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Flatout (Reunion Flight Day 3 Run 3)
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 Photo Info
Posted By: Nickens, Dan
Date Posted: Oct 16, 2018
Description: After more carefully checking the chart at Monte Vista for sinister river valleys, I turned towards the benign headwaters of the Rio Grande. There was still a lot more daylight and a lot more high country to cross before the day was done.
Date Taken: Sept. 22, 2018
Place Taken: San Luis Valley east of Lobatos, CO 9/22
Owner: Nickens, Dan
File Name:    - Photo HTML
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Category: Cross Country Reunion
Favorite option: If you want this item to be marked as a favorite, click on the black heart. Flat River Valley (Reunion Flight Day 3 Run 2)    Make Cover Photo     
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Read what others had to say:

Nickens, Dan - Oct 16,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    It didn't take long for the river to start digging into the valley. That was okay as long at the Sangre de Cristo mountains kept the eastern clouds from spilling over.
Rio Grande CO 9/22 		     Attachments:  

Digging In IMG 0741
Digging In IMG 0741

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Oct 16,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    The river follows a rift valley stretching from Colorado to Mexico. The basin is hinged on its western side in the Alamosa Mountains, sloping down to a big fault on the east. In between the hinge and the fault has been filled with alluvial sediments from the surrounding mountains. The alluvium is mixed with ash and lava flows from the stretching of a continent.
Banks of Rio Grande CO 9/22 		     Attachments:  

Running Down a Rift IMG 0748
Running Down a Rift IMG 0748

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Oct 16,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Nearing the New Mexico border the land was mostly dry. Up north the valley farms take advantage of 100" of annual snowfall on them there mountains to water their farming.
Rio Grande, CO 9/22 		     Attachments:  

Almost Wet IMG 0749
Almost Wet IMG 0749

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Oct 16,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    After crossing into New Mexico, the scenery took on drastically different colors.
Near San Cristobal, NM 9/22 		     Attachments:  

Change in Tone IMG 0776
Change in Tone IMG 0776

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Oct 16,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    It might still be summer in the valley, but it's deep into fall on the mountainside.
Near San Cristobal, NM 9/22 		     Attachments:  

Its Fall IMG 0780
Its Fall IMG 0780

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Oct 16,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Trees were missing from some of the hillsides (fire?). In memory of the lost trees, low shrubs taking their place were cloaked in their fall colors.
Near San Cristobal, NM 9/22 		     Attachments:  

Scrubbery IMG 0798
Scrubbery IMG 0798

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Oct 16,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    When I turned back to the river it was no longer in a shallow ditch. It had gone deep.
Rio Grande near Taos, NM 9/22 		     Attachments:  

Getting Deep IMG 0803
Getting Deep IMG 0803

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Oct 16,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Hiding in plane sight on the plains were a variety of Earthship houses. The houses, built of recycled materials and partially buried, are examples of "biotecture" vision of Michael Reynolds.
Across the River from Taos, NM 9/22 		     Attachments:  

Recycling Dirthouses
Recycling Dirthouses

       Attachments:  

Grounded Earthship IMG 0811
Grounded Earthship IMG 0811

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Oct 16,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    In a departure from the traditional fierce individualism of the west, two of the earthships were seemingly cloned.
Across the River from Taos, NM 9/22 		     Attachments:  

Earthship Clones IMG 0814
Earthship Clones IMG 0814

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Oct 16,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Not all the yards were barren dirt.
Across the River from Taos, NM 9/22 		     Attachments:  

Desertscaping IMG 0820
Desertscaping IMG 0820

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Oct 16,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Bet it took a smooth talker to convince the homeowner's association to allow an above ground house.
Across the River from Taos, NM 9/22 		     Attachments:  

All Aboveboard IMG 0825
All Aboveboard IMG 0825

    
  
Don Maxwell - Oct 18,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Yeah, but it's an above ROUND house, Dan--so it must be okay.     
  
Nickens, Dan - Oct 18,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    I hadn’t thought about that, Don. The HOA might have thought it an autocorrect error on the design plans.     
  
