On the Road: Santa Fe to Page
After a wonderful month in Santa Fe, we were both sorry and ready to leave. And Steve is taking a week off from work, so we are officially on vacation!
First stop: Abiquiú (a-buh-kyoo), New Mexico, just one hour’s drive from Santa Fe. This is the town that Georgia O’Keeffe made her permanent home. We stopped briefly at the Georgia O’Keeffe Welcome Center, which had photos of her house and examples of the mid-century modern furniture that she loved, like Eero Saarinen’s “tulip” table (swoon!). As we continued to drive through Abiquiú, we saw the distinctive flat-topped Pedernal Peak that O’Keeffe loved to paint. It was a gorgeous drive past Abiquiú Lake and red rock mesas framed by swirly bright green cottonwood trees - just like O’Keeffe paintings.
We continued along small New Mexico highways for 200 miles. The scenery changed dramatically every few miles. The red sandstone gave way to white limestone. Apache Nation lands were to our right, and Navajo Nation lands were to our left.
Next stop: Four Corners Monument. This is where New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, and Colorado meet. It’s the only spot in the country shared by four states.. The inscription reads, “HERE MEET IN FREEDOM UNDER GOD FOUR STATES.” There wasn’t much here - the low-key monument, and a few souvenir stands. Still, it was a popular place. Even the wild horses liked it.
Last stop for the day: Page, Arizona. As we drove through northern Arizona, there was an endless series of strange and beautiful rocks, mesas, and mountains. It was about 175 miles to Page, a small town next to Lake Powell. Directly across the street from our family-run motel was Big John’s Texas Barbecue, and it was great weather for sitting outside. We shared a long picnic table with friendly folks from Utah and a group from the UK on a 17-day tour of the National Parks. A live band aptly named “Indians and Cowboys” did surprisingly good covers of classics like Sultans of Swing. It was a perfect way to end a great day on the road.
