SE to NW Part 2

Ed Note: This is part 2 in a 3 part journal-style piece about photographer Keith Novosel's cross-country road trip. Read Part 1 and Part 3.

New Mexico

We ate at a classic little Mexican restaurant in old-town Albuquerque, proving one of the few things I knew about the state to be true: the quality of the Mexican food is unparalleled. The adobe homes in turquoise, red, and burnt-orange color schemes also matched expectations. Everything else was new and unexpected.

I thought that New Mexico was primarily desert and rocks, but I learned that there are in fact lots of trees. Where we were there wasn’t much desert at all, actually. I was intrigued by the plant life’s varying shades of green, the massive bluffs, the Native American ruins ranging from a hundred to thousands of years back, and the wildlife: horny toads, rattlesnakes, golden eagles, deer and wolves.

We stayed in New Mexico for a week and a half with Analisa’s grandparents. It was a classic “meet the parents” type situation, where I heard plenty of unsettling stories about her grandpa’s rough personality ahead of time. I could tell that Analisa was nervous for me to meet them, although I assured her that I could take whatever questions or comments he could dish out. I’m glad we had as much time there as we did, because even though the whole experience went better than expected, I could sense him warming up to me more as the week progressed. I’m not the most talkative person when I first meet new people, but we had some great conversations, many brought on by a couple of old National Geographic magazines that I brought with me to read.

During the week, I met many of their friends. The town where they live is an alternative and artistic community with mostly retired people from all over the country. Although each person was unique, the one thing that they all have in common is a strong appreciation for the unique place and history of the area in which they live, and the simple lifestyle that they have. I don’t blame them. It’s a special place with a strong history that you can feel and see through found arrowheads, pieces of pottery, ruins of homes, native influence, and the land itself. Even though it wasn’t quite the desert I expected, there still wasn’t much water for recreation. After a week and a half, I was curious to see what was next…and anxious to get closer to Portland.

Read Part 3.