Walkabout With Wheels Blog: Driving South to Espanola, New Mexico

Eric turns south onto
U.S. 64.

He points out the steep

barn roofs.

Snow does not build
up on those roofs.

Colorado's Adopt-A-Highway
signs are purple with pine trees.

American Legion Post 108
cleans up this section of road.

The mountain sides are

covered with trees.

Horses graze in
a field.

Mesas appear as we

continue south.

We pass an abandoned
house...

...ranches...

... and re-enter
New Mexico.

We are driving on the

Old Spanish Trail.

I learn about some interesting
northern New Mexico history at
a stop for New Mexico Visitor
Information.

I love the rugged

terrain.

Foster's Hotel, Restaurant
& Saloon in Chama.

I learned that Chama Valley was very isolated in the first half of the twentieth century. The roads were made of dirt and rutted. Travel was very difficult during the rainy season. Nearly every home and farm had an illegal still during Prohibition. Many moonshiners went north to Colorado to sell their illegal goods.

Several alarm systems created to give moonshiners time to hide their stills and illegal alcohol from federal agents. Moonshiners relied on police, who were among their customers, to alert them of the approach of the feds.