Storms on the Mesa

As we loaded the Jeep my mother stood by anxiously announcing how close the lightning was to where we were standing.  "How do you know?" I inquired.  She replied that she had an app on her iPhone that told her how close it was!  At 88 she is still mom and a techno mom at that!!

But off we went, much against parental advice, to Black Mesa.  There were storms all around us and I kept tracking the lightning.  We had an exit strategy . . . get in the car and close the doors and windows.  If needed we would leave our gear outside.  Put simply, we are nuts!!

You will soon see that the guys did the bulk of the individual shots.  I set up both cameras to do time-lapse sequences, one facing the Sandia Mountain and one facing west toward Grants.  I have processed one of them so far.  The momentary 'guest' is my brother, who in all the excitement managed to run right in front of a camera doing a time-lapse!! Here is just one still photo shot at the beginning of the time-lapse sequence facing the Sandia Mountain.

This one finally sent us into the Jeep.  It came on like a mighty engine that could and it DID!!

Poor Tom.  All this weather stuff to shoot and he is stuck in the Jeep!  Wah, wah!  No problem.  He solved it . . . LOL.

Mom was glad to see us when we returned home. We have survived to shoot another day!  Next up is Old Town Albuquerque.

Stay tuned.  Stay cool.

MADrid

We were hungry and while we drove through town on our way to get lunch we were treated to a preview of a town that once thrived as a mining town and now, like Jerome, is building itself into a buzzing tourist destination and art community.

What was interesting about the house below was that it appeared the owners had done major restoration in the interior and back area, along with a new roof and great back patio. We think they left the front facade as you see it, a photographic opportunity.  For all we know the residents were inside in a hot tub sipping expensive wine!!

We were told that part of the movie Wild Hogs was filmed in Madrid.  Well, they are still there!

We were glad to get back to my mom's and download our cards.  What a great day!!  Thinking of my friends and wishing each of you could caravan along with us.  What fun that would be!!

Till the next post . . . keep cool.

Cerrillos

I have been to Cerrillos before with my brother.  It was snowing that day.  We returned, assuring Tom he would love it. The rain stopped but the sky was, well . . . white out! Oh well, it was fun and I think we got some great photos.

Cerrillos is a small community with just a few residents.  In the 1880 it was a thriving community of about 2,500 miners working on deposits of turquoise, gold, lead, silver, copper and zinc.  The town had 21 saloons, 4 hotels, numerous brothels, 2 stables, 2 churches, a general store and a Western Union station.  It was on the newly built railway.  But, as is often the case, the mines gave out and the residents left.  Today it is a photographer's stop, a picturesque reminder of the old west.

I was on a mission to get photos of gates.  The guys, Tom and Steve were more open to shoot whatever they saw that was interesting.  Enjoy Cerrillos . . . just down the road from Madrid along the Turqoise Trail.

But before we look at Cerrillos, consider just the beauty of the ride along a dirt road into town.

At this point I am yelling at Tom to get down off the rock pile.  Did you notice the split in the rocks above?  This site is an active 'watch out for rocks' area.  But, Tom took his time and continued to shoot all the way down!

Cerrillos is a community in transition.  There is a lot of really old junk and abandoned structures.  There are some new homes.  There are a lot of homes that are being 'restored'.

I know.  I did not know either.  It is a reflection of the church in a puddle left from the heavy overnight rain.

There is a museum in town, a petting zoo with chickens and a llama and there is a scenic overview with a rail and saddle in case you want to sit a while.  Yes, I am smiling!

From Cerrillos we made the short trip to Madrid, pronounced by the locals as MADrid!  Lunch at  the Mine Shaft was just what we were after.  Photos from Madrid are up next.

Thanks for sharing our vacation. We hope you are enjoying the posts and get an 'itch' to go take some photos!!!