Now is a good time to confess that I did little research when selecting Santa Fe for a three week stay, meaning everything was a surprise to me. One of the things I noticed was the elevation. I climbed upwards during the trip west and found myself at 7700 feet. Between that and likely catching something, I was a little run down for a week. I had a hacking, coughing issue at night when I laid down which I found really annoying. Next was the prevalence of artwork. It was everywhere.
Of course, I did know that Santa Fe is an old town and filled with history. I had several occasions to stroll around the town square and get my learning on.
The Cathedral Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi, commonly known as Saint Francis Cathedral, is a Roman Catholic cathedral in downtown Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Above is the Miricale Staircase at the Loretto Chapel. Sometime around 1880, the entire order began to pray to St. Joseph – the patron saint of carpenters – to help with a solution for the chapel stairs. On the 9th day of prayer, a visitor arrived at their door with his mule and some tools. The first thing the man revealed to the Sisters was that he was a carpenter by trade. He was invited in and discovered the dilemma left behind with the untimely passing of the original architect. The solo workman, unlike many tradesmen that had a look prior to him, said that it was possible to construct a useful staircase to the loft without becoming an eyesore in the available space. The only condition he placed upon the Sisters was that he would have to work in private.
The Sisters were only too pleased to agree to these terms if it meant getting their staircase done. While they used the chapel for their own activities, the carpenter retreated – returning only when the chapel was empty. Some of the Sisters did state they saw wood soaking in tubs they provided for him. Reports made at the time do contradict one another. Some insist that construction was completed quickly, while others reported that it took longer than might have been necessary.
When the spiral staircase was finished, the Sisters were delighted with how it turned out. So much so, that they organized a banquet in honor of the carpenter. This was when he was discovered missing. At no time during his work did he identify himself. He never asked for, nor received, payment for his labor or even supplies. Exactly who this man was is just one of the many mysteries surrounding the Loretto Chapel staircase.
Day Trips
I had time to take a few day trips to the surrounding area. First stop was Los Alamos; the birthplace of the atomic bomb. Located about 40 miles from where I stayed it was a scenic drive with a few of the WWII buildings remaining.
General Leslie R. Groves and Dr. J. Robert Oppenheimer consult with me about their work.
Fifteen miles down the road from Los Alamos is Bandelier National Monument. The inhabitants date back as far as one thousand years ago, making their homes in the cliffs or in dwelling nearby.
The Enchanted Circle
This is an 85 mile loop around Mt Wheeler, the highest peak in New Mexico at close to 14k feet elevation. This gives people the chance to ski or snowmobile and enjoy cold wet weather. It even snowed at the RV park at the end of April helping Jasper remember his early days in Maine.
The Enchanted Circle began for me in Toas, and I drove clockwise around the mountain. The route passes through several towns, but I only made stops in Red River and Toas. Other towns that I passed through were Questa, Eagle Nest and Angel Fire.
Inside the Red River Brewery
