Yesterday I wanted to go for a hike in the nearby Manzano Mountains to an area that has some red maple trees. This is the time of the year when we begin to see fall colors in the mountains. Most of our colors are yellows and golds from aspen and cottonwoods. To be able to see the red maples is a special treat. But Mother Nature, in the form of a rainy day, was not cooperative. We wouldn’t have minded hiking in a bit of rain, but when we saw the muddy conditions of the dirt road that leads to the trailhead, we realized it was not a good idea to try and drive our car further up the road.
But, like the Rolling Stones sang:
You can’t always get what you want
But if you try sometime you find
You get what you need
We backed out of the dirt road, got on the highway again, and continued home a different way. Lee had always wanted to see Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument and it would be on our way with this alternate route back to Albuquerque. We stopped at the Visitor Center in Mountainair and watched an informative film about the 3 different pueblo ruin sites in the Salinas Valley. We then drove on to the site at Abo and walked through the ruins there. The sun peeked through the clouds for a short bit and we enjoyed our lunch at the picnic area.
The next four pictures were taken on a hike last week in the Sandias to view the changing colors. The aspens were beautiful at Del Agua Overlook and along the Survey Trail.
As another example of not getting what you want, I was disappointed Saturday morning when I couldn’t go to the opening day festivities of the 2015 Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. But then this morning I was sitting in my recliner enjoying a cup of tea when a hot air balloon swept into view, preparing to land in the field behind our apartment. I jumped up and went out on the balcony where I had a prime viewing spot to watch four more balloons land in the field.
Watching the balloons land is fun, but it’s nothing compared to the thrill of being out on the field when they launch, especially for the Special Shapes on Thursday or the Mass Ascensions on Saturday and Sunday. Those are what I really need to see and the week isn’t over yet so I’m hoping I’ll get what I want before it is.
Living Wonderously 