Plaza in "Historic Old Mesilla", our restaurant has plenty of room for

parties big and small! Call ahead if you're planning on entertaining large groups, and our staff will make sure you're taken care of! Need to take the best Mexican food in town to go? We can handle that as well! Our friendly staff is waiting to take your order over the phone. Call now (575) 526-9333

Remember, ¡Ándele! Restaurante carries a wide selection of domestic and Mexican beer and also offer wine by the glass or half-bottle.

Call (575) 526-1271 to place an order!

We are pleased to announce the opening of the ¡Ándele! Dog House, our new restaurant located across the street from our current location at 1983 Calle del Norte. In addition to the exceptional food you've come to expect from ¡Ándele! you can find new favorites such as Mexican Hot Dogs and Chile Con Queso Burgers as well as draft beer.

Looking for an outdoor covered patio experience for you and your pets? Look no further than the ¡Ándele! Dog House! Enjoy large screen TV's, refreshing water spritzers, a centered fire

pit for cooler weather and lots of friendly faces everyday! Stroll in through the convenient rear entrance if your well behaved four legged family member will be joining you! The tostada chips are always warm, and the salsa bar is always SPICY at the ¡Ándele! Dog House, located just south of the main ¡Ándele! Restaurante building.

The Dog House will also be handling all to-go orders for ¡Ándele! Restaurante. Please call the Dog House at (575) 526-1271 to place an order. We have a pick-up window on the west side of the restaurant for added convenience. We welcome you to stop in, have a dog and watch the game on our big-screen TV, and see what everyone's barking about.

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Gordon Steel’s love of wine started at the tender age of 13, when his father allowed the youngster to start fermenting grapes at their home in Hatch. Today, Steel is living his childhood dreams as owner and winemaker at Rio Grande Vineyard and Winery some four miles south of Mesilla.

“I dreamed about this business all my life,” Steel says. “I worked on this for 45 years, and I finally got here.”

It took decades of travel and tasting, study and experimenting, but today Steel’s winery produces as much as 5,000 gallons of delightful wine capable of complementing anything from steak to a hot summer day.

THE WINES OF EUROPE

At 17, Steel had no way of knowing how he would achieve his dream. He had no land, no money and no vines. What he did have was a willingness to serve his country and a desire to see the vineyards of the world, so he joined the Air Force. Uncle Sam rewarded the lad by sending him to England and Germany.

All his leave was spent touring the vineyards of France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and even the Tuscan hillsides of Italy. Later, while stationed on the West Coast, he studied vineyard management and winemaking at the University of California-Davis and Washington State University.

Of course, the Air Force wasn’t paying Gordon to tour vineyards, so he paid his dues working as a medic and nurse, ultimately achieving the rank of major as Flight Commander for Aerospace Medicine. After 34 years, he retired and returned to the Rio Grande Valley to pursue the pleasures of a refined palette.

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Winemaker ‘Living the Dream’ at Rio Grande Winery

Winemaker ‘Living the Dream’ (continued from previous page)

and 10 acres that may grow anything from alfalfa to onions to lettuce or chile. The irrigation well is 300 feet deep, so the sporadic flows of the Rio Grande near Las Cruces don’t really impede grape or wine production.

Key to production, however, is the heat. “I am really turning sunlight into wine,” he says. “We have plenty of sunshine here in southern New Mexico.” The low humidity also reduces the blights and other diseases that can negatively affect the health of the vines.

In a good year, Steel’s vines can produce 3 to 5 tons of grapes per acre. A ton of grapes converts into 150 gallons of liquid sunshine, he says. A “good year” means there is no late frost in the spring, no summer hail storms, and little damage from birds and other pests. “We put up seven-and-a-half miles of netting to keep the birds off the grapes,” Steel says. “When we start harvesting during the second week of August, we start taking down netting at 5:30 a.m., and the labor contractors start picking grapes at 6.”

SAY SOME PRAYERS

The first grapes vineyards planted in what is now the United States were started near San Antonio, south of Socorro. Those vines were planted in the 1600s by Spanish monks and priests

who needed sacramental wine.

Historian that he is, Steel offers two Monks Reserve wines, and he is not above asking for divine intervention when tragedy befalls the vineyard. A hailstorm severely damaged his 12,000 vines just before harvest in 2015, and the remaining crop wasn’t large enough to cover the costs of using commercial grape pickers. Disappointed about his loss, Steel remembered an offer of assistance he had been given by monks who previously visited the winery. After a phone call and a few prayers, Steel’s pickers arrived and saved the day, meticulously plucking enough grapes for a lovely white that would honor San Isidro himself.

A tasting at Rio Grande Winery is $5, and Steel will guide you through the viscous “legs” you see in your glass and the dozens of wines he produces. If you can’t make the drive to Mesilla to explore the Rio Grande Winery and Vineyard, take a look at riograndewinery.com.

A Beautif�l & Unique Wedding & Reception Venue!

Twelve different varieties of grapes are grown on 10 acres at the Rio Grande Winery, and Steel also owns two acres of pecans

(continues on next page)

Carol Costello assists winemaker Gordon Steel at the Rio Grande Winery tasting room south of Mesilla. Photo by Martin Frentzel.

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575-524-3985 ◆ RIOGRANDEWINERY.COM 5321 HIGHWAY 28 ◆ LAS CRUCES, NM 88005 OPEN FRIDAY-SUNDAY ◆ NOON - 5:30 PM OR BY APPOINTMENT

www.travelnewmex.com | SUMMER • WINTER 2016

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N e w M e x i c o Wi n e r y M a p a n d L e g e n d 1: LA VINA WINERY

12: LUNA ROSSA WINERY & PIZZERIA

28: CASA ABRIL VINEYARDS

43: BLACK’S SMUGGLER WINERY

2: TULAROSA VINEYARDS

13: VIVAC WINERY

29: AMARO WINERY

44: SOMBRA ANTIGUA

3: ANASAZI FIELDS WINERY

13: VIVAC WINERY

30: FORT SELDEN WINERY

45: COTTONWOOD WINERY

4: LA CHIRIPADA WINERY

14: PECOS FLAVORS WINERY

31: PASANDO TIEMPO

46. SANTA FE CIDER WORKS

4: LA CHIRIPADA WINERY TAOS

15: CASA RONDENA

32: THE WINE SPOT IN SANTA FE

4201 NM HWY. 28, LA UNION, NM 88021 (575) 882-7632 #23 COYOTE CANYON RD. TULAROSA, NM 88352 • (575) 585-2260 26 CAMINO DE LOS PUEBLITOS, PLACITAS, NM 87043 (505) 867-3062

1119-8 HWY. 75, DIXON, NM 87527 (505) 579-4437 103 BENT ST., TAOS, NM 87571 • 800-528-7801

5: ST CLAIR WINERY

1325 DE BACA RD., DEMING, NM 88030 (575) 546-9324

5: ST CLAIR WINERY & BISTRO ALBUQUERQUE

1321 AVENIDA DE MESILLA LAS CRUCES, NM 88005 • (575) 526-2484

2075 STATE HWY. 68, EMBUDO, NM 87531 (505) 579-4441 1607 PASEO DE PERALTA , SANTA FE, NM 87501 (505) 983-6352 305 N. MAIN ST., ROSWELL, NM 88201 (575) 627-6265 733 CHAVEZ RD. NW LOS RANCHOS DE ALBUQUERQUE, NM 87107 (505) 344-5911

16: MATHESON WINE COMPANY

103 RIO RANCHO BLVD., B3, RIO RANCHO, NM 87124 • (505) 350-6557

901 RIO GRANDE NW ALBUQUERQUE, NM 87104 • (505) 243-9916

17: GUADALUPE VINEYARDS

5: ST CLAIR WINERY & BISTRO FARMINGTON

18: DOS VIEJOS WINERY

5150 E. MAIN. ST., FARMINGTON, NM 87401 (505) 325-0711

5: ST CLAIR WINERY & BISTRO LAS CRUCES

1720 AVENIDA DE MESILLA LAS CRUCES, NM 88005 • (575) 524-2408

6: MILAGRO VINEYARDS

985 W. ELLA, CORRALES, NM 87048 (505) 898-3998

7: CORRALES WINERY

6275 CORRALES RD., CORRALES, NM 87048 (505) 898-5165

8: PONDEROSA VALLEY VINEYARDS 3171 HWY. 290, PONDEROSA, NM 87044 (575) 834-7487

9: BLACK MESA WINERY

1502 STATE HWY. 68, VELARDE, NM 87582 (800) 852-2820

9: BLACK MESA WINERY/TAOS

NON-MEMBER

69 PECOS RD., TULAROSA, NM 88352 (575) 585-2647

19: BLACK RANGE VINEYARDS

10714 HWY. 152, HILLSBORO, NM 88042 (575) 895-5119

20: ACEQUIA WINERY

240 RECLINING ACRES, CORRALES, NM 87048 (505) 264-1656

21: BALZANO WINERY

5230 HIGHWAY 285, CARLSBAD, NM 88220 575-361-4993

22: RIO GRANDE VINEYARD & WINERY 5321 HIGHWAY 28, LAS CRUCES, NM 88005 (575) 524-3985

23: ESTRELLA DEL NORTE

106 N. SHINING SUN, SANTA FE, NM 87506 (505) 455-2826

24: DON QUIXOTE WINERY

NM4, LOS ALAMOS, NM 87544 • (505) 695-0817

01 CAMINO ABRIL, ALGODONES, NM 87001 (505) 771-0208 402 S. MELENDRES ST., LAS CRUCES, NM 88005 (575) 527-5310 1233 FORT SELDON RD., LAS CRUCES, NM 88007 (575) 647-9585 277 DANDELION RD. • CORRALES, NM 87048 (505) 228-0154 411 WEST WATER STREET • SANTE FE, NM 87501 (818) 371-0833

33: WICKED KREATIONS OPENING SUMMER 2016

34: SUNLAND WINERY NON-MEMBER

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48: NOISY WATER WINERY CELLAR UNCORKED

