Living Memory: Chimayó and Acequias

On April 15th, 2025, our Crow Canyon tour drove north to the "Census Designated Place," or CDP,  of Chimayó, population about 3,000. We were there to visit the Santuario de Chimayó, a Catholic pilgrimage site that attracts about 300,000 visitors annually. Needless to say, it sprawls over a large campus with extensive parking. (Click on any image to enlarge.)

We arrived on the Tuesday before Good Friday, and the signs of that holy day were evident on our drive up. The traditional pilgrimage was underway, when pilgrims walk to Chimayó from as far away as Albuquerque, and possibly beyond. The event is recognized and supported by New Mexico, including port-a-johns on the side of the highway, signs directing the pilgrims to exit and re-enter at each interchange, illuminated signs warning drivers, and more. The New Mexico Department of Transportation is heavily involved. Not everyone who seeks Chimayó walks, of course, so the narrow rural roads closer to the site are congested on Friday. This Tuesday was definitely the right day to arrive!

 

It's difficult to summarize a site with such a deep history. The site is an extended complex, with "something for everybody," including indigenous people and Vietnamese refugees.

Outdoor meeting places populate the grounds.

This statue honors all the pilgrims who have arrived.

A close-up of the plaque.

Statuary is everywhere.

Even the restroom building has exterior pilgrimage art.

But the inside of all buildings, including the surprisingly intriguing gift shop, is a no-photo zone.

Chimayó began to develop around 1810. The adobe chapel, the actual sanctuary, and its two towers still stand.

Inside the chapel is the "Holy Dirt." The actual substance in the "well" comes from elsewhere. (Click on any image to enlarge.)

The relationship between the Spanish arrivals and the indigenous people was highlighted by priestly efforts; they pointed out similarities between indigenous practices and Catholic doctrine, such as the transmutation of wine into the blood of Jesus, which is then consumed by the priest.

Joan and I particularly enjoyed the Santo Niño Chapel, also known as the Chapel of the Children. Through the generosity of pilgrims, visitors, and benefactors, this chapel has been completely restored.

Filling shelves along the adobe walls are pairs of children's shoes left by pilgrims, which Joan and I found especially moving. They are intended for the Holy Infant of Atocha, whose origin is described thusly in Wikipedia, slightly edited for clarity and brevity: 

The caliph ordered that only children under the age of 12 were permitted to bring food to the Christian prisoners, and conditions became worse for men without small children. The women of Atocha (a neighborhood in Madrid) prayed before the statue of Our Lady of Atocha, a title of the Blessed Virgin Mary, to ask her son Jesus for help.

Reports soon began that a child under the age of twelve, dressed in pilgrim's clothing, had begun to bring food to childless prisoners at night. The women of the town returned to Our Lady of Atocha to thank the Virgin for her intercession and noticed that the shoes worn by the Infant Jesus were tattered and dusty. They replaced the shoes, but these became worn again. The people of Atocha took this as a sign that the Infant Jesus who went out every night to help those in need.

Another drive took us to an outdoor lunch (with permission) at a residence that includes part of the Estaca village archaeological site, located on the edge of the Rio Grande plain, which Dr. Ortman (Scott) had investigated before.

... Click on image to enlarge ...

He provided a handout with an overview of his findings.

This was an example of Scott's collaboration with the Pueblo of Ohkay Owingeh, examining the blending of Indio/Hispano cultures.

 

We walked down towards the Rio Grande for a discussion of acequias, an irrigation system based on both Spanish and indigenous practices. Maintaining the irrigation canals, especially the "mother" canal that taps the Rio Grande, is a community effort with oversight on how much water each participant is allowed. For further details on how it operates in New Mexico, check here. In this photo, Scott is gesturing to make a point.

A stretch of the channel for the property we were visiting.

Without the acequia system, agriculture in much of New Mexico would be difficult indeed. As it is, it's "merely" backbreaking work.

 

As we departed this area for Santa Fe, we stopped briefly at the Estaca Chapel and graveyard, where a gentleman unlocked the door and answered questions.

Back in Santa Fe, we had an hour or so of free time to browse independently downtown before having dinner at La Fonda. What a full day! (Hint: they all will be.) 

Living Memory: Phiogeh and Petroglyph Preserve

On April 13th, 2025, Joan and I flew to Santa Fe, NM, to join a five-day small group visit organized by the Crow Canyon Archaeological Center, to learn about the "cultural convergences and histories of New Mexico," as Crow Canyon titled the event. After checking in at the Santa Fe Lodge, we had time to walk around crowded downtown Santa Fe for a look-about before the group dinner. This dragon-draped building caught my eye. (Click on any image to enlarge.)

The grounds of the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi include this interesting sculpture:

Installed in the early 21st century, it commemorates the Spanish settlement of New Mexico. Around the base are the four animals they brought that were key to their efforts: horse, sheep, lamp, and pig. Here's the reverse side.

Let's take a closer look at the honorable pig.

Joan and I walked back to the lodge, feeling the altitude on the uphill bits (the airport sits at 6,348', or 1,935 meters). At dinner, we met our fellow travelers and the folks running this event, including Scott Ortman, who was the Director of Research and Education at the Crow Canyon Archaeological Center before becoming an associate professor at the University of Colorado. His expertise and personal history were invaluable for liaison with indigenous representatives of the locations we would be permitted to visit.

