ONCE UPON A TIME IN NEW MEXICO The soaring canyons and sagebrush plains of northern New Mexico have attracted artists, spiritual seekers and free thinkers for over a century. A road trip through the high desert — encountering a hippy commune, artists’ studios, futuristic eco-homes and a Benedictine monastery — uncovers the weird, wild and wonderful soul of the American Southwest

WORDS AMELIA DUGGAN IMAGES: AMELIA DUGGAN; JEN JUDGE

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IMAGE: JEN JUDGE CREATION. NEW MEXICO April 2020 April 97 98 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel 98 NEW MEXICO

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Santa to lead roads all Mexico, New northern In part and the light returns. returns. light the and part clouds the abates; storm the started, it as quickly as then, But bruises. ofangry colour the into transform mauves and yellows pastel walls, canyon the On sweat. horses’ the and dust minerally bushes, of juniper scents rich the releasing skin, the to all us soaks ofrain aburst and whinny, and buck mankind. in best the out bring only doesn’t desert the that reminder a It’s ofhere. south area an in detonated and Alamos Los nearby in developed was A-bomb ever first the age: atomic of the birth the in role state’s the to allusion an choose, to metric achilling It’s bombs.” nuclear ofthree force the with exploded it until high, 20,000ft maybe volcano, a super of sides the up made they ago, years million “Five horses. our rest to we dismount as says Rachel distance,” the in mesas two those “See geology. showstopping some with concludes and ofWesterns) number Skull Crystal The Of Kingdom OUT OF THIS WORLD THIS OF OUT On first impression, Santa Fe strikes me strikes Fe Santa impression, first On A sudden clap of thunder makes the horses horses the makes ofthunder clap A sudden , as well as a as well , as NEW MEXICO April 2020 April 99 in a glowing, mutated garden. Whatever Whatever garden. mutated aglowing, in treehouses and gangways ofaerial a maze navigating up Iend later, hours some and skeleton; ofadinosaur cage rib xylophone the on atune out bash Igleefully hinterland, trippy house’s the in else somewhere Lost lair. a‘frozen’ into twists that tunnel a white discover and fridge the Iopen kitchen, the In wormholes. with riddled is Idiscover, house, The solved. easily that’s amystery not It’s inhabitants. its befell what to as clues find to house the through riffle to instruction: one with home family afull-size into ushered I’m multiverse. ofthe concept the simulates that experience art an built Wolf has Meow called ofartists collective renegade a RMartin, George creator Thrones of Game and patron arts local by donated —attraction. weirdest —and newest city’s the to ataxi hail to time it’s until more some eat and shop and Ieat ofmidday, heat crisp the In shop. Kowboyz legendary the from boots cowboy ofvintage apair buy John, proprietor, the from encouragement after and sage, ofdried bundles and jam chilli cherries, rainier ofplump punnets up Ipick district, Railyard the in market at the Down jewellery. turquoise handcrafted and 100 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel 100 NEW MEXICO Across town in a disused bowling alley alley bowling adisused in town Across road trip I imagine I’d take just for the hell hell the for just I’d take Iimagine trip road of sort the it’s parts, these in Were live Ito colony. art Taos the to route en Road, High the as known route aslow, scenic taking day, next the peaks these towards I drive Cristo Mountains. Cristo de Sangre shadowy the behind drops sun ofthe orb tangerine plump, the as red deep then pink blush sky the watch and margarita asuper-strength through way my wince I collection. art a$2m with out decked it’s days, These inn. first very city’s the of site the on stands that hotel a century-old Plaza, the on Fonda La atthe bar tower bell the to Ihead evening, That place. in get is do to has one All ahat. from handkerchiefs drawing amagician like world the from colours new pulls that show light free a I find; ofpossibility. limits the flaunt to seems often itself nature where 51, Area and ofRoswell ops government covert the and sightings extra-terrestrial alleged for renowned —astate Mexico New than other anywhere up dreamed been could’ve Return ofEternal House if wonder I world. ofthis out clearly is here happened TAKING THE HIGH ROAD Each sunset here is a unique masterpiece, masterpiece, aunique is here sunset Each during Holy Week Holy during popular pilgrimage site a Chimayó, de Santuario El to doorway restaurant; Fonda La at Plazuela La at served tacos Fe; Santa hotel, Plaza the FROM LEFT: La Fonda on on Fonda La