505 BURRO AVE. #105 • CLOUDCROFT, NM 88317 (575) 682-6610

50: JARAMILLO VINEYARDS

2355 CALLE DE GUADALUPE, MESILLA, NM 88046

36. HEART OF THE DESERT/ THE CORK & KETTLE

2801 SUDDERTH DR., RUIDOSO, NM 88345

37: CAMINO REAL WINERY

13 TOME HILL RD., LOS LUNAS, NM 87031 (505) 865-7903

37: CAMINO REAL WINERY/ ALBUQUERQUE 8470 FIRESTONE LANE NE, ALBUQUERQUE, NM 87113

38: GRUET WINERY

43 BRIDLE RD., CABALLO, NM 87931 (915) 491-9459

26: VINO DEL CORAZON

40: LOS RANCHOS WINERY

235 DON GASPER AVE., STE.6 SANTA FE, NM 87501 • (505) 216-9469

NON-MEMBER

27: LA ESPERANZA WINERY

NON-MEMBER

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2342 SUDDERTH DR., RUIDOSO, NM 88345 (575) 257-9335

36: HEART OF THE DESERT/MESILLA

7320 HWY. 54/70, ALAMOGORDO, NM 88310 (800) 368-3081

100 DE LA O, SAN LORENZO, NM 88041 (505) 259-9523

48: NOISY WATER WINERY

49: SANTA SIDRA/SF HARD CIDER

4100 DRIPPING SPRINGS RD. LAS CRUCES, NM 88011

39: SHATTUCK VINEYARD & WINERY

3710 W. PINE ST., DEMING, NM 88030 (575) 544-1160

117 COUNTY RD. A023, MORA, NM 87732 (505) 387-6660

36: HEART OF THE DESERT/ LAS CRUCES

25: ARENA BLANCA WINERY

12: LUNA ROSSA

47: LAS NUEVE NINAS WINERY

48: NOISY WATER WINERY CLOUDCROFT

7288 HWY. 54/70, ALAMOGORDO, NM 88310 (505) 434-0035

10: MADISON VINEYARDS & WINERY

233 HWY 551, BLANCO, NM 87412 (505) 632-0879

NON-MEMBER

36: HEART OF THE DESERT

241 LEDOUX ST., TAOS, NM 87571 (575) 758-1969

11: WINES OF THE SAN JUAN

1 EAST COTTONWOOD RD., ARTESIA, NM 88210 (575) 365-3141

2332 SUDDERTH DR., RUIDOSO, NM 88345 (575) 630-0037

NON-MEMBER

8400 PAN AMERICAN FWY. NE ALBUQUERQUE, NM 87113 • (505) 821-0055

NON-MEMBER

430 LA VINA RD., SE, CHAMBERINO, NM 88027 (915) 241-4349

35: ALAMITO WINERY

24: DON QUIXOTE WINERY

18057 US 84/285, POJOAQUE, NM 87506

25 WINERY RD., BOSQUE, NM 87006 (505) 388-8117

41: SKARSGARD FARMS

1730 CAMINO CARLOS REY #103 SANTA FE, NM 87507• (505) 424-6122

30 CAMINO NOPALES, BELEN, NM 87002 (505) 864-4754

50: JARAMILLO VINEYARDS AT HISTORIC BELEN CENTRAL HOTEL 114 BECKER AVE.,BELEN, NM 87002

51: NEW MEXICO HARD CIDER

3134 RUFINA ST., UNIT D, SANTA FE, NM 87507 (505) 455-2826

52: SISTERS PAINT & WINE NON-MEMBER

53: UNQUARKED - THE WINE ROOM 145 CENTRAL PARK SQUARE LOS ALAMOS, NM 87544 • (505) 412-4833

54: POINT BLANC WINERY NON-MEMBER

55: SHEEHAN WINERY

1544 CERRO VISTA RD SW ALBUQUERQUE, NM 87105 • (505) 280-3104

56: NM VINTAGE WINES

2461 CALLE DE PRINCIPAL • MESILLA, NM 88046 (575) 523-WINE

42: CORONADO LODGE NON-MEMBER

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New Mexico State Parks: YOUR Official Sponsor of Adventure!

(Copy provided by New Mexico State Parks)

Awesome – describes all 35 state parks. At Clayton Lake State Park you can explore one of the most extensive dinosaur trackways in North America. The 100-million-year-old dinosaur tracks can be seen up-close and personal. The best times for viewing are in the morning and the late afternoon. Signs in a sheltered gazebo and along a boardwalk trail provide extensive information about the dinosaurs and their environment. While you’re there, view the stars and constellations at the Lake Observatory. Clayton Lake State Park is designated as an International Dark Sky Park with exceptional starry nights.

Daring – adventures await in any one of 19 state parks with lakes where water levels are the highest they’ve been in several years. With plenty of water and room to camp on the beach, Elephant Butte Lake State Park has an amazing Fourth of July fireworks extravaganza. As the largest of the state’s lakes, Elephant Butte can accommodate watercraft of many styles and sizes: kayaks, jet skis, pontoons, sailboats, ski boats, cruisers and houseboats.

Volunteer – your time by joining the State Park volunteer program, which helps provide the quality experiences visitors expect. Volunteers include community volunteers, campground hosts, visitor center associates, maintenance volunteers, interpretive assistants, boating safety instructors, special events volunteers, archaeology site stewards, and presentation and tour guides.

1995 Three Amigas

Thrilling – encounters such as Rio Grande Nature Center “Butterfly on scuba diving, star-gazing parties, music concerts, marathons, butterfly finger.” Photo by Janelle Miller. events, birding, wind surfing, fun runs, fishing derbies, and guided hikes.

Unique – opportunities to capture the essence of Mother Nature and geology. Gorgeous sunsets and stunning night skies against mind-blowing rock formations await you at City of Rocks State Park in the Chihuahuan Desert.

Rejuvenating – comfort stations that provide clean, safe, warm showers close to your campsite. “U” can camp, and feel clean, rested and relaxed! When planning your next camping trip, consider reserving your favorite spot with all the luxuries of home!

Experience – adventures with your family and friends that you’ll never forget. Early morning hikes. Catching your first fish.

Jet skiing all afternoon. Roasting marshmallows and telling stories underneath the stars.

New Mexico State Parks is YOUR Official Sponsor of Adventure! We’ll see you soon at a park near you!

OFF

I C I A L S P ONSOR OF

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Where your Adventure begins!

N M PA R K S . C O M • 8 8 8 . N M PA R K S

EX

M

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Nature – is what you will find at the Rio Grande Nature Center State Park with exhibits

New Mexico State Parks

NEW

Hyde Memorial State Park “Kids Unplugging” Iphone 1545

Educational – for kids of all ages wanting to learn about wildlife, plant life, ecology, geology and other topics.

Explore, experiment and expand YOUR imagination.

Interpretive nature trails, guided tours and interpretive programs for every season and for the entire family– all teach kids to think, be creative and “unplug.”

New Mexico State Parks provides an up-close experience for “U,” our visitors, with a variety of fun interpretive programs for every season geared for the entire family.

describing the bosque and its plants, animals and ecology. The Discovery Room offers hands-on exhibits for children, including footprints in a sandbox and a rubbing table. The Observation Room overlooks a three-acre pond offering up-close encounters with ducks, geese, turtles and dragonflies. It also houses an in-house-only reference library with publications on birds, herbs, trees and other aspects of natural history.

And you can borrow park trail guides, binoculars and field guides at the Nature Center front desk.

ICO

KS

New Mexico State Parks protect and enhance natural and cultural resources, provide first-class recreation and education facilities and opportunities, and promote public safety to benefit and enrich the lives of visitors. That’s our mission and a fancy way of saying New Mexico State Parks is the official sponsor of adventure - YOUR outdoor adventure. But we can’t spell ADVENTURE without “U”!

R S TAT E PA

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NW

Top 25 Reasons to Visit Gallup All Year Gallup is a place where you can find adventure steeped in 12. Visit the largest culture at any age and any fitness level. This small western city is a destination for shopping, outdoor adventures and cultural excitement—and a hub for day trips and getaways throughout the fabled northwest corner of New Mexico. It has abundant, choice hotel rooms and delicious dining at multiple fine establishments.

Here are the top 25 reasons to visit Gallup: Year-round, Gallup is the acknowledged “Indian Jewelry Capital of the World.” Treat yourself to unbelievable bargains at the several trading posts still in existence or the many jewelry galleries.

1.

2. There are biking and hiking adventures galore.

3. Every evening Memorial Day through Labor Day, you can experience local Native American cultures through the free nightly Indian dances.

4. Get yourself “Cowboyed Up” during the Lions Club Rodeo, the largest amateur rodeo in the state, each year in June.

of New Mexico’s 19 pueblos—one of the famous “7 Cities of Gold”— and eat fresh-baked “oven bread” in Zuni, year-round.

13. Travel the

“Ancient Way Arts Trail,” and visit El Malpais and El Morro National Monuments along NM 53, a state scenic byway.

14. On a fabulous day trip, discover the way of life of the

Anasazi (“the Ancient Ones”) and some of what they left behind at the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Chaco Canyon.

5. Year-round, float through the Red Rock Canyons just east of

15. Spend a sunny afternoon in downtown Gallup enjoying the

6. If you’re an intense biker, compete in the world-class High

16. Share a big piece of authentic, fresh and hot Navajo fry

Gallup in a hot air balloon.

Desert Mountain Bike Trail in the “Dawn ‘til Dusk” mountain bike race, each year in May. Or enjoy the enchantment and endure the challenge of the incredible mountain bike race, “24 Hours in the Enchanted Forest,” home to the “USA Cycling 24 Hours Nationals” each year in June.

7. Watch the toughest cowboys take on the rankest bulls during the “Wild Thing Bull Riding Championship,” each year in July.

8. Have Christmas all year long by combining red and green chile on almost everything folks eat in Gallup.

9. Get to know many Native

cultures through award-winning art, traditional dance and storytelling at the Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial, each year in August.

historic sights and nine beautiful hand-painted murals. bread with honey and powdered sugar.

17.

At the Gallup Cultural Center and the Code Talker display at the Gallup McKinley County Chamber of Commerce, learn to appreciate what the legendary Navajo Code Talkers accomplished while serving our country in World War II.

