Taos Miscellany

One more post before I move on from Taos.

I parked Flo the Airstream at Orilla Verde, a Bureau of Land Management site near Pilar, about 15 miles outside of Taos. It was on the banks of the Rio Grande. It’s a small campground, with only about ten sites. I was thrilled to grab the last empty site. My arrival date was the Friday of Memorial Day weekend, and I was a bit concerned that I might not be able to find a place to stay.

The region had received a lot rain lately, and my site was flooded. That was no problem, though. I rolled up my jeans and waded in to unhitch the trailer. However, I was not going to wade to the electrical hook up and plug in. My Momma didn’t raise a fool!

I filled out the registration envelope and deposited it before I left to go explore Taos. While driving  back, I realized that I had paid the tent site fee rather than the RV site fee. I found the camp host and explained what I had done. He told me that I could just pay the tent site fee, since I couldn’t get to the power, and he would explain it to the ranger. Bonus!

I was amazed by the snow on the mountains. Taos is about 7000 feet above sea level. The mountains that surround it are even higher.

One of the other sites I visited in Taos is the Martinez Hacienda, which was built in 1804. It was a fortified home and trading post. There are only three doors into the structure and no windows. In spite of the fortifications, there are no records of it ever being attacked. On the other hand, maybe the fortifications prevented the attacks.  There was one door  for people and two large doors for animals. The plan was to drive the animals into the courtyards in case of emergency.

Speaking of courtyards, this building was built around two courtyards. The family’s quarters and the public areas were around the front courtyard. The workshops and the workers’ quarters were around the back courtyard.

This is a recreation of the owner’s main living room. You can see a window here, but it opens into the courtyard, not to the exterior.

The furnishings were spartan and utilitarian.

The walls are adobe, which keep the building cool in the summer and warm in the winter. The ceilings are held up with cedar logs, which are covered with branches. logs or wood. This room is largely recreated, as milled wood would not have been used at this time. It is currently used for a quilting display.

Around there rear courtyard were various workshops that took care of whatever the people living there needed.

Wool was an important source of income for the hacienda. In addition to rugs and cloth, knit socks were an important export.

There was also a display of religious artwork in rear courtyard.

It was disheartening to read about the enslavement of the Indians in the area. The built the Hacienda and did the work. I doubt that they shared in the profits.

I came across this mural while walking around Taos.

And, of course, there was a McDonalds. They’re everywhere! (And they have free wifi!)

Next up: a report on my travels from New Mexico to Michigan.