Moonset and Sunrise at Ghost Ranch

So the sun was going down, and we needed a place to stay.   Well, we weren't far from Ghost Ranch, and we knew they had some nice hiking trails, so we decided to head back (just a few miles).

We got there after the office had closed, so we just picked one of their camping spots and settled up in the morning.  Dinner tonight consisted of homemade pizza using a pizza kit from COSTCO.  The recipe is at the bottom of the post.

Leveled Up and Plugged In, Ghost Ranch, Abiquiu, NM, March 2017 © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

Pizza Anyone?, Ghost Ranch, Abiquiu, NM, March 2017 © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

One of the reasons we went back to Ghost Ranch was we had learned about some of their hiking trails.  The one recommended by the office, when she saw my camera, was Chimney Rock Trail.  So I woke up before sunrise (as is the norm), and headed out.

Early Horse Gets the Grass, Ghost Ranch, Abiquiu, NM, March 2017 © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

Full Moon before Sunrise, Ghost Ranch, Abiquiu, NM, March 2017 © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

Chimney Rock Comes into View, Ghost Ranch, Abiquiu, NM, March 2017 © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

Sunrise on Chimney Rock, Ghost Ranch, Abiquiu, NM, March 2017 © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

I knew this would be a scenic hike, but I figured I would probably just get a good view, like above.  But the further I hiked, the higher I got, and pretty soon I was standing on that mesa you see just to the right of Chimney Rock in the picture above.

Mind the Gap!, Ghost Ranch, Abiquiu, NM, March 2017 © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

Steve's Shameless Selfie, Ghost Ranch, Abiquiu, NM, March 2017 © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

So Close You Can Almost Touch It, Ghost Ranch, Abiquiu, NM, March 2017 © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

This was an amazing place, and I was all alone, just soaking up the sun and the scenery.  Let the record show, there are still places left in this country where you can kill yourself buy getting too close to the edge, or stepping back while taking a photo ;-)   Somehow I thought we had become too protective as a nation -- maybe back East, but not out here, that's for sure.  It was quite exhilarating.

If you have the bandwidth, here's a short 50 second iPhone video to give another view of where I was standing.

And here is Carol's vegan recipe for pizza.  We try to keep a pizza kit on hand because it makes for a pretty quick and easy dinner, when we pull in late for the night:

Crispy Vegan Pizza Recipe

Pick up an Organic Molinaro's Pizza Kit from COSTCO (less than $8 for four pizzas).  It comes with stone baked pizza crusts and individual packets of tomato sauce.

Add your choice of veggies, but Carol usually includes:  thin slices of sweet onions, sweet peppers, mushrooms, artichoke hearts, asparagus, black olives, zucchini, banana peppers.  Shake on dry sweet basil, italian spice and crushed red pepper.  Finally, we add Daiya mozzarella-style cheese (non-dairy) on top.

Bake on a pre-heated pizza stone (if available) at 420 degrees for about 12 minutes.  Let it set for 5 minutes and cut.  This makes a thin, somewhat crunchy pizza, which also reheats well in the microwave if we don't finish off the whole thing in one sitting.  For the RV, we also use parchment paper under the pizza to make cleanup even easier.

Mate with a nice salad (we make up a large tupperware bowl full we keep in a cooler and have this with most meals), a glass of wine, and some candles.  How's that for 20 minutes preparation?

Monastery in the Desert

The Park Ranger that gave us some suggestions at Lake Abiquiu told us about this place.  He mentioned its at the end of a 13 mile dirt road that can be rutted, bumpy, curvy and narrow with few pull out spots.  Immediately we knew this was something we wanted to do ;-)

And it was certainly a beautiful (if somewhat slow) drive getting there!  But perhaps that is precisely the point.

Desert Landscape, Monastery of Christ in the Desert, Abiquiu, NM, March 2017 © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

Wayyy in the Desert, Monastery of Christ in the Desert, Abiquiu, NM, March 2017 © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

Awe Inspiring Vistas, Monastery of Christ in the Desert, Abiquiu, NM, March 2017 © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

The Monastery itself is not that old, built in 1964, I believe.  It is simple, and fits well into the surrounding landscape.  They also have a guest house for overnight visitors, a gift shop and a sitting area.