18. In September, participate in the Squash Blossom Classic

half-marathon, or just take a leisurely run, on the scenic “High Desert Trail.”

19. Have a howling good time at the nearby Wolf Sanctuary.

20. Spend nostalgic time with the stars at the historic El Rancho Hotel, “Home of the Movie Stars.”

21. Get a great deal on beautiful Native American art while you enjoy some of our authentic Southwestern food.

10. Year-round, take an exhilarating 22. Escape to a cool place (even when it’s 90° in Gallup) at the hike and then take in a 360-degree breathtaking view at the summit of Pyramid Peak at Red Rock State Park.

11. Watch hundreds of colorful hot

air balloons sail through the brilliant blue sky and the red sandstone canyons of Red Rock Park during the Red Rock Balloon Rally each December.

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regional Ice Caves.

23. Take in the “Land of Enchantment Opera” in your best jeans, boots and cowboy hat.

24. Bargain hunt and meet locals at the Gallup Flea Market.

25. Spend time in a real trading post, somewhat changed but not forgotten in Gallup. (Tip: Ask them to show you what’s in the back room.)

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Alamogordo: Film, Sand and Space Just beyond the iconic sparkling dunes and filming locations of the White Sands National Monument awaits a whole new world of adventure and discovery in the city of Alamogordo. A railroad town founded at the turn of the 19th century, this natural basin was formed when an underwater geological dome collapsed and ancient seas receded. Present-day Alamogordo, a southern New Mexico gem with a population of just under 32,000, is now surrounded by military and aerospace installations while still providing many windows to honor its historic past. Alamogordo welcomes travelers and offers breathtaking sunrises and sunsets within a warm and mild desert climate.

For the modern-day Western historian, the town of Alamogordo features the Tularosa Basin Historical Society Museum, where you can flash back to the Old West heritage days of “Billy the Kid” and the “Badlands of New Mexico.” And when you are done wandering among the old Western cowboy relics, go directly west across White Sands Boulevard at 10th Street to the Alameda Park Zoo, founded in 1898 and the oldest zoo in the Southwest.

For nature enthusiasts, there is much to see and do. Soaring to 9,000 feet, the surrounding Sacramento Mountains offer a majestic backdrop where you can savor wine under clear skies and indigenous pines. Fulfill your sense of adventure and ski or hike the trails of the Lincoln National Forest, experience camping at the Oliver Lee Memorial State Park, and discover 21,000 rock

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White Sands National Monument

writings at Three Rivers Petroglyphs.

Visitors also have access to nearby Native American lands and casinos as well as local wineries and lush pistachio groves.

If science and space history is more your thing, visit a few “out of this world” attractions. America’s race to space of the late 50s and early 60s paved the way for White Sands Proving Ground (now White Sands Missile Range) to become “the” testing facility for this era in history. The New Mexico Museum of Space History’s John P. Stapp Air and Space Park proudly houses many artifacts tracing the history of American space exploration. The museum and its IMAX movie theater are also sure to stimulate the scientific mind with space artifacts and IMAX science films.

A change of pace is invigorating.

When booking reservations, check for military discounts.

True adventures await the active and curious traveler in Alamogordo. To discover more, visit Alamogordo.com or call 800-826-0294.

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(Copy provided by New Mexico Space Museum)

In the early 1980’s, the New Mexico Museum of Space History proudly opened the Clyde W. Tombaugh IMAX Dome Theater & Planetarium – a state of the art facility and the only one of its kind for hundreds of miles. Named after the discoverer of the smallest planet, the theater boasted one of the smallest domes in the world with eye-popping clarity and an up close and personal experience enhanced by futuristic surround sound. Visitors were amazed and flocked to see it.

Almost 40 years later, that system is severely outdated and the wet film it uses is nearly extinct so on May 15, 2016, the theater will temporarily close for the installation of the world’s first Spitz Scidome 4k Laser fulldome planetarium projection system. It will replace the existing IMAX projector and the old “starball”.

The grand “re-opening” of the theater is scheduled for July 1, 2016 and not only will the theater itself sport a brand new projector system, but it’s also getting a new name – the New Horizons Dome Theater and Planetarium, after the NASA spacecraft that recently flew by Pluto. The building that houses the theater will be re-christened as the Clyde W. Tombaugh Education Center to more fully reflect its role at the museum.

The opening weekend of the New Horizons Dome Theater will feature the recently released large format movie Journey to Space, which takes moviegoers on a behind-the-scenes look at the multi-national effort to send humans to Mars. Grammy award winner Patrick Stewart, best known for his roles in Star Trek: The Next Generation and X-Men, narrates the movie. All new digital star shows and full dome planetarium programs will rotate hourly with Journey to Space.

“The words stunning and amazing cannot fully describe the spectacular images our audiences will be immersed in,” said Museum Executive Director Chris Orwoll. “This new theater experience will completely engage the audience’s imagination with the indescribable beauty and vibrancy of the universe.”

The New Mexico Museum of Space History, a Smithsonian Affiliate, is a division of the Department of Cultural Affairs.

For more information, call 575-437-2840, visit www.

NMSpaceMuseum.org or like us at www.facebook.com/ NMSpaceMuseum/.

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w w w.NMSpaceMuseum.org

New Mexico Museum of

SPACE HISTORY Alamogordo • New Mexico

PLEASE NOTE: Our theater will be CLOSED from May 16th to June 30th for UPGRADES.

JOIN US FOR THE GRAND REOPENING!

NEW HORIZONS DOME THEATER & PLANETARIUM Come see the all new 4K Laser Projection System, the very first in the world!

NEW MOVIE!

PREMIERES JULY 1ST ... ALONG WITH ALL NEW DIGITAL STAR SHOWS!

Pop a Pistachio: New Mexico’s Other Tasty Treat George and Marianne Schweers wanted to return to their agriculture roots after a career in the Air Force that culminated at Holloman AFB near Alamogordo. When 400 seedling pistachio trees, the first planted in New Mexico, came up for sale, the couple thought a perfect opportunity had presented itself.

Neighbors thought the Schweers were, well, nuts.

Pistachios are fun to pop open and a heart-healthy snack.

But in New Mexico? Pistachios are from Iran, or Turkey, or maybe California?

The Schweers were just ahead of the trend in the desert Southwest. They had done their homework and knew that Pistachia Vera is a desert plant, a member of the cashew family and highly tolerant of saline soil. It thrives when irrigated with water having 3,000 to 4,000 ppm of soluble salts. Otero County was the place for soluble salts. Eagle Ranch was born.

Now, 42 years later, Eagle Ranch is New Mexico’s oldest and largest-producing pistachio grove with more than 13,000 trees.

It’s also the only farm in the state that processes its own pistachios completely. The farm is a fully integrated agri-business: growing, processing, packaging and selling its products on the premises. All pistachio products from Eagle Ranch are sold under its familiar Heart of the Desert trade name. The Schweers’ son, Gordon, developed the original chile-flavored pistachios. The farm now boasts nine different flavors of pistachios, all packaged with the

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New Name, New Projector, New Movies Coming to Alamogordo’s Dome Theater!

Heart of the Desert logo adorning the bags.

The family added Heart of the Desert wine to the product line in 2002. The vineyard has more than 24,000 grapevines with seven different varieties of grapes harvested each year. Chardonnay, Cabernet, Zinfandel, Shiraz, Riesling, Malvasia Bianca and Gewurztraminer make the production of a wide range of wines possible.

Heart of the Desert Pistachios and Wines ships its farm-fresh products worldwide, selling them by mail order and online. There also are four store locations: the primary store on the farm beside Hwy 54/70, north of Alamogordo; “Heart of the Desert” on the plaza in Old Mesilla; “Eagle Ranch Mercantile” in the lobby of the Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum in Las Cruces; and “The Cork & Kettle” in Ruidoso. Tours of the farm are fun and free, and wine tasting is delightful at all four locations.

UPCOMING EVENTS TRINITY SITE TOUR October 1, 2016 Take a guided tour of the historic landmark where the first detonation of the atomic bomb took place.

RODDENBERRY INDUCTION DAYS October 14-15 Celebrate the career and achievements of Gene Roddenberry, creator of Star Trek, and his induction to the International Space Hall of Fame.

AL AMOGORDO, NM • 575 - 4 37-28 40 www.travelnewmex.com | SUMMER • WINTER 2016

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Old Town Albuquerque Patio Dining at its Finest, Church Street Café

The Candy Lady Has a New Location

After being in one Old Town location for more than 35 years, the Candy Lady moved a few years ago to a new locale in Old Town at 424 San Felipe NW and continues to be among Albuquerque’s most popular sweet shops. Don’t be fooled by imitators. There is only one Candy Lady!

The Candy Lady’s business is firmly based on two things: great candy and great service. “We make several kinds of fudge, with and without chile; bonbons and truffles with caramel and nuts; chocolate-dipped strawberries; and 60 varieties of licorice,” says owner Debbie Ball. “When people come in, we greet them, give them samples and enjoy every opportunity to visit with them. I don’t think anybody can beat us for customer service. That’s why people come back.”

Most recently, The Candy Lady has gained fame as a one-stop shop for items based on the famed “Breaking Bad” television series, including crushed blue crystal candy, T-shirts, coffee cups, the Heisenburg hat, custom PEZ dispensers, lapel pins and more.

As always, The Candy Lady retains its X-rated confections that earned the shop widespread media coverage in its early years.

(Remember when North Valley churchgoers expressed their objections by picketing in front of the store in January 1982).

Tucked away in a historic house on Church Street in Old Town is a treasure of sumptuous smells and tastes of New Mexico comidas. This is Church Street Café, a natural for tourists and well-known to locals.

Owner Marie Coleman maintains the authentic taste of recipes handed down for four generations on the Spanish side of Coleman’s family, including calabacitas (squash, onions and chiles), quellites (spinach), carne adovado (baked pork marinated in red chile), posole (a hominy-corn speciality), contemporary-style chiles rellenos (chiles stuffed with cheese) and old-fashioned rellenos (shredded pork and cheese battered and fried), plus, of course, sopaipillas.

