Capulin Volcano, New Mexico

DSC_3861, originally uploaded by Chez VH.

Capulin Volcano in New Mexico. The homeschool family we stayed with in Colorado told us about this volcano in the northern part of New Mexico, only about half an hour off of our planned route.

A little while before we arrived, I decided to look it up in our AAA guide and realized that we would probably be getting there just after closing time. I was ready to skip it, but Gus in particular (who can be very tenacious about holding onto travel plans) talked us into continuing anyway. It turned out to be a great thing because what closing time meant was that the road up the volcano was closed to *cars*, and it was actually the only time you could walk up. Unfortunately this also meant that the bookstore was closed and we just missed getting what turned out to be our only shot during the trip at picking up at copy of Roadside Geology of New Mexico (we could see it through the window!) - which would have been lovely since we so thoroughly enjoyed the rugged beauty of New Mexico and would have liked to have better understood what we were looking at.

Even though the camera was a little dirty, you can tell that the vistas from the volcano were incredible. We only managed to climb half-way up because we were tired and a little worried about over-doing it, but it was well-worth the jaunt.

DSC_3854, originally uploaded by Chez VH.

The walk up the volcano was sunny and beautiful, but quite chilly.