Nestled In, Monastery of Christ in the Desert, Abiquiu, NM, March 2017 © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

Mural on the Wall, Monastery of Christ in the Desert, Abiquiu, NM, March 2017 © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

Getting into the Spirit, Monastery of Christ in the Desert, Abiquiu, NM, March 2017 © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

Inside the chapel it is quite simple, with great views looking out toward the desert cliffs.  A great setting for spiritual reflection and meditation.

Chapel View, Monastery of Christ in the Desert, Abiquiu, NM, March 2017 © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

Simple and Serene, Monastery of Christ in the Desert, Abiquiu, NM, March 2017 © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

Desert Christogram, Monastery of Christ in the Desert, Abiquiu, NM, March 2017 © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

Magnificent Landscape, Monastery of Christ in the Desert, Abiquiu, NM, March 2017 © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

We thought about staying in one of the many dispersed camping spots along the road, but didn't find the right one, and eventually made it back to the main road.  Now where to spend the night?

Ghost Ranch Sounds Interesting

So we weren't looking for it, but when we drove by the Ghost Ranch, something said "come on in and check us out."  So we did -- twice.  And here are the first batch of the photos to prove it.

Ghost Ranch Welcomes Thistle Dew Too, Ghost Ranch, Abiquiu, NM, March 2017 © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

This place is interesting, enough so, that we left and came back and stayed the night (you will see that in a later post).  The first thing you see (after the sign) is what was one of the sets of the movie "City Slickers".  Now I have to go back and watch that movie!

"City Slickers" Movie Set, Ghost Ranch, Abiquiu, NM, March 2017 © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

Like the rest of this area, it is beautiful country.  And I've grown to love the adobe houses and their spartan landscape.  Makes green grass look very out of place.

Colorful Landscape (Take 2), Ghost Ranch, Abiquiu, NM, March 2017 © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

I Call It Art, Ghost Ranch, Abiquiu, NM, March 2017 © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

This is also the research center for their state fossil, the Coelophysis.  They dig them up in a large slab, and move them intact to this location, as well as multiple universities and research centers, for further investigation. I guess it beats working out in the desert sun ;-)

Fossil Research, Ghost Ranch, Abiquiu, NM, March 2017 © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

Overall we really loved the quirky nature of this place.  Can you tell?

I Resemble That Remark, Ghost Ranch, Abiquiu, NM, March 2017 © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

Bronze Me, Ghost Ranch, Abiquiu, NM, March 2017 © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

A Biker Said Go to Lake Abiquiu

When we were at the Valles Cauldera, we met a friendly biker who told us to go to Lake Abiquiu for the Red Rocks.  We had other plans that day, but guess what?  One thing led to another, and eventually we looped around and ended up in Abiquiu:  the cafe, the town, the lake, and the drive.  There are messengers everywhere ;-)

First let's start with the really wonderful and yummy Cafe Abiquiu.  We had a wonderful brunch there and recommend it highly.  They have a nice gift shop as well.

A Sunny Cafe, Cafe Abiquiu, Abiquiu, NM, March 2017 © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

Sunlight and Shadows, Cafe Abiquiu, Abiquiu, NM, March 2017 © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

Pensive in the Sun, Cafe Abiquiu, Abiquiu, NM, March 2017 © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

After that, it was time to explore the town.

Abiquiu Church, Abiquiu, NM, March 2017 © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

Shapes and Colors, Abiquiu, NM, March 2017 © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

And then we found the district office and a Park Ranger that gave us the lay of the land.  He suggested we visit the lake and then points north.

Lake Abiquiu, Abiquiu, NM, March 2017 © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

The Good Looking One, Lake Abiquiu, Abiquiu, NM, March 2017 © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

Her Driver, Lake Abiquiu, Abiquiu, NM, March 2017 © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

So we continued north, and saw some beautiful landscape, and it also led us to our next destination (see next post).

That's a Beautiful Drive, Abiquiu, NM, March 2017 © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

Mesa or Butte?, Abiquiu, NM, March 2017 © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

Red Rocks Indeed, Abiquiu, NM, March 2017 © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]