When you enter Church Street Café you immediately sense the authentic ambiance that fills the rooms. Oh, if these walls could talk, what a story they would tell! Coleman acquired the property in 1993. Built in 1709, the house and land had been in the same family for the previous 284 years. Coleman had the property restored and used many of the original objects and recycled them to a useful purpose. For example, a doorknob

became a chimney damper, and wood removed from the old ceilings were used to build bathroom stalls. Dine outside in the garden patio under a grand old cottonwood or inside the cozy interior.

Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner!

Artwork with a southwestern flair by 30 local artists.

Includes:

tapestries, pottery, woodwork, tinwork, blown glass and much more!

Val Isenhower and Charlene Kalbfell

1919 Old Town Road, NW, Albuquerque, NM 87104; Located in Plaza Hacienda, Historic Old Town Albuquerque 505-243-1410 www.genuinesouthwest.com 44

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Our featured specialties handed down for four generations include…

• Carne Adovada al Horno (oven cooked pork marinated in red chile).

• Calabacitas (squash, onions and chiles).

• Old Fashion Rellenos (shredded pork and cheese battered and fried). and much more!

Dine on the front or back patio or inside the historic Old Town “Casa de Ruiz”, built circa 1706.

2111 Church St. NW Old Town Albuquerque, NM, 87104

Monday-Thursday 8am-9pm, Friday & Saturday 8am-10pm and Sunday 8am-4pm 505-247-8522 www.travelnewmex.com | SUMMER • WINTER 2016

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2016

Memorial Day Concert May 30 • 2 PM to 4 PM Spend an afternoon in Old Town!

San Felipe de Neri Fiestas June 3 • 12 PM to June 5 • 5 PM Albuquerque’s Oldest Parish Fiesta

Father’s Day Celebration June 19 • 1 PM to 3 PM Treat Dad to a day in Old Town!

Western Youth Day

YUCCA ART GALLERY

Albuquerque’s Oldest Cooperative Gallery A fixture in Old Town since 1964 206 1/2 San Felipe NW (Patio Market) Albuquerque Old Town

505-247-8931 www.YuccaArtGallery.com

presented by the Western Music Association June 26 • 12 PM to 5 PM A day of Western music and kids’ activities!

Independence Day

July 4 • 2 PM to 4 PM Celebrate America’s independence in Historic Old Town!

2016

DIRECTORY OF EVENTS FOR OLD TOWN

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2016 2016 2016

Look for us across from Old Town’s famous Buffalo Mural !

Latin Dance Night

Aug. 26 • 6 PM to 9 PM Dance the night away in Historic Old Town.

IN THE BEAUTIFUL MOUNTAINS OF CLOUDCROFT, NM

facebook.com/BurroStreetExchange BurroStreetExchange@yahoo.com

505 Burro Avenue Cloudcroft, NM 88317

12th Annual Historic Old Town Salsa Fiesta

Sept. 10 • 12 PM to 7 PM The hottest spot in the city.

Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration Sept. 16 • 6 PM to 9 PM “Celebrando Nuestra Herencia” “Celebrating Our Heritage”

Dia del Dulce

Oct. 31 • 4 PM to 7 PM Halloween fun in Old Town!

Holiday Stroll

Dec. 2 • 5 PM to 9 PM Join us for this time-honored tradition

Featured Businesses in the Burro Street Exchange are:

BLUE WATER REAL ESTATE

BURRO STREET BAKERY

CLOUDCROFT TRADING POST

DOLLAR BOOTS & JEANS

RED WALL JEWELRY

TREE TOP TEEZ & ATVS

575-682-3566

575-682-2777

575-682-6968

575-682-4414

575-682-8280 575-430-5154

Burro Street Exchange- Featured Business Listings: BURRO STREET EXCHANGE A unique “Must-Stop” shopping experience with a mix of retail shops, eateries and professional offices reflecting the “Old West” ambiance of the Village of Cloudcroft, NM. For leasing opportunities or a complete list of unique shops, please send inquiries to Phyllis Turner at BurroStreetExchange@ yahoo.com LIKE us at Facebook.com/ BurroStreetExchange.

BLUE WATER REAL ESTATE Judy Jones, Qualifying Broker. We will help you fullfill your dreams for a home or cabin. Come to Cloudcroft where your stress falls away as you drive up the mountain. If you are looking for a 2nd home or to live here year-round, we can help. 505 Burro Avenue, Ste. 110, Cloudcroft, NM. Call 575-682-3566 or visit www.bluewaterrealestatenm.com

DOLLAR BOOTS & JEANS Entire line of Quality Western Wear and MORE can be found at Dollar Boots & Jeans in Cloudcroft. You’ll find everything you’re looking for including featured brands such as Wrangler, Justin, Tony Lama, Cinch, Miss Me, Grace in L.A., Twisted X, Hooey and Yeti. 505 Burro Avenue, Ste. 101, Cloudcroft, NM 575-682-6968 Facebook.com/ DollarBootsCloudcroft

BURRO STREET BAKERY Indulge your sweet tooth with fresh baked pies, pastries, breads, specialty coffee, espresso, latte, cappuccino, frappuccino and MUCH more!

Recommended on Yelp, “Best PIES in Town” and TripAdvisor, “Best LATTE’ in the Village” 505 Burro Avenue, Ste. 106, Cloudcroft, NM 575-682-2777, Facebook.com/BurroStreetBakery

REDWALL JEWELRY A must-see shop specializing in unique handcrafted pieces featuring real Australian Opal, gemstones, and Murano glass set in sterling silver and gold. 505 Burro Avenue, Studio 107 Cloudcroft, NM Call 575-682-4414 or please visit us at www.redwalljewelry.com.

CLOUDCROFT TRADING POST We feature Native American Jewelry, plus you’ll find beads, rocks, fossils, vintage signs, crosses, Cloudcroft magnets, salt lamps and much more.

505 Burro Avenue, Ste. 103, Cloudcroft, NM. Call 575-682-8280 or please visit us at Etsy.com/shop/ CloudcroftTrading.

TREE TOP TEEZ & ATVS Enjoy some Outdoor time in the mountains of Cloudcroft with ATV rentals starting at $145.00 for 24 hours. Embroidery and Screen Printing, hats, t-shirts etc. No order too big or too small. 505 Burro Avenue, Ste. 113, Cloudcroft, NM Call Wendy at 575-430-5154 or e-mail us at treetopteez@tularosa.net.

For leasing opportunities or a complete list of unique shops, please send inquiries to BurroStreetExchange@yahoo.com

DIRECTORY OF EVENTS FOR 2016 CLOUDCROFT, NEW MEXICO Mayfield Juried Art Show May 28-29

The Lumberjack Event September 17-18

Badass Mountain Music Festival June 17-19

Harvest Fest October 29

July 4th Celebrations

Christmas Tree Lighting and Parade December 3

July Jamboree Artfair July 9-10 Art and Wine in the Cool Pines August 6-7 Labor Day Hoopla September 3-5

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ATV Rentals & ATVs

P For more information call the Cloudcroft Chamber of Commerce 575-682-2733 or email chamber@coolcloudcroft.com

575-430-5154 www.travelnewmex.com | SUMMER • WINTER 2016

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Union County truly if the "Enchanted Corner" in the Land ofEnchantmenl Explore the wonde,ful attractiom Clayton and Union County har to offer.

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ARTESIA EVENTS

Annual Artesia Events Main Event Smokin’ on the Pecos Car Show & Cruise BBQ Championship March 25-26 June 24-25 Fourth of July Celebration July 4

Eddy County Fair & Rodeo July 25-30

1-800-658-6251

Red Dirt Black Gold Festival August 27

Clays Crusher Fun Shoot September 16-17

Art in the Park October 15

Balloons & Tunes November 5-6

ArtesiaChamber.com

Award Winning BBQ | Kids’ Q | Cowboy Mounted Shooting Beer Garden | Art, Craft & Trade Show

LITTLE JOE Y LA FAMILIA JUNE 24 (TICKETS $15 ADVANCE - $20 GATE) NEW MEXICO’S OWN BRI BAGWELL JUNE 25

Dinosaur Tracks International Dark Sky Park Santa Fe Trail Kiowa National Grasslands Black Jack Ketchem Clayton Lake State Park Capulin Volcano National Monument 48

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(CELEBRATING OUR 5TH YEAR WITH NEW MEXICO’S OWN AND $5 WRISTBANDS AT THE GATE)

BRI BAGWELL

Paid for by Eddy County Lodgers’ Tax

EDDY COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS • ARTESIA, NM • SMOKINONTHEPECOS.US www.travelnewmex.com | SUMMER • WINTER 2016

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New Mexico’s anglers watched the 2015-16 winter snowpack as closely as skiers, dreaming of the water expected to fill the state’s reservoirs this spring and summer. Unless El Niño fails to deliver in the late winter and early spring, anglers anticipate a rebound at favored waters, which could benefit greatly from high runoff absent during the preceding five-year statewide drought.

That flush, which Moffatt says mimics spring flooding, should move the silt and debris deposited in some Game and Fish trout habitat projects below Simon Canyon, one of the locations that dumps sand into the state’s legendary trout river after strong rains.

“The flush will also help the endangered fish that live farther down the San Juan River,” he says. The high water could stimulate breeding in the razorback suckers and Colorado pikeminnow.

BACK TO THE FUTURE

Shuree Ponds on the Valle Vidal Addition to the Carson National Forest is another once-great trout water expected to benefit from the improved snowpack.

“Shuree Ponds are in sad shape due to the drought,” Moffatt says. “It doesn’t open until July 1, but the Red River Hatchery has grown a lot of big fish for Shuree, so that fishing ought to be great.” The bag limit at Shuree is two trout at least 15 inches long, and one pond is reserved for children.

Trout fishermen also can expect some good fishing at the renovated Eagle Rock Lake on the Red River at Questa. River improvements on the Red River itself also are bringing back one of the state’s great trout streams. The Red could be tough to fish during the high water of spring, but the new habitat projects will surely hold some fish when the water comes down.

Southern trout waters to watch include Alto Lake near the village of the same name, and Lake Roberts across the state near Silver City. Lake Roberts was stocked with Gila trout during the winter when the Mora National Fish Hatchery produced some excess fish. Those trout should be “catchable” size this spring, Moffatt says.