IMAGES: JEN JUDGE NEW MEXICO April 2020 April 101 NEW MEXICO

of it on lazy Sundays: the tarmac bends and Atocha. It sits next door to the more famous FROM LEFT: Roasted soars through piñon pine forests and villages Santuario de Chimayó, a church with a pit of chillies; Navajo rugs and overlooking badlands pierced by rock spires. ‘healing dirt’ — the focus of a vast pilgrimage tapestries at Santa Fe Settlements along the High Road wear each Holy Week. “Forty thousand people!,” Farmers’ Market their Spanish heritage proudly, and none Carlos exclaims, throwing his hands up. But more so than Chimayó. Here, at Trujillo’s it’s his family’s little, less-visited chapel that Weaving Shop, I get chatting to the owner, truly captures my imagination. Shelves, pews Carlos. “My family has been in this business and even the rafters are filled with children’s for eight generations; we trace our ancestry shoes — petitions to this manifestation in the Chimayó Valley to settlers in the 1700s. of Christ as a child, who’s thought to be in Times are changing; I don’t know if the next constant need of new footwear because generation will want to weave, like I did,” he tirelessly wanders the Earth looking for he tells me, pausing work at a large wooden people to help. It’s a haunting sight, looking loom. Geometric tapestries and rugs hang like a ramshackle nursery with no wards. on the walls; many patterns date back to the For my last days in northern New Mexico, first Spanish communities to settle here, I’m staying in a vintage Airstream trailer in often reflecting Navajo influences. “Some are the barren sagebrush plains outside of Taos very complicated,” Carlos says, stroking one town centre. It’s another taste of desert life: of his creations. “I try to make one a year, to in the mornings, I drink stove-brewed coffee preserve the style — to preserve the tradition.” on my wooden deck, stoke the embers of my Down the road is another Carlos: an artist, fire pit, and watch the sun spill over the spine and grower of heirloom Chimayó chillies. of Taos Mountain. His open studio, Medina’s Gallery, is stuffed The area is fascinating, a mecca for with Catholic tchotchkes, paintings and bags the stridently individual and left-field of ground chilli. He breaks open a pistachio communities that seem to flourish in this nut and uses a half shell to scoop up a fiery desert. Just to the north west, across the powder for me to try. “You’re tasting the dramatic Rio Grande Gorge, lies a village of past,” he says, “Little has changed in the around 70 Earthships — gorgeous, Gaudí- way this is made in centuries. We honour esque eco-homes built from upcycled our roots.” Across the road is the adobe materials like glass bottles that flash like

IMAGES: JEN JUDGE chapel his grandfather built to Santo Niño de exotic insects in the midday sun.