Nickens, Dan - Oct 16,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    The tightest grouping of earthhouses were around the entrance. Realtor model homes?
Across the River from Taos, NM 9/22 		     Attachments:  

Welcom Center IMG 0839
Welcom Center IMG 0839

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Oct 16,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    The way out of town if you've gotta cross the Rio Grande.
Near Taos, NM 		     Attachments:  

Outta Taos IMG 0853
Outta Taos IMG 0853

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Oct 16,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    The dry washes were easily traced by yellow trees.
Near Dixon, NM 9/22 		     Attachments:  

Washed Drainage IMG 0859
Washed Drainage IMG 0859

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Oct 16,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    The sheer cliff would make a great drive-in movie screen if cars could park on the surrounding slopes.
Near Dixon, NM 9/22 		     Attachments:  

Sheer Screen IMG 0870
Sheer Screen IMG 0870

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Oct 16,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    The pillars holding up the mountains exposed by erosion.
Near Cordova, NM 9/22 		     Attachments:  

Rock Pillars IMG 0879
Rock Pillars IMG 0879

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Oct 16,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Nothing in the wash but sand (or was that a glint of gold?).
Pecos Wilderness Area near Cordova, NM 9/22 		     Attachments:  

Liquid Freeway IMG 0886
Liquid Freeway IMG 0886

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Oct 16,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Multiple peaks over 12000' in this area of the Sangre de Christo Mountains. The edges were just as rugged as the tops.
Pecos Wilderness Area near Cordova, NM 9/22 		     Attachments:  

Edge of High IMG 0899
Edge of High IMG 0899

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Oct 16,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    With Santa Fe to the south, the way around was up.
Bypassing Santa Fe, NM 9/22 		     Attachments:  

No Easy Crossing IMG 0903
No Easy Crossing IMG 0903

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Oct 16,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    My old friend making it look easy to get high.
Bypassing Santa Fe, NM 9/22 		     Attachments:  

High Flyer IMG 0906
High Flyer IMG 0906

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Oct 16,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    A different architecture.
Near Santa Fe, NM 9/22 		     Attachments:  

Some Asymmetry IMG 0908
Some Asymmetry IMG 0908

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Oct 16,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Lots of architecture.
Near Santa Fe, NM 9/22 		     Attachments:  

Hillside Estate IMG 0913
Hillside Estate IMG 0913

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Oct 16,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    The hills around Santa Fe were packed full of southwestern architecture. After breaking out onto the plains I expected to leave that behind. Instead, I found a collection of old classic architecture.
Near Galisteo, NM 9/22 		     Attachments:  

Old Town 2 IMG 0958
Old Town 2 IMG 0958

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Oct 16,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Needed: Urban Renovation?
Near Galisteo, NM 9/22 		     Attachments:  

Shabby Chic IMG 0941
Shabby Chic IMG 0941

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Oct 16,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Gallows? Crede Hotel? That's not a normal town!
Near Galisteo, NM 9/22 		     Attachments:  

Familiar Scene IMG 0957
Familiar Scene IMG 0957

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Oct 16,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    What's that strolling downtown? Now that's a familiar looking character.
Should be. It's the Cerro Pelon Ranch (formerly aka Cook Movie Ranch Set), first built for the movie "Silverado" (1985). The large ranch has also been used for other movies, including, "Lonesome Dove", "Wild Wild West", "Wyatt Earp", "3:10 to Yuma", and, recently, "Thor".
Near Galisteo, NM 9/22 		     Attachments:  

Familiar Cast IMG 0966
Familiar Cast IMG 0966

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Oct 16,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Maybe this is a movie set too?
Not far away was the Moriarty airport (0E0). It had been 2.6 hours since the last fuel, so I landed between the sailplanes. Since entering the valley we logged 190 miles, averaging 73 mph on a mostly southerly course against the wind. No worries about quickly catching up to that stalled front to the east at this rate.
Near Moriarty, NM 9/22 		     Attachments:  

Hacienda IMG 0978
Hacienda IMG 0978

       Attachments:  

Day 3 Run 2 Log
Day 3 Run 2 Log

    


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