BASS AND MUSKIES, TOO

Anglers do not live by trout alone, so although it’s hard to think of snowmelt as “warm water,” the anglers seeking muskies, bass and walleye are expecting a boost from the winter moisture as well.

“Santa Rosa Lake lost its population of walleye,” Moffatt says, “so it will take several years for that to come back. But Conchas Lake survived the drought in really good shape, and many of the east-side lakes are in really good condition.”

Moffatt sings the praises of Clayton Lake and the state park there. The community rallies around a fishing derby each spring, 50

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Beauty, Baths and Beyond: Sierra County Offers It All

A drive into and around New Mexico’s Sierra County in the southern part of the state offers visitors plenty of vacation options possibly some of the most varied in the Land of Enchantment.

Would you like to take a drive on one of the most natural and ultra-winding mountain passes in New Mexico? You find it in Sierra County.

“We are expecting a spring flush on the San Juan River this year,” says Karl Moffatt, media relations coordinator for the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish. “The river could run at 5,000 cubic feet a second for a week, depending upon the water level at Navajo Lake.”

Need a soak in natural-occurring hot springs with top-notch lodging, hiking, boating and arts gallery walking? You find it in Truth or Consequences in Sierra County.

with lots of activities for children and prizes for older anglers. The derby is scheduled June 11-12.

Catch-and-release bass anglers are encouraged to check out the fishing at Brantley Lake near Carlsbad, Moffatt says. “It is fishing quite good,” he says. “There’s an age-group of 12 to 16-inch largemouth bass that you can catch all day long. Come this spring, Brantley should be on fire!”

Anglers are discouraged from eating fish from Brantley due to the presence of DDT in the fish. However, the fishing is good enough that the department produced an instructional video for fishing for bass from the bank, using biologist and competitive bass angler Shawn Denny. The department posted the video on YouTube.

Tiger muskies are another warm-water treat anglers can find in New Mexico. Two lakes in western New Mexico—Bluewater and Quemado—were stocked with the toothy predators. The plantings were intended to clean out suckers and gold fish that were crowding out trout at the two lakes. The voracious muskies cleaned out the unwanted fish at both, but the muskies at Bluewater appear to have exceeded their food supply.

“We need to get the numbers down at Bluewater to a manageable level,” Moffatt says. “Some of those muskies are in poor shape.” Trout stockings have been suspended at Bluewater due to the hungry muskies. Quemado, however, is a great little success, he says, with trout and muskies in equilibrium. The bag limit is one tiger muskie a day at both lakes.

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Drought-Crushing Winter Gives Anglers Renewed Hope

Would you like to stand on the tarmac of the future of commercial space travel and get a taste of NASA with a hint of the Jetsons? You find that at Spaceport America in Sierra County.

This is a good year to visit Sierra County. Of particular interest is the town of Truth or Consequences (T or C) and the nearby Elephant Butte Dam, which are celebrating their centennial anniversaries in 2016. There will be festivities for visitors all summer long, beginning in June.

“This year is extra special,” says Linda de Mareno, executive director of the Main Street Truth or Consequences Committee.

“We have plenty of events planned, and we want to share the history and culture of Sierra County.”

The Centennial at T or C will also be the debut for the new Healing Waters Plaza, which will host the centennial ceremonies.

For more information on the centennial celebrations, visit its Facebook page, Truth or Consequences Centennial Celebration.

A calendar of events will be posted there, as well as details as they develop.

SOAK AND STROLL AWAY YOUR STRESS

Once known as Hot Springs, T or C is a small rustic and retro resort town. A stroll through the town will net visitors unique art, antiques and good eats. The highlight of the town, however, is its ancient hot springs and the various venues that have set up businesses around them.

(continues on Page 54)

KAYAK & SUP

SALES & RENTALS Single $29.95

Double $49.95

FISHING GEAR

Sunglasses Sunscreen Watershoes

Kayak Rentals may be 24 Hrs

(575) 744-4185

Go to ZiaKayaks.com for Reservations

310 Rock Canyon Rd., Elephant Butte

Riverbend Hot Springs

Being in hot water can be a good thing.

THE LICENSE YEAR

Anglers 12 and older need new licenses April 1 of each year. Junior Annual licenses are $5 for residents and $15 for nonresidents. Licenses are valid through March 31 each year.

Resident adults aged 18 to 64 pay $25, and nonresidents are charged $56. Fees for additional licenses and stamps, size and bag limits are published annually on the department website, www. wildlife.state.nm.us, and in the annual fishing rules information booklet.

If you have never tried fishing in New Mexico, the first Saturday in June and the fourth Saturday in September are free fishing days. No license is required, but all other restrictions apply.

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Nestled along the Sangre de Cristo mountain range in the beautiful Moreno Valley in Angel Fire lies a white, gleaming chapel that seems to reach high above the clouds. The Peace and Brotherhood Chapel remains perpetually open for visitors who make the pilgrimage to this healing place. The stories that are shared among visitors, families and friends of those who served in Vietnam are forever etched in people’s hearts and minds. Many veterans bring their children and grandchildren to learn about the Vietnam War in the Educational Visitor Center.

Vietnam Veterans Memorial State Park is the first and only state park in the United States dedicated exclusively to Vietnam veterans. Its mission is to remember and honor Vietnam veterans, provide educational opportunities for the public, and maintain a haven for healing and reconciliation. The memorial is widely known throughout the nation as a special, emotional and powerful place for veterans to pay homage to their fellow comrades who died in the Vietnam War. A Veterans Memorial Walkway commemorates all United States Veterans. People travel from near and far to experience this spiritual place. Memorial Day and Veterans Day are the busiest weekends of the year as the park hosts special ceremonies to honor all veterans. More than 40,000 people each year make the trek to the state park to pay homage— and to heal.

As you stroll through the grounds surrounded by rolling hills, high mountains and lush valleys, you will be captivated by the wind’s howl and hear whispers of history. A piece of military

The 4th of July parade in Eagle Nest New Mexico is a colorful place to celebrate the nation’s birthday.

Photo by Martin Frentzel.

history is a focal point in the center of the property; a Huey helicopter, known as Viking Surprise, was one of the first smoke ships in Vietnam used to hide a battlefield assault. In 1999, it was donated to the memorial by the New Mexico National Guard.

Guided tours are available, and there are “touchable” exhibits that visitors are encouraged to handle.

Photos © Janet Sailor, Angel Fire, NM

Honoring Generations of Military Service Members

Managing a memorial this special is an important and daunting task. The staff at Vietnam Veterans Memorial State Park are few, but all have huge hearts. The volunteers who give their time to maintaining the beautiful grounds treat the memorial as their “home away from home.” One volunteer who has been recognized numerous times for his outstanding and valuable contributions to those who serve and who have served is Luis Lopez, who has volunteered at the memorial for over 30 years.

He assisted founder Doc Westphall and, before Westpall died, Lopez promised he would take care of the park. Lopez lives in Wagon Mound and drives over 90 miles to Angel Fire to assist at the memorial whenever he is needed. He has helped beautify the park and is a loyal and dedicated volunteer who strongly believes in its mission.

As you sit quietly and breathe the fresh mountain air, it is the spirit of loved ones lost that you feel. Vietnam Veterans Memorial State Park is a place of healing, a place of nature, a place to pay tribute to those whose who sacrificed for our great nation. No matter what generation you are—when you are here, you’ll understand.

Angel Fire, NM

Vietnam Veterans Memorial State Park is a unique place. The Park is open for family gatherings, military reunions, and special events at the beautiful amphitheater. The Chapel is always open.

Not only can you commemorate our veterans, you can have a picnic, take a nature walk, stroll through the grounds, check out wildflowers, birds and wildlife. Experience a piece of history through interactive displays and educational exhibits in the Visitor Center.

Plan a day trip to reflect and honor our veterans at this special, powerful place.

Not only can you pay tribute to our Veterans, you can plan a picnic for family gatherings, or plan a special event at the beautiful amphitheater. Plan your next visit for the entire day~ Nature walks, wildlife viewing, and guided tours. The Chapel is always open. Come and enjoy our educational exhibits and interactive displays in the Visitor Center. Capture the history of the Vietnam War and plan your next Military Reunion, Flag Retirement Ceremony and remember our Vietnam Veterans by visiting this special, unique, healing place that refreshes the heart and soul.

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| Vietnam Veterans Memorial State Park • 575-377-2293 • NMPARKS.COM www.travelnewmex.com

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ONE OF THE FRIENDLIEST CITIES IN AMERICA!

Beauty, Baths and Beyond (continued from Page 51)

You’ll find various lodging options, from larger, name-brand motels near Interstate 25, to the retro and restored commercial spa/ hotels in the Historic Hot Springs and Downtown districts.

T or C got its big name in 1950 as part of a publicity scheme to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Ralph Edwards’ hugely successful game show on NBC radio. Once Hot Springs became Truth or Consequences, Edwards traveled to town annually, celebrity friends in tow, for nearly 50 years.

Since then, T or C has had a festival every year. This 100th anniversary of the town will mean pulling out all the stops.

Activities include a pageant, parade, rodeos (motorcyle and traditional), a golf tournament, and—in Ralph Edwards Park— music, performance, and contests, including a junk boat race and rubber duck race on the Rio Grande.

MainStreet Truth or Consequences, a community-based group dedicated to the revitalization and beautification of the downtown, partners with the Sierra County Tourism Board in the promotion of downtown Truth or Consequences, its Historic Hot Springs District and water sports on the Rio Grande.

DRONE TECHNOLOGY AT SPACEPORT

As a visitor to Sierra County, when you get tired of sightseeing in the Old West or soaking in the hot springs resorts, you have yet another option. The latest twist in the race to provide high-speed

Internet access from above is being worked on at Spaceport America, near T or C.

Spaceport has leased the previous space held

by Virgin Galactic to Google for what it is calling its SkyBender Project. The project involves testing drones in the skies above Spaceport America that provide high-speed Internet access, which will revolutionize access, especially in rural areas.

Albuquerque

In addition to SkyBender, visitors to the Spaceport get a tour of the facility that someday will be the terminal where commercial spacecraft depart and return.

