June 24 til June 29, 2009

June 24, 2009 Wednesday



We continue to explore Santa Fe and go to a few museums and again downtown.

In the evening, we go to an open-air Jazz concert with all of Santa Fe’s families playing, picnicking and drinking wine they brought. Feeling like Santa Fe natives we have fallen in love with this great city, Santa Fe.

June 25, 2009 Thursday
Spend the morning looking for a finding Myia’s “best” lost travel jacket, which we find!!

So we get started late on the “high” mountain road to Taos.

We visit Chimayo, the “Lourdes of America”. It has a special colorful crucifix on the altar and healing dirt that cures people. A small old miracle church which was brought back from decay by a dedicated priest, an interesting story.

We go outside Taos to Arroyo Seco, a wonderful colorful small town. We drive down to the Rio Grande River, down down down a dirt road looking for hot springs. The weather is changing to cloudy and not inviting for any sort of water ideas so we head toward the Great Sand Dunes National Park – driving into beautiful mountains.

June 26, 2009 Friday
Wake up near Great Sand Dunes National Park – no rain, but cloudy skies.

Go to the dunes to have breakfast. The dunes are still in the shade from the big mountains and there are thousands of mosquitoes! It has rained a lot and still cloudy. Leave Sand Dunes and rain behind and head toward brighter skies into the Rocky Mountains. We cook our lunch on the river as we watch the river rafters head down the rapids.

Then over Independence Pass – magnificent with snow which Gerrit can’t resist throwing at me!

Then head down into Aspen! Meet up with Lee, our friend from Maui who lives in Aspen in the summer. He takes us on a river bike ride immediately! Lee gets us right in the know and takes us to Aspen Classic Music Concert where we sit outside the main concert hall and have our snacks and wine and listen to the heavenly music as the blues skies, mountains, and light in the aspen trees plays overhead. Then as we leave just before the rains come again we head to the next concert. This one is a Jazz concert, part of an annual Jazz Festival, in the most lovely small intimate venue. It reminded us of the BEST jazz we had ever heard. Super! Super trio of sax, guitar and bass. And Lee is a fabulous host to us!

June 27, 2009 Saturday

We head out to find the old silver mining ghost town of Ashcroft outside Aspen. Gerrit loves these places with their old ghosts. And we see the cutest little prairie dogs running around everywhere.

Later we meet up with friends, Karen and Ken arriving from Maui. A Maui reunion! We go to the music concert at the music tent again featuring Al Jareau. It is part of the Jazz Festival with the symphony performing with him. Great to see a true legend performing. We go to our ghost town to sleep in the quiet majestic air of the mountains

June 28. 2009 Sunday
In the morning we take a bike ride to John Denver’s Memorial on the river in Aspen. Such a beautiful setting among the aspens. John was a long time resident of Aspen and is one of our favorites. Our song is Annie’s Song, played at both of our weddings. His songs are engraved in giant granite boulders scattered in the natural surroundings. We sang one of his songs together before heading to the Church Picnic we were invited to. Americans sure know how to do great food! Then over for a tour of the tent music hall – an amazing architectural construction. For a permanent tent, it has great acoustics. The Aspen Classical Music Festival and School has been operating for 60 years now. The school associated with it brings students from all over the world to study and then perform with their teachers. And they keep coming back again and again. We catch another performance in the afternoon. As we head out to our favorite sleeping town of Ashcroft at dusk, we almost run over a black bear! Yes, a bear! Within 10 miles of Aspen! He seemed to be an adolescent and quickly disappeared back into the bushes. Then later on the road we saw 2 raccoons, so cute with the blacks masks and feet. Add them to the Animal Seen List!
Then over for a tour of the tent music hall – an amazing architectural construction. For a permanent tent, it has great acoustics. The Aspen Classical Music Festival and School has been operating for 60 years now. The school associated with it brings students from all over the world to study and then perform with their teachers. And they keep coming back again and again. We catch another performance in the afternoon. As we head out to our favorite sleeping town of Ashcroft at dusk, we almost run over a black bear! Yes, a bear! Within 10 miles of Aspen! He seemed to be an adolescent and quickly disappeared back into the bushes. Then later on the road we saw 2 raccoons, so cute with the blacks masks and feet. Add them to the Animal Seen List!

Monday, June 29, 2009

We take another bike around town while we wait for our Maui friend, Brenda to arrive from her overnight flight. We are happy she gets up to see us, another Maui time, as we get ready for our next journey to the Rainbow Gathering. We head down to Taos way. We are conferring with our dear friend, Pam’ s son, Mike, and his wife, Anna to meet up and travel together to the Gathering. We attended Mike and Anna’s wedding in Sweden 2 years ago and it will be nice to connect again.