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Friday, November 13, 2015

Driving the Turquoise Trial National Scenic Byway North to Santa Fe, New Mexico


This is our second drive along the Turquoise Trail.  We drove our motorhome, with our Jeep in tow, south from Santa Fe to Tijeras on September 26.  Today Eric and I are driving the 54 mile Turquoise Trail north to Santa Fe in our Jeep. 





New Mexico Route 14 was built
 in the 1920s to connect
Tijeras to Santa Fe,










The Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce sponsored a contest to name New Mexico 14 in 1953.  Rita Simmons, an artist and educator won the contest, and a set of luggage.  The Turquoise Trail Association promotes the towns and businesses along the scenic byway,

Turquoise has been mined at Mount Chalchihuitl for many years.  Visitors are restricted from the privately owned mines.  





The Village of Tijeras
sign















Sandia Park is home to the






Golden was established in 1879, during this area's short lived Gold Rush.  Most of the population moved on by 1928.  Since 2010 some older homes have been rehabbed and a few new homes have been built.





& passersby.










The ruins of a stone building





I think this is a remnant of
a mining operation.






Eric enjoys driving his 
windy road. 





Snow covers some of
the peaks of the
Ortiz Mountains.





Welcome to Madrid.

Mining started here in
the early 1800s.






A collapse in coal mining occurred and the population on by the 1950s.  Madrid became a ghost town.




Artisans  moved into the
area & Madrid is now a
vibrant small town with
lots of shops, galleries &
restaurants.






Many of the shops have turquoise for sale.






This outcrop catches
my eye.







Cerrillos is located on County Route 55, off the Turquoise Trail.





Volcanic intrusion &
eruption formed the 
geology in this area.



Origami Cranes

Tours are available
by appointment.










Origami horses gallop
in a field.




A couple of miles up the road
is Kinetic Sculpture by
David B. Hickman













We continue our drive north.





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