“I think Sierra County is so unique in that you get the hometown feel mixed with some exciting futuristic endeavors,” says Kim Skinner, chair of the Sierra County Tourism Board, mayor pro-tem of Elephant Butte and president of the Elephant Butte Chamber of Commerce. “We have everything from the desert, to the Camino Real to the Gila wilderness. That’s the landscape, and then there are so many things to do and see at the Spaceport and in the towns of T or C and Elephant Butte.”

LIVE•WORK•PLAY Galleries Livestock tours Demonstrations Special events Indoor & outdoor exhibits Barns, corrals and greenhouse Play areas for children Gift Shop & Snack Bar Catered events

Let us assist you with all your convention and meeting needs.

$5 for adults, $4 for senior citizens, $3 for children 4 to 17 and $2 for U.S. veterans and active military Open 9-5 on Monday through Saturday, and 12-5 on Sunday.

4100 Dripping Springs Road l Las Cruces, NM 88011 (575) 522-4100 l www.nmfarmandranchmuseum.org 54

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photo: UNM Golf Course looking North

1-800-754-8829 www.SiABQ.org • email: ABQtourism@ahcnm.org

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Farmington Equals Fun for the Whole Family There is no shortage of activities for all in the family in Farmington. The variety creates a virtual playground for adults and children alike.

shake, paddle and roll

Outdoor activities? Definitely. What’s your greatest pleasure?

Nature photography, hiking, mountain biking, off-roading, flyfishing in a riverine wonderland, golfing in high-desert beauty, or maybe exploring the mysterious Bisti Badlands? Farmington is surrounded with fascinating national parks and monuments.

Visit the Aztec Ruins and Salmon Ruins nearby or take a day trip to the grandest ruins of all at Chaco Canyon. Let your children— and their imaginations—wander among the remains of earlier civilizations.

Stay in town and visit the Farmington Museum to learn more about the history of this intriguing area.

You’ll discover why Farmington was named “The Official Best Family Getaway in New Mexico—2013” by officialbestof.com.

Incorporated in 1901, with a population

It’s your Prime Time...

Enjoy it.

50+ LEISURE READ ~ COMMUNITY GUIDE

of 546, Farmington today is a city of about 45,000 people.

Its main industries are oil and gas extraction and coal mining.

Farmington is also the home of San Juan College, a two-year institution.

Located at the juncture of the Animas, La Plata and San Juan rivers, Farmington is a commercial center for four states.

As such, Farmington is the gateway to the Four Corners, a geographic spot where New Mexico, Arizona, Utah and Colorado meet in 90-degree angles. Visit the commemorative installation and stand in four states at once!

The Four Corners area is the traditional homeland to the Navajo Nation, the largest Indian tribe in the United States with roughly one-third of its population living in New Mexico.

The Navajo reservation covers more than 27,000 square miles throughout Utah, Arizona and New Mexico, and its lands border Farmington. Navajo and other Native American arts can be found in trading posts and galleries in Farmington, and the Navajo culture has added to the fabric of life in the city. Visit FarmingtonNM.org for more information.

Pick up your FREE copy of Prime Time Monthly at any local grocery store, popular restaurant or adult living community or call 880-0470. ptpubco.com

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Taos Pueblo’s

Living Community Has Much to be Admired Taos Pueblo welcomes visitors from all over the world. It’s considered the oldest continuously inhabited community in the United States by archaeologists who say ancestors of the Taos Indians lived in the valley long before Columbus discovered America and even hundreds of years before Europe emerged from the Dark Ages.

And the people of Taos Pueblo are happy to share their storied history with tourists. It’s something the Pueblo has been sharing openly since the 1920s.

“Take a tour of the pueblo, if possible,” says Illona Spruce, tourism director for Taos Pueblo. “Some of our guides are college students who were born and raised here and come back to share their perspective of the pueblo. There’s something very special about this because they are truly proud of “An Afternoon in Taos Pueblo.” Photography by where they came from and who we John Rodman. are as a people.”

Parts of this Northern New Mexico pueblo remain much like they were when the first Spanish explorers arrived in New Mexico in 1540. Those explorers were looking for the fabled Cities of Gold and believed Taos was one of them.

Architecture is a big draw of the Pueblo. The structures are made entirely of adobe — earth mixed with water and straw, made into sun-dried bricks.

Roofs of each of the five stories are supported by large timbers (vigas) hauled down from the mountain forests. Smaller pieces of wood, pine or aspen latillas, are placed on top of the vigas. The roof is then covered with packed dirt.

“Adobe Gold” photo courtesy of Taos Pueblo.

The outside surfaces of the pueblo are continuously maintained by plastering with thick layers of mud. Interior walls are carefully coated with thin washes of white earth to keep them clean and bright. The pueblo is actually many individual homes, built side-by-side and in layers, with common walls but no connecting doorways. In earlier days there were no doors or windows, and entry was gained only from the top.

Today, about 150 people live at the pueblo full time, and another 1,500 or so other families own more modern homes to the north or south of the oldest two structures.

“When people visit for the first time, I like to remind them to be mindful that our pueblo is a living community,” Spruce says. “Even though we openly welcome our visitors, we also need to let them know that these are people’s homes and some of the most beautiful and architecturally unique spaces.”

Taos Pueblo is a World Heritage Site as well. The pueblo is open to visitors daily from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except during tribal ritual days that require closing the Pueblo. Late winter to early spring, the pueblo closes for about 10 weeks. Visit www.taospueblo.com for more information and to view events “The Jewel of Taos Pueblo.” Photo courtesy of open to the public.

Cameron Martinez Jr.

Taos Pueblo Tourism, 120 Veterans Hwy. Taos, NM 87571 58

(575) 758-1028

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www.TaosPueblo.com

New Mexico’s History Is Alive at El Rancho de las Golondrinas

El Rancho de las Golondrinas, “The Ranch of the Swallows,” was founded 300 years ago as a paraje — stopping place — on El Camino Real, the Royal Road to Mexico City. Today, it is a one-of-a-kind destination where the past comes to life and weekend programs are fun for the whole family!

Las Golondrinas is open for self-guided tours from June 1 to October 2, Wednesday–Sunday, 10am–4pm. Guided tours are available by reservation April 4–October 31. During the months of April, May and October, we are open Monday–Friday for guided tours by reservation only. Please allow at least two hours to visit, as we are situated on 200 acres.

2 016 W E E K E N D E V E N TS New Mexico: The Civil War and More | April 30 & May 1 Travel back to the days of the Civil War with military drills, interactive camp life, lectures, hands-on demonstrations and reenactments of battles fought in New Mexico.

Fiesta de la Familia | May 14 & 15 Have fun with the whole family at an event filled with crafts, games, good food and entertainment.

Spring Festival & Fiber Arts Fair | June 4 & 5 Experience traditional sheep shearing, wool dying, spinning and weaving and a fiber arts marketplace. Plus wagon rides, bread baking and crafts for the kids!

Herb & Lavender Festival | June 18 & 19 Lavender and herb product vendors along with lectures and hands-on activities on all things lavender.

Santa Fe Wine Festival | July 2 & 3 Sample delicious New Mexico wines, buy directly from the vintners, and enjoy food, music, and arts and crafts. ¡Viva Mexico! | July 16 & 17 Enjoy música, arte y más at this celebration of the culture, cuisine and crafts of our colorful neighbor.

Summer Festival & Wild West Adventures | August 6 & 7 Explore life on the frontier. Meet the lawmen, desperadoes and mountain men who put the “Wild” in “Wild West.”

Santa Fe Renaissance Fair | September 17 & 18 Clan Tynker and Order of Epona jousters, fairies, jugglers, dancers, kids’ games, craft and food vendors and so much more.

Harvest Festival | October 1 & 2 Bring in the harvest with villagers as they crush grapes for wine by foot, string chile ristras, and make tortillas. Voted one of the top 10 Harvest Festivals in the county by USA Today.

(505) 471-2261  www.golondrinas.org 334 Los Pinos Road, Santa Fe support provided by santa fe arts commission, santa fe county lodger’s tax advisory board, new mexico arts, and first national santa fe www.travelnewmex.com | SUMMER • WINTER 2016

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The word industry doesn’t do justice to New Mexico’s wineries. Heritage, tradition and the pursuit of excellence come closer to describing the grape growers, winemakers and family businesses currently making a name for the state with each vintage produced in the oldest winemaking region in the United States.

Beverly Stotz, executive director of the New Mexico Wine and Grape Growers Association, points to the number of awards the state’s wines receive as an indicator of the passion being squeezed from those laboring in the vineyards and wineries. “Our members have earned 192 medals in recent years,” Stotz says. “That includes four double golds, 13 gold and 87 silver medals.”

Wineries north to south have won those honors, she says, and they come together throughout the year for festivals and educational seminars helpful to professionals and hobbyists alike.

If you really want to know the traditions behind the products, however, it’s best to visit a tasting room where you can take your time and soak in the heritage.

A SPANISH LEGACY

Raymond Vigil, owner of Casa Abril Vineyards and Winery in Algodones, is committed to honoring the legacy of the early Spanish colonists who arrived in the Rio Grande Valley about four centuries ago. Vigil describes the winery’s location as an oasis in the Southwest desert, and his Sol Y Luna 2014 won a gold medal at the 2015 Denver International Wine Competition.

Casa Rondeña Winery has won 11 gold and double-gold medals during the last three years with its Meritage Red. John Calvin was in Spain studying guitar when he became entranced by wine. Subsequently, he built a beautiful estate in Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, where he shares wine, art, music and architecture with patrons.

Sparkling wines are the specialty of the Gruet Winery, founded by Gilbert Gruet of France in 1984. Gruet’s children, Laurent and Nathalie, moved to New Mexico to manage the Gruet vineyard near Engle and the winery in Albuquerque. Using the Methode Champenoise to produce sparkling wines, Gruet was the only American product considered a top bubbly brand during the 2015 Wine and Spirits Restaurant Poll.

When George Schweers retired from the Air Force he wanted to start farming. He bought 400 pistachio trees near Alamogordo and in 2001 he bought 135 acres to plant a vineyard. Fifteen years and 24,000 vines later, his Heart of the Desert Pistachios and Wines has a gold-medal reputation for Merlot, Muscat and Syrah.

