An Enchanting ride, part 1

We've bought a new, to us, bike...an '07 Yamaha Venture. Time to try it out.

Beverly and I will ride for a few days ending up in Taos, New Mexico, then we will ride to Torrey, Utah to meet the other three couples that comprise our annual "Couples Ride".

First stop, Green River, Utah.

Dinner at Ray's Tavern.

We are overnighting in Green River, so after dinner Beverly picks up some snacks at the grocery store...I'm waiting outside sitting on the bike parked next to two SUV loaded with tourists when I hear a soft voice, "Sir,sir...would you like an ice cream bar?" I turn my head and one of the tourists, a pretty young lady is talking to me. She says, "We got these for a snack, everyone has one and this is left over if you want it...."  

Well, heck yes!
I thank her as I unwrap it and we chat about where they are going etc.

Then they leave and I enjoy my treat.

The next day we are on our way via the Cisco Junction and Moab via the SR 128

We stop for a snack here, Beverly gets a cream soda that she claims was the best she's ever tasted, I get a root beer.

Our final destination for the day is Pagosa Springs, Colorado where we have a condo waiting for us. The lodging is in the middle of a golf course, right on the edge of a small lake. It is a nice setting for despite the  golf course...anyway, we are sleeping when Bev wakes me at about 1:00 am...

"Ken! There is something in here!"

And sure enough I hear something scritching around.

I get up and arm myself with a riding boot... and start checking the closets etc. 

I find nothing, but can still hear the scritching...I finally figure out it (whatever "it" is..) is underneath our condo in the crawl space.

We go back to bed, but a few minutes later I hear our neighbors talking loudly, and then the doors slamming and they were outta-there!

We didn't get eaten or attacked during the night, so following day we're off to Taos.

We see this a few miles outside of Taos. They didn't move during the three days we spent there.

We spent three days in Taos, shopping, tasting authentic Mexican food, shopping....

We also visited a place several miles outside of town that builds these houses called "Earthships".

The earthships are pretty neat. They have built in greenhouses, solar gathering, recyclable water systems, etc. The power usage of the earthship is extremely small and can reportedly be satisfied by solar or wind powered power.

We took the self guided tour and were fascinated by the earthship. 

After the earthship tour we rode the "Enchanted Circle" an 87 mile loop through the local mountains.
We stop at the New Mexico state park Vietnam war memorial.

And then we go back to our lodging.
It was an educational, beautiful, and humbling day.
(more in part 2)