Travel and Adventure by Various Travel Authors

By Kathryn Lemmon

At first glance, I assumed Buffalo Thunder was a city. After all, in a state with a town called "Truth or Consequences," that moniker wouldn't be a stretch. And really, who can even spell Albuquerque on the first try?

But Buffalo Thunder is a resort, not a town. It's a very large resort by New Mexico standards that sits 20 minutes north of Santa Fe. The theme and decor are Native American and feature larger-than-life dramatic sculptures of dancing native figures. As the name suggests, buffalo are also represented in the artwork.

Like the cathedrals of the Middle Ages, the place is meant to grab visitors' attention and hold it tight. The pool courtyard includes four tall pillars topped with bowls of fire, like something from an Indiana Jones movie set — very impressive against the night sky. There's also a casino of 61,000 square feet, a large spa and golfing.

With the resort as a base camp, two possible day trips are Bandelier National Monument and the village of Chimayo. The area of Bandelier is estimated to have been occupied by humans for long as 10,000 years. More recently, it was designated as a national monument in 1916.

Bandelier is known for the prehistoric Anasazi ruins that include dramatic cliff dwellings and petroglyphs on the rock face. The park suffered from both flooding and fire in the summer of 2011. Our guide, a park ranger, was visibly distressed as we passed the debris from the flooding. Cleanup had started, but it was going slowly. Knowing the devotion rangers feel for their parks, I felt great empathy for her and hoped it would all be back to normal soon. In the meantime the situation is changeable, so anyone planning to visit should be sure to check in advance.

Northern New Mexico was warm and dry when I visited. My friends and I walked on a relatively flat trail until we got closer to the sheer cliffs. Stairs and paved slopes gradually moved us upward. The shady bits were welcome, even on a 70-degree day. During that walk I began to recognize the dry feeling of the air that is unlike destinations east of the Mississippi, and my contact lenses were especially affected.

Photogenic wooden ladders allow access to the dwelling spaces within the cliffs, and it's popular among people who brave the climb to have their picture taken peeking out of the holes. The area also has 70 miles of trails to test the stamina of serious hikers.

A different sort of experience awaited us at Chimayo. The village is a multifaceted place — a religious pilgrimage site and home to a number of traditional Native American weavers.

Chimayo is typical of the Spanish settlements of Northern New Mexico, but with some updates. The morning sun was plentiful as we stood in the area near the church to listen to our guide. Tranquility filled the air. No car sounds could be heard, and only a few bird calls broke the silence. Then someone's cell phone broke the mood and brought us back to the modern world.

Chimayo claims to be the location of the largest religious pilgrimage in the United States and has been called the Lourdes of America. Each year during Holy Week, pilgrims line the highways north of Santa Fe. By Easter Sunday, thousands pass through the doors. The small church has a room housing the sacred sand pit and was the location of a miracle dating back about 200 years. Legend says a crucifix was found in this dirt and the soil has special qualities. On the wall is a rack of crutches, signifying those who believed themselves healed by the powers of this holy spot. Those who feel the pilgrimage healed them often make the journey a second time to give thanks.

Weaving has a long tradition in this region, and our journey took us to several shops, including Ortega's Weaving Shop. Robert Ortega, a seventh-generation weaver, stood at a loom and was able to weave his creations without any kind of pattern or chart. He could discuss his family history in depth and answer detailed questions at the same time, a craftsman in the true sense of the word.

The second shop we visited was chock-full of rugs and blankets. Outside, deep blue yarn that had just been dyed hung in the sun to drip dry. Pieces of cardboard on the ground caught some of the brilliant blue rivers of color, producing fancy patterns. As one who enjoys needlework, I found inspiration from the Navajo preference for creating with solid blocks of red, white and black.

Northern New Mexico offers timeless landscapes of high desert and mountains where Hispanic, Anglo and Indian have come together. There's far more to this region to be explored on my next trip.

WHEN YOU GO

For more information, visit: www.newmexico.org.

Kathryn Lemmon is a freelance travel writer. To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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