A STROKE OF LUCK

Due to colder temperatures and a shorter growing season, Northern New Mexico does not produce grapes like the southern desert regions. But winemakers don’t allow that to stop them. La Chiripada Winery, established in 1977 near Embudo, obtains

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Santa Fe: Hospitality and Southwestern Charm In the heart of the Land of Enchantment, Santa Fe County is the destination that feeds the soul and energizes the spirit. Nestled within the Sangre de Cristo foothills lies a multicultural city rich with Hispanic culture, Native American sovereignty, and deeply rooted southwestern legacies. Widely known as a great small town with arts, history and culture, Santa Fe is perfect for the adventurous traveler who craves authentic experiences.

Santa Fe is the oldest U.S. capital city and home to the third-largest art market in the country. It’s renowned for its Pueblo-style architecture and as a creative arts hotbed. Founded as a Spanish colony in 1610, the traditional Plaza is the centerpiece of the city. The surrounding historic district’s crooked streets wind past adobe landmarks like the Palace of the Governors. Whether you collect art or create art, Santa Fe offers a visual feast for enthusiasts of all sorts, including modern, traditional, Spanish, Native American and folk art. You’ll find over 300 galleries to explore.

a walk through the plaza, a horseback trail ride in the mountains, or a performance at the world-class Santa Fe Opera. Venture out to explore the many natural wonders and partake in recreational activities such as, hiking, biking, climbing and skiing. Shop for high-end, hand-made and one-of-a-kind treasures; then relax to invigorating spa and wellness centers. Celebrate the evening with live music and award-winning local cuisine.

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New Mexico Wineries Blend Family and Heritage

With its unique mix of old-world charm and contemporary vibe, there is always something to do in Santa Fe. Stay in an authentic casita, historic boutique hotel, intimate bed and breakfasts or even a Wild West outdoor campground. Enjoy 300 sunny days per year, perfect for a guided tour of the city,

“Bloomfield...The Heart of the Four Corners!”

Stay here and access the Four Corners...

New Mexico•Arizona•Colorado•Utah Fabulous Restaurants, Event Lodging,World Class Fishing & More!

Ancient Ruins (Salmon Ruins)

20,000 Trout

Per Mile

(San Juan River)

Top-Notch

Aquatic Center

www.BloomfieldChamber.info

Bloomfield Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Center 224 West Broadway • Bloomfield, NM 87413 • 505-632-0880 60

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Nature Park Answers the Call of the Wild Roger Alink spent a decade teaching shop classes at Valley High School before answering the call of the wild. Some 24 years later, Alink is still instructing students, but he’s doing it at the Wildlife West Nature Park in Edgewood.

“This is the only zoo in the world built completely by kids,” says Alink, who uses Youth Conservation Corps grants to hire about 20 students each year to care for animals and do construction projects. Local high school students also learn the building trade at the park, and Eagle Scouts have earned their wings, too.

There is always a different adventure to be had.

Among the 20 different species of wildlife housed here—all animals that can’t be released back into the wild—are Koshare the 12-year-old black bear that once raided coolers of fish on Navajo Lake houseboats, and Wile E. Coyote who sings along with Alink.

Antelope and elk, red-tailed hawks and a caracara have a place and a purpose at Wildlife West as well.

Roger Alink pets an antelope that’s too comfortable with people to be released in the wild.

Photo by Martin Frentzel.

Dealing with animals is the traditional view of a zoo, but Alink says the kids that work here actually remember the construction projects more than the fur and feathers. Those once employed here return to show their handiwork to their own families.

“The effort of what they build is the most lasting benefit of all this,”

says Alink, who is also a licensed contractor. “It’s real.”

Many of the construction projects are really large-scale recycling.

The barn that houses the pinto bean museum—Oklahoma farmers Local artists built this stained-glass sign at Wildlife West Nature Park near displaced by the Dust Bowl once Edgewood. Photo by Martin Frentzel farmed the state’s plains as well— was a barn available at one time through the Sears and Roebuck catalog. And the amphitheater where bands play during the Wildlife West Music Festival in July is covered by a roof that once protected a garden center at an Albuquerque lumber yard.

This summer the YCC employees will be building shade structures to protect the human guests—guests who often express their own discomfort by saying the animals appear to be too hot.

One of the new exhibits at Wildlife West is the Imagination Trail, which also recycles things like old boats that float on soil and chunks of pipe that become musical when hit with a hammer.

“Imagination is the Largest Nation in the World,” the sign says, and who can argue with that?

Wildlife West is a 501-C3 nonprofit, but in addition to its own schedule of events it may be rented for team-building efforts, weddings and reunions. For more information, visit wildlifewest.org.

Wildlife Festival - June 18th

The goal of the fair is to provide opportunity to closely observe wildlife, learn how to co-exist with wildlife that reside in New Mexico, how to protect their habitat, and learn about other conservation and environmental issues.

PARK HOURS Mid-March - End of October: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Chuckwagon Supper Shows June 18th - September 3rd

BEST DESTINATION FOR OUTDOOR ENTHUSIASTS - USA TODAY 10 BEST Santa Fe offers outdoor adventure to enthusiasts with breathtaking mountain vistas, four distinct, temperate seasons, outdoor activities, and some of the purest air in the world.

SANTA FE IS RECOGNIZED BY THE INTERNATIONAL MOUNTAIN BICYCLING ASSOCIATION (IMBA) AS A SILVER LEVEL RIDE CENTER The Ride Center designation represents IMBA’s recognition of large-scale mountain bike destinations that offer a wide range of great trails for every riding style.

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Our Saturday night Chuckwagon Supper Shows are a local favorite. Suppers include a traditional barbecue dinner of brisket and chicken (vegetarian option is always available), wildlife presentation, our unique falcon show, and live music– typically western, bluegrass or an acoustic mix. Shows take place rain or shine in our all-weather amphitheater or our enclosed and heated Bean Barn. Sign up for Park updates.

New Mexico can get cool after sunset, so make sure to bring a jacket or other warm garments!

WILDLIFE WEST NATURE PARK

Music Festival - July 28th - 31st

Wildlife West produces an annual music festival bringing you the best of bluegrass, Western Swing, Irish, Singer/ Songwriter and other acoustic genres. Wildlife West’s covered amphitheater and indoor venues provide shade and shelter, and plenty of seating. Our music festivals include workshops, open jams, and other events, providing entertainment and fun for musicians and visitors alike! All our music festivals allow plenty of time to fully enjoy the zoo and other Park features.

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Harvest Festival September 3rd - 4th

It’s a weekend of delicious locally grown food, tractor parade, music and fun for the entire family at the Harvest Festival at Wildlife West Nature Park, in Edgewood. The weekend event celebrates the area’s culture, traditions and agricultural heritage.

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Enjoy Your Vacation AND Save the Planet at Vermejo Park Whether your goal is summer peak-bagging and mountain biking or snowshoeing and ice-fishing, a vacation at Ted Turner’s Vermejo Park Ranch can fulfill your vision of an idyllic expedition to the wildest West and also accomplish that in an ecofriendly manner. The ranch is one of several properties that make up Ted Turner Expeditions, adventures into private landscapes with eco-conscious resort accommodations.

Vermejo Park is on the eastern exposure of the famed Sangre de Cristo Mountains. It is in the Southern Rocky Mountains ecoregion, a critical water-producing region for the entire state of New Mexico. The ranch has streams that drain into the Rio Grande (Costilla River) and the Canadian River (Vermejo River), and the ecoregion holds 75 percent of New Mexico’s total coldwater streams.

Herds of bison and elk roam Vermejo’s nearly 600,000 acres, spread over northern New Mexico and southern Colorado. Bald and golden eagles soar above the timbered mesas. Black bear stalk the forests, and the streams and lakes are full of lunker brown and rainbow trout.

Visitors can enjoy trekking tours that include hikes to the tops of four signature peaks in five days. During an excursion, participants can also ride horses, fly fish or even schedule a massage. The ranch also is purchasing a fleet of mountain bikes for those who prefer to ride the property’s road system. Wildlife tours as well as history and geology tours are also available.

Visitors can even visit the ghost town of Koehler, a once-thriving coal mining town.

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endangered species list in part due to their restoration on Turner’s Armendaris Ranch), the Chiricahua leopard frog and the aplomado falcon. Perhaps the best example of balancing ecological diversity with economic viability, however, is on Vermejo Park Ranch, west of Raton, where efforts focus on perpetuating the Rio Grande cutthroat trout.

Historically, the ranch concentrated on providing highquality hunting and fishing to visitors. “But about five years ago we decided to spread our eggs between more baskets,” says Nicole Reed, marketing and program developer at Vermejo.

“Through Turner Expeditions we started looking at every facet of eco-tourism that is reasonable as well as ecologically sensitive.

Every decision made at Vermejo Park and the other Turner properties is balanced between two concepts— ecological sensitivity and economic viability.”

Due to Turner’s devotion to ecological integrity, Vermejo Park Ranch was a critical player in the largest effort to date to restore the native Rio Grande cutthroat trout, once considered for a federal endangered species listing. Both Colorado and New Mexico participated in the watershed-wide effort to bring back the trout. The U.S. Forest Service also participated due to Vermejo’s proximity to the 100,000-acre Valle Vidal Addition to the Carson National Forest, which includes portions of streams that drain off Vermejo Park.

The ranch includes the property where elk restoration in New Mexico began in 1910, with the release of 15 animals from Yellowstone National Park.

Turner’s three New Mexico ranches, which make up the majority of Ted Turner Expeditions, provide homes for desert bighorn sheep (removed from the state’s

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Instead of cattle, which tend to damage riparian vegetation by loafing along water courses, bison are grazed on Turner properties since they tend to roam farther and, therefore, are not as destructive.

All meals and lodging are included in the price of a Vermejo Park vacation. The main lodge serves breakfast and gourmet

dinners. Box lunches are prepared for those on outings.

