After several days last week dealing with crowded airplanes, airports and metropolitan Detroit traffic, a hike today in one of New Mexico’s desolate badlands reminded me once again of why our state is The Land of Enchantment. The stresses and cares of every day living in these hectic times melt away when you slip on your hiking boots and set out to trudge through this land that time seems to have forgotten.
On a sunny August Saturday it’s a safe bet that hiking trails in the mountains around Albuquerque and Santa Fe will be popular destinations. But by driving a little over an hour to Cuba and then heading down one of the many dirt roads outside of town it’s possible to spend a pleasurable day hiking on BLM land without seeing another human being. Maybe one or two cows occasionally appear along the road, but, otherwise it’s just us and the vast sky stretching over miles of eroded rock formations interspersed amongst sagebrush, pinon, juniper and even some ponderosa pine.
Living Wonderously 
I agree, that’s what it takes to leave the noisy, complicated world behind!
It looks so desolate, forlorn, and gray; thankfully, there was lots of sunshine following some time of rain and many colorful flowers along our route!