April 2020 103 land — the way it gifts you back a part of part a back you gifts it way —the land quietly. replies he missing,” that’s something for looking they’re think “I here. people draws what Kestrel Iask plains. the across roll showers rain misty watch and point a lookout to hike we Afterwards, liberating. most of the one and done, ever I’ve thing British least the perhaps It’s dance. aslow, in ecstatic limbs leaning upon one another and entangling involving movement offree hour an be to out turns which workshop, improvisation didn’t.” others the ultimately and long so survived Lama why that’s think I here; drugs no and alcohol no there’s And one one teacher, philosophy. there’s where ashram an to opposed as inter-spirituality, to committed “We’re me. advises years, four of aresident Alexander, Kestrel community,” aconscious is Foundation Lama anymore; ‘commune’ say really “We don’t 1960s. the from commune hippy surviving last region’s the is pine, ponderosa with carpeted government. the from territory ancestral oftheir acres 48,000 back won even 1970 they in and reserves, onto forced weren’t Pueblo ofTaos people the country, ofthe parts other in Unlike years. athousand back dates Creek, Willow Red of banks the on heart, atits structure adobe multistorey The Landmark. Historic National a and Site World Heritage aUNESCO both as designated community American Native 104 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel 104 NEW MEXICO Everyone I meet waxes lyrical about this this about lyrical waxes Imeet Everyone acontact in part take to retreat atthe I’m hillside aremote on north, further And living only the Pueblo, Taos is east To the embraced you.” you.” embraced it’s see “I vision. a gifted if as broadly, asmiles and me at look to head his tilts Rich them. read to how knew Ionly if canyons, Mexico’s New across written be might secrets life’s that me to It seems home. Ihead before time last one darken and bloom landscape the watch to up, it soak and go to anxious I’m desert. high the in oflife boldness the to ode out’,” says. you he spit it’ll —or you hold and you caress you, love either will mountain ‘the Taos: in a saying “There’s manes. billowing with horses wild and Pueblo, ofTaos village adobe ancient the deserts, offlowering depictions vibrant luminous, work: students’ his up prop that of easels real.” it’s know to it try to have you it; explain Ican’t converged. lines ley your all aligned, chakras your all sanctuary, a basilica, your mecca, your is Taos artists, For palette. ofmy side other awhole use to Iget here Out industrial. was it cold, was it up, Igrew where Chicago, in “Back strongest. atits is magic the that Taos, around here, it’s that insists tour, artisans evening an on to out. standing on insist steadfastly Mexicans New that seems it homogenous, increasingly US become the across communities many As desert. high the across being into kindled life of ways different the and here, people ofthe individualism spirited the by struck I’m create. or worship to space you gives or lost, was thought you yourself Outside, the sun is setting; another fiery fiery another setting; is sun the Outside, aforest by surrounded studio his We’re in introduced I’m artist alocal Nichols, Rich Kestrel Alexander at the burial site of of site burial the at Alexander Kestrel a Sufi holy man, Lama Foundation Lama man, holy a Sufi flights. heritageinspirations.com flights. not but meals some and transport including people), two of minimum agroup (with person per (£918) $1,200 from starts tour Afour-day region. Taos and Canyon Chaco the in retreats Gorge and Ghost Ranch, and glamping Grande Rio around excursions Pueblo, Taos and Taos Chimayó, Fe, Santa including cultural and artisan tours of Mexico, New northern of tours guided Christ in the Desert can be challenging. challenging. be can Desert the in Christ to one the like roads dirt so rain, sees often July-August July. in 30C to January Average temperatures range from 6C in year-round. sunshine gets Mexico New 15hrs. time: flight Average americanairlines.co.uk united.com via Denver. flies Airlines United Dallas; via Fe Santa to Heathrow from flies Airlines American visittheusa.co.uk visitsantafe.com taos.org skitaos.com Valley. Ski Taos Blake, The hotellunamystica.com Taos. Mystica, Luna Hotel casagallina.net Taos. Gallina, Casa farolito.com Fe. Santa Farolito, El lafondasantafe.com Fe. Santa Plaza, the on Fonda La lamafoundation.org Foundation. Lama taospueblo.com Pueblo. Taos earthshipglobal.com Earthship Biotecture. meowwolf.com Wolf. Meow santafefarmersmarket.com Market. Farmers’ Fe Santa ghostranch.org Ranch. Ghost christdesert.org Desert. the in Christ of Monastery HERITAGE INSPIRATIONS ESSENTIALS How to do itHow information More stay to Where When to go When &around there Getting Places mentioned Places Reservoir Abiquiu 10 Miles MONASTERY INTHEDESERTCHRIST Abiquiu GHOST RANCH GHOST Española

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IMAGE: AMELIA DUGGAN. ILLUSTRATION: JOHN PLUMER