There are many beautiful places in New Mexico, most of them are in the mountains north of Santa Fe, some are elsewhere.
Cattle guard south of Santa Fe in Deep Nowhere, New Mexico
I came to Santa Fe without any knowledge of Forrest Burke Fenn or his treasure.
After visiting during November of 2018 I was hooked on the unspeakable beauty of Northern New Mexico like some kind of drug that could do me no harm. I felt the sun reach through to my bones even in those cold days. It seemed like if I could get to the top of one of these mountains I could touch the sky. Often I found myself in tears as if I had just entered heaven, the beauty around me was palpable.
I had not expected this.
Everywhere I went I felt as if I were inside the painting of a Great Master and I came to realize that THIS was the real world. There is no wonder many have tried to capture this beauty to show a world who isn't bothered to look this way.
How could it be that this vast beautiful unending sky had been hidden behind blocks of gray city buildings and the business of going no where fast?
New Mexico 17 on the road to Chama
I returned to Cincinnati for the cold wet month of December with the tasks of giving to my children and grandchildren any of my unneeded belongings they might like, and saying goodbye without saying goodbye.
If I have looked back there has been no real regrets, only adjustments to a new way of life so far away from the people I love. There was a sense that my living in New Mexico would bring benefits to us all. Somehow I knew New Mexico and her magic would be integral to healing a few persistent wounds I carried.
Shortly after arriving in Santa Fe I returned from the mundane necessity of buying groceries, when I turned on my computer there he was.
Wait, I just saw that fellow in the grocery store didn't I? Or did I see someone with enough likeness to make me feel sure I had?
Not Forrest Fenn and not buying hot sauce
There is no shortage of mature men with white hair and cowboy hats buying hot sauce around here, so I began to question my own mind. Whatever the case I read the article about Fenn's treasure and just had to take a stab at the chase.
Over two years later I'm still looking and I keep finding treasure.
Apache Plume Northern New Mexico
Diablo Canyon near the former town of Buckman close to the Buckman Crossing of
The Rio Grande heading north on Camino Real de Tierra Adentro toward Ohkay Owingeh
I only hike here when it's too cold for rattlesnakes
My partner Mark and I were already hikers, he for many years, me just one. New Mexico was a challenge for me physically at first, but the beauty kept pulling me up the sides of mountains. Sometimes I'd get a little surly in the early days of exhaustion, demanding tacos at the end of the trail to make up for my discomfort.
If I remember correctly my first solve took 2 days of solid attention. It landed us in Abiquiu going down an arroyo below the home of someone named Brown and ended at the Rio Chama in a place I knew wasn't right. There was a friendly dog who helped make up for the ant bite. I don't remember what I thought was warm waters at this solve but. Abiquiu New Mexico has a fascinating history that makes up for not striking it rich.
An enormous dead cottonwood Abiquiu New Mexico
Since those early days of my solve my search has led me down many interesting roads, literally and metaphorically.
Here are some.
Approximately 3/4 of New Mexico's roads are unpaved.
This road is very close to West Deep Nowhere New Mexico.
South of Santa Fe
Mark Out Yonder New Mexico
Driving north out of Santa Fe, may or may not be 8.25 miles north, more or less.
Next time maybe I'll share some of the stuff I find poking around Northern New Mexico