A couple of months ago, Howard and I sat down with our calendar and decided that April would be a good time to take the canoe out on the river. We had such a good time on Heron Lake last year, and we just couldn't wait to do it again!
We planned a two-night trip on the Rio Grande, from San Acacia to San Antonio, just north of Bosque del Apache where I have done a lot of work over the past five years. We calculated that we should be able to paddle/row the 24 miles in a comfortable three days. We organised a car shuttle (so that we could have a car at the end when we got out) and started packing the gear.
However, luck was not on our side. Two things held us back from our canoe trip: water and wind. Flows in the river are very low for this time of year and we would have had to drag the boat half the trip. And we would have been dragging the boat into a head-on wind - gusts of 40mph were predicted. Neither of these sounded very appealing to me, and certainly not with Paloma and Semilla on board.
So, we changed our plans.
The new plan was to head up towards Jemez, duck through the GilmanTunnels and then find a nice place to camp (sheltered out of the wind). Unfortunately, the mountain road on the other side of the tunnels was closed so we had to turn around. Instead, we headed through Jemez Springs and out towards the Valles Caldera. We drove for another half an hour, singing songs and looking for potential camp sites. We passed a few campgrounds with closed gates, and wondered if the governmentfurlough had started and we wouldn't be able to access national lands.
Finally, we found access to the forest and headed in to find a nice little campsite.
HOORAY!
We pulled on our raincoats and set up camp in amongst the pine trees.
Home away from home
And then we headed out to explore our new neighbourhood.
Did I mention that it was windy???
The girls enjoying the fresh mountain air...
We didn't hike for very long, just long enough to check out the view and get chapped little red rosy cheeks (that was mainly Paloma).
But what a view!
Back at camp, there was time for a cup of tea and a snack for the humans and a lot of chasing sticks for the canine...
Paloma learns all about camp cooking while Howard eats her crackers.
Semilla is never happier than when she is in the wilderness (and has a stick to chase!).
... and some general tom-foolery....
Who's the king of the castle?
Paloma was a real (storm) trooper. She loved marching around in the woods, despite the cold and wind.
Off for another stroll...
Happy, happy, happy, hiding from the wind with Papa!
More wind and still smiling...
And Semilla was in heaven!
"Anyone want to throw me a stick?"
After a good, warming dinner, we all hunkered down in the tent out of the cold. Well, as much as we could.
Howard getting Paloma ready for bed - three layers of pyjamas, woolly socks and knitted beanie.
It was a long, cold night. Paloma wiggles and squirms like an oligochaete, and we had to keep putting her hat back on. Semilla shivered next to me, but only asked to get out of the tent once. In the morning, there was a skiff of snow on the ground, but the water bottle in the tent had not frozen. When I started the car, the thermometer said that it was 24F (= -4C). Brrrrr.
We don't have any photos of the next day. We ignored the hand-made granola and coffee pot that we had packed and threw everything in the car and high-tailed it out of there.Fortunately, it was only a short drive to the Ridgeback Cafe where there was a crackling fire, bottomless cups of coffee and green chile. We all thawed out and Paloma started smiling again.
Maybe next weekend we will get to go on our canoe adventure...
Semilla really enjoyed splashing about in the river.
See her there in the corner? Emerging out of the grass?
After a swim in the river, nothing feels better than rolling in the grass...
... or a picnic in the sun.
We came home with a new member for the Brandenburdett household. Her name is Betty. Paloma took a liking to her straight away, and wanted to be with her for the whole car-ride back to Albuquerque.
Paloma and Betty snuggled up in the car-seat.
Betty was given to Paloma by Howard's Aunt Libby, who has had Betty since she was a little girl (although she called her Kissy Doll).
She still has her original shoes!
Betty is getting to know everyone in the family.
Semilla looks pretty relaxed with Betty.
Ever since Betty came home, I have had a song stuck in my head.
[It was only after I found this video that I realised I was singing the wrong words anyway.]
I have received a couple of complaints about not updating this blog often enough (that's you, Mum). Sorry! I will try to slap up some new photos of Paloma and Semilla this weekend.
Paloma was sick last week - some sort of tummy bug that kept at her home on Friday with Howard while I went judging at the local science fair. Howard had a great time at home, watching Paloma nap and having lots of snuggles. I had a pretty good time at the fair too! The students working with me are getting ready for Research Day in the Biology Department, so we are all busy collating data, building graphs and constructing posters.
Also, Howard has been busy with fish illustrations and preparing for his show at the Outpost in May. He has some interesting new pieces that you New Mexicans should come and see. The opening is part of the First Friday Artscrawl in May.
See? We have been really busy! That's why I'm a bit slow on the blog...
In the meantime, here is a vintage photo of Paloma enjoying a nap (that I just found on my work computer!).