 

April 14th began with a breakfast of coffee, burrito, muffins, yogurt, etc., brought in by the Crow Canyon Staff and consumed outside their unit of the lodge. Then we piled into the van and drove to Phiogeh, a Classic Period Tewa village located in the northern Espanola Valley. There we met Martin Martinez, Executive Director of the Mesa Prieta Petroglyph Project and 1st Lieutenant Governor at Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo, who would be with us for most of the day.

 

Phiogeh sits on a barren terrace close by the Rio Grande River, nominally set aside from the road by barbed wire. After we entered, Scott and Martin pointed out the cultural aspects of the location, including the sunrise/sunset points at the solar equinoxes and winter/summer maximums, and how specific colors are associated with the cardinal points. For example, blue represents the west, symbolizing the evening. We also received a précis of the Spanish arrival, the Pueblo Revolt of 1680, and the return of the Spanish twelve years later. It was quite the first introduction to Pueblo history!

 

This site, like most on this tour, emphasized Site Etiquette. A primary instruction was to never pick anything up, as that would expose you to the lingering influence of the previous owner, and removing it from its original location could diminish its archaeological value. (Potsherds are OK at some sites as long as you put them back where you found them.) In some areas and situations, you shouldn't take photos, use a recording device, take notes, wear shorts, or drink alcohol.

 

Several homes were nearby. At first glance, the rough, dry slope didn't look like much, but once my eye tuned to ignore modern trash, artifacts abounded. One might see a pottery sherd, and Scott would identify it, for example, as "Northern Rio Grande Indented Corrugated."

 

After our visit to Phiogeh was finished, we drove to the Mesa Prieta Petroglyph Project. The exact location is not publicized to help protect it.

The placard on Martin's truck.

There's a moderate amount of uphill to the mesa. Partway up, I took this photo, complete with mountains on the horizon. (Click on any image to enlarge.)

Joan pauses to ponder.

Fabulous images, drawn with a purpose; otherwise, why put in the time and effort?

Is this location an art museum, a cathedral, or ??

Lighting and contrast are everything, and of course, they change by the hour!

Some symbols have a modern look to them.

If you would like to see more, there's a wonderful video here.

 

The afternoon fled by, and soon we were at dinner. We eagerly awaited tomorrow, with visits as diverse as pilgrimage sites and water management ahead.

Price Promotion on Chasing Lucy

Starting August 11, 2025, lasting for seven days, my memoir Chasing Lucy will be on a price promotion for the e-book version. It will start at $0.99 for the first few days and then $1.99 until it goes back to the regular price on the 19th. I suggest snatching it up at Amazon.com ... there's virtually nothing to lose! 😃

 

 

It's the first time I've used this promotional feature and I hope it goes smoothly.

Canada 2024: Bow Falls

On July 19th, 2024, Joan and I hiked to Bow Falls. (Composing this report is especially poignant because of the rockfall in June of 2025 at Bow Falls that killed two and injured several.) We had done this hike many years ago, in September, and the water flow in that season had not impressed us. Despite a two-week dry spell, the view from the lodge suggested that it might be better now.

 

The route began with the lakeside trail adjacent to the Lodge at Bow Falls. (Clock on any image to enlarge.)

The falls were visible in the distance.

That white streak in the center.

Clearer, perhaps, with a good zoom.

Along the way, we spotted a meadow fritillary.

Five minutes later, a very relaxed marmot basked on a rock.

I also stopped to grab this mirror-image scene.

Soon, the trail began dodging and weaving, sometimes above the river bed amongst the trees, and sometimes down on the flood plain. The transitions up and down were often steep.

The ascent changed character as we approached the tall steps.

Parts of them were being rebuilt ...

Then the route to the alpine hut split off from the trail to the falls.

The alpine route is on the other side of the rushing water. To go from one trail to the other, hikers must scramble over a boulder wedged into the gorge! Joan and I had crossed it in the other direction during our long-ago visit, but to cross from this side is a task we wouldn't care to tackle, especially when encumbered by a daypack. (Now in 2025, the trail to the falls is closed beyond this point.)

Bigger than it looks; you must heist yourself up.

Soon, the falls came into view, although we weren't there yet!

This panoramic view shows Bow Falls, right, and the valley leading to the hut, left.

A descent took us to the rocky, creek-cut approach to the falls. In this picture, two hikers have found a good spot to rest and watch.

But many folks went higher/closer. The falls generated a cool out-flowing breeze and thunderous noise.

 

Some nestled close to the water.

Joan and I made a close approach to experience the falls, then retreated to more suitable ground for our lunch, but still high enough to look back at the lodge.

Then it was time to return. With the extra afternoon melt, the water in the valley was wider.

A very elaborate footbridge, perhaps to cope with varying river levels.

Our footsteps hastened as clouds gathered and thunder began to rumble. We reached the lodge just before the first in a series of rain showers burst. We'd had an excellent hike, with more exercise and hiking adventure than expected!

From our 4th-floor room, the evening view down Bow Lake was magnificent.

The next day, July 20th, was a multi-stop journey on the way to Calgary. This included choosing among the wonderful chocolates at Le Chocolatier in Canmore, having lunch at Aama Nepalese restaurant in Cochrane, dropping off the rental car, and checking in at the airport hotel. Our 2024 Canadian expedition was a success; on the 21st, we flew home.