Rates at the main lodge, Casa Minor, start at $525 per night, while a single occupancy at the eight-bedroom, LEED-certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Costilla Lodge, costs $950 a night. The Costilla is 25 miles from the main lodge and sits at an elevation of 10,200 feet. It was built entirely with timber and stone found on the ranch. Electricity is collected through 216 solar panels, and it is entirely off the grid. Elsewhere on Vermejo, a 225-acre solar generating station converts enough sunshine to power approximately 9,000 homes. Costilla comes with a staff of five and a private chef.

“Eco-tourism is one of the fastest-growing markets in hospitality,” Reed says. “We do limit our guests, however. We don’t want to impact their experiences by having too many.”

For more information, visit http://tedturnerexpeditions.com/ properties/vermejo-park-ranch/.

Experience Sky City

Stay and Play

Embrace Culture

Camping • Fishing • Hunting I-40, Exit 102 • Acoma, NM 87034 • www.skycity.com 64

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Rio Costilla Park is the ideal get away place whether you prefer time alone, with family, or a gathering among friends.

Camping and Fishing on nearly 10,000 acres and Hunting on 80,000+ acres located in Northern Taos County of New Mexico.

Rio Costilla borders the San Luis Valley of Southern Colorado and the Valle Vidal Unit of Carson National Forest.

Owned and Operated by Rio Costilla Cooperative Livestock Association (RCCLA). Rio Costilla Park, Nature At Its Best!

(575) 586-0542 • (800) RIO-PARK • www.RioCostillaPark.net www.travelnewmex.com | SUMMER • WINTER 2016

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about half its grapes from the Mimbres Valley and half from its own vineyards. Owners Michael and Patrick Johnson won silver medals for Viognier ’14 and Primavera ’14 at the 2015 Finger Lakes International competition.

Luna Rossa (Red Moon) Winery near Deming is one of the largest grape producers in the state with 300 acres of grapes under cultivation. Paolo D’Andrea moved to Deming from Friuli, Italy, after first coming to New Mexico to teach Hispanic laborers how to prune grapes. It was a good move for D’Andrea and the state’s wine culture. Luna Rossa won double-gold medals for its 2009 Reserve Aglianico at the 2015 San Francisco International Wine

Judging. The 2009 Reserve Aglianico also received double-gold medals at the Tasters Guild 2015 International Wine Judging.

A native of Algeria, Herve Lescombes left France to start the St. Clair Winery near Deming in 1981. The first wines were produced in 1984, using traditional French winemaking techniques. Herve’s son, Florent, is the winemaker today, and his son, Emmanuel, manages the vineyard. They have a capacity of 500,000 gallons, and they produce wine under contract for other wineries in Arizona, Texas and New Mexico. St. Clair’s Malvasia Bianca won a gold medal at the 2015 Beverage Testing Institute.

Don’t stop tasting after visits to these wineries. There are other fine wines across the state. For more information about New Mexico wines, visit www.NMWine.com.

Take a Vacation, Take a Look, Make a Move to Santa Fe

If you’re thinking of building a vacation or retirement home, look no further than Santa Fe.

ALBUQUERQUE • EXIT 149 505-831-6317 Home Building Santa Fe Style

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Not just for the wealthy anymore, Santa Fe has been growing to include small, medium and large subdivisions, retirement villas, condominiums and townhomes. And it’s not solely an artist mecca – though that still is one of its main highlights. The “City Different,” as it’s called by locals, offers pleasant temperatures most of the year, unique Old World and Native American culture, as well as outdoors activities for every taste. Tourism is also big business, and Santa Fe offers visitors plenty to do and has some of the finest restaurants in America.

The Santa Fe Area Home Builders Association (SFAHBA) can be a great resource for anyone thinking of making a move here, says Kim Shanahan, executive officer of the SFAHA.

H O M E S

“We are expanding our mission to include becoming more of a resource for people who move here and who need referrals for homebuilders and remodelers,” Shanahan says. “We want to benefit not only our membership, which are the builders themselves, but we want to benefit the public.”

Santa Fe’s Best Open House AUGUST 12-14 & 19-21, 2016 11 AM - 6 PM. Tickets are only $15.

Don’t miss the Free Twilight Tour on Friday, August 19th from 4 PM to 9 PM for select homes. For ticket information visit sfahba.com.

SANTA FE AREA HOME BUILDERS ASSOCIATION 2520 B Camino Entrada, Santa Fe, NM 87507 • 505.982.1774

DESTINATION

Journal North ESTABLISHED 1880

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AN EDITION OF THE ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL

Heritage Hotels & Resorts Las Cruces | Albuquerque | Santa Fe | Taos

The SFABHA has the most comprehensive list of licensed and insured professionals who belong to a group dedicated to education, ethical practices and high industry standards, he adds.

“One thing that differentiates me as the executive officer for the Santa Fe Area Home Builders Association is my 30 years as a homebuilder in Santa Fe. I have experience in remodeling, custom homes, production homes and green building,” Shanahan says. “So when I get an inquiry the first thing I do is an extensive telephone interview with the prospective client. Where are you from? Are you drawn to typical Santa Fe style or more contemporary? Does green building matter? Will you work with an architect, a designer/ builder, or design yourself? All of this information helps me narrow the field of referrals.”

If you’re contemplating a project, contact Shanahan at 505-982-1774, kim@sfahba.com.

Eldorado Hotel & Spa

Palacio de Marquesa

Santa Fe

Taos

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Hotel Encanto de Las Cruces HotelEncanto.com

Hotel St. Francis Santa Fe

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Hotel Chimayo Santa Fe

Hotel Albuquerque 67 HotelABQ.com

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HotelChomayo.com

The small town of Bloomfield, just east of Farmington in New Mexico’s Four Corners region, is definitely worth a stop, and it’s a good starting point for your tour of the area. With its array of restaurants and lodging and nearby attractions, it’s often called the “heart of the Four Corners.” Moreover, the town’s municipal aquatic center is a hit with families traveling through the area, says Janet Mackey, Bloomfield Chamber president.

The Four Corners name is a reference to the fact that this is the only place in the U.S. where the corners of four states meet neatly—New Mexico, Colorado, Utah and Arizona. A Four Corners Monument marks the spot on the geographic surveys where the corners are contiguous. If you’re looking for the perfect selfie spot, this would be it.

The Four Corners region, in general, offers plenty of vacation offerings, from the Bisti Badlands’ unusual geologic features to the east; to the two U.N.-designated World Heritage sites (Chaco Canyon National Historical Park in New Mexico and Mesa

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Verde National Park in Colorado); to the superb fly-fishing on the San Juan River. You can find more fishing, day-camping or picnicking sites at the Pine River, Cottonwood or San Juan River campgrounds at mesa-surrounded Navajo Lake State Park.

Winter travelers also have ideal skiing available in the San Juan Mountains around Durango. After a day of skiing, you can drive east to the Jicarilla Apaches’ reservation in Dulce, N.M., to the popular Apache Nugget Casino. To the west is iconic Shiprock, one of the most fabulous geologic features of the Navajo Nation.

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Route 66 Casino Hotel: Award-Winning Dining, Live Entertainment and Unlimited Fun Route 66 Casino Hotel is your 24/7 oasis for a fun-filled day or spontaneous getaway. Feel the excitement build with over 1,700 slot machines and 20 action-packed table games. Join the party in the Irish-themed poker pub or play cosmic bingo in the 500-seat bingo hall. Play, eat, shop and do it again after a restful night’s stay in the classy, comfortable hotel.

Experience world-class quality, service and value at one of the award-wining restaurants and three lounges. Voted best buffet in Albuquerque, Buffet 66 offers an array of international flavors spread across nine food and beverage stations with liveaction cooking and more than 200 menu options from Mediterranean delights to Pacific Rim fresh bites.

Tempt your taste buds at Thunder Road Steakhouse and Cantina. Located in the heart of the casino, this multi-level restaurant serves up sizzling steaks, spicy tacos and specialty drinks from the tequila bar. Great specials at even better prices are featured each month. Take a walk on the rustic side with madeto-order tableside guacamole or kick-start your meal with freshly made tortillas and complimentary salsa. Enjoy free entertainment by the best local bands every weekend on the bar-top stage.

When it comes to All-American comfort foods and cocktails, flash back to the good ol’ days in the newly renovated Johnny Rockets restaurant. Swing by the 50s-inspired diner for an AllAmerican burger, onion rings and milkshake. Catch the Johnny Rockets team in action as they sing and dance to classic oldies.

Main Street Restaurant & Bar is the perfect place for breakfast or a home-style special. Grab an indoor patio table and watch all of the casino excitement. If you’re looking to simply wet your

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whistle, swing by the 360 Lounge, Poker Pub or Main Street Bar, and ask about the drink specials.

With 2,800 theater-style seats in Legends Theater, every seat is a good seat. Experience performances from some of the best comedians, rock legends, country superstars and premier tribute bands in the business. Feel up-close and personal MMA action at one of our PPV events or live fights. Legends Theater features more than 25 headliner performances every year. The 2016 lineup includes multi-platinum American rock band 3 Doors Down, Grammy Award-winning comedy duo Cheech and Chong, and The Price Is Right Live stage show.

The fun doesn’t have to end when the sun goes down. Relax in one of the 154 newly renovated rooms at Route 66 Hotel.

Refreshed from floor to ceiling, the hotel’s $2 million remodel features an inviting ambiance of lively designs, modern furnishings, and many upgrades to make your stay comfortable.

Re-energize with in-room amenities from top brands like Simmons Beautyrest®, Starbucks® and Bath & Body Works®. Plus, with onsite hourly childcare and a non-violent game arcade available at Kids Quest & Cyber Quest, the entire family can get their kicks at Route 66. Hotel reservations are available now. For current rates, member discounts and reservations, call 866-711-STAY (7829).

The best gaming, dining and entertainment is just a hop, skip and short 15-minute drive west of Albuquerque. Exit 140 on Interstate 40. For the latest news and announcements, visit www.rt66casino.com or follow on Facebook and Twitter.

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Moon Dog Publishing 9400 Holly Avenue NE Albuquerque, NM 87122

It’s time for new Adventures....

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Explore each park’s heritage and geology. Climb or hike among sandstone cliffs and mindblowing rock formations - exhilarating and relaxing all at once. Camp, stargaze, boat, kayak you’ll be amazed at what YOUR New Mexico State Parks can do for YOU!

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