New Mexico; ABQ: Spring 2026

I went on my first road trip of 2026….and it took me back to New Mexico. My last trip to NM was in the Autumn of last year for my MiddleWorld Apprenticeship graduation. Now it's Spring, ...and here I am again! This state keeps calling me back.

The weekend before I left for this trip, I hosted a playshop on the Sacred Fool, an archetype that evokes playfulness, curiosity & wonder. I'm excited to bring these activated energies within me on this road trip & see what magic they bring alive on my adventure.

Usually when I come to New Mexico I return to the same places & spend time in my "special spots". This time I’m choosing to visit all new places & landscapes. It's time to explore some new roads in life!  

Migration Magic

I headed south into northern New Mexico from Colorado, and passed through the Maxwell Wildlife area along the way. I was happy to see so many birds migrating through the area. This is a great birding location.

I saw familiar birds here such as coots, buffleheads, and shovelers...and I saw a new species I’ve never seen before, Franklin Gulls. These birds are absolutely beautiful. I had so much fun watching them hunt little creatures along the shore line.  Their markings are spectacular.

Franklin Gulls are mighty migrators. They spend winter in South America (Peru/Chile) and come to the US to breed in the summer. They travel thousands of miles twice a year, which is quite impressive, especially since some days it’s difficult for me to just get around the block!

Elder Tree

I checked out a new area for me in Northern New Mexico (Springer Lake) & fell in love with an elder tree that lives in the area. I deeply connected with the energy of one dead tree standing alone on the desert floor, reaching up into the stormy sky above. Dead, yet so alive in its presence. Even after everything it had lost… it did not collapse inward. It stood tall, a beacon of presence in the vast landscape.

This tree gave me so many contemplations to be with in my own life as I explore how to stay open & outstretched in such challenging times, both personally & collectively. How can I continue to reach out into life, even when things feel uncertain, even when storms gather, and when I have so much grief about no longer being who I used to be?

How are you staying open in times like these?

Las Vegas, NM

I usually just pass through this little town on my way to Santa Fe, however on this trip, I decided to stay a night and explore the area. This town of about 13,000 residents was founded in 1835 as a key stop on the Santa Fe Trail. There are over 900 historic buildings here, making it one of the largest historic districts in the U.S. 

There’s a strong Hispanic presence, with families rooted here across generations. I went to a local diner for breakfast, and it felt like I was at a family reunion. People were getting up mid-meal to hug someone across the room, calling out greetings, and checking in on each other. There was a warmth in the air that was sweet to witness & be a gentle part of.

I wandered through the Plaza Hotel in Old Town plaza (built in 1882). There were lots of pieces of old wooden furniture on all the floors that was fun to look at. One reminded me of the wardrobe closest from Narnia. There were so many mirrors everywhere, which was a bit weird. And there were several hallways that felt a bit too creepy for me to explore. Wandering through this hotel was a nice little side quest on my adventure.

Villanova State Park

I spent the day at Villanova State Park & this place surprised me.... in a good way. Most of the campsites here come with their own adobe structures, which is cool! I ended up getting a nice day use spot along the Pecos River & spent the day sorting my truck, making art, working on lesson plans & people watching. I was here on Easter Sunday so I had interesting family interactions happening all around me. I like to watch wildlife & that is what people are for sure!

I had fun playing with my chalks in my art journal as I sat next to the river. It was lovely to have the back drop of the river singing to me all day. Creating this page in my journal was a lovely meditation for me, exploring various tiers of identity on the map of the chakras.

On this trip through New Mexico I worked on the lesson plan & playlist for my Crown Chakra and Mental Mastery playshop. I like "working" on the road this way!

I’m glad I spent the day here grounding into New Mexico energy and getting back into life on the road. This is my first big road trip of the year & I’m sliding right in like a pro. 

Heading Into the City

Driving west into Albuquerque along Highway 40 was rough. It is such a stark landscape. Arid Desert. Glaring Sun. Flat Terrain….and so many billboards along the highway...it became annoying.

Driving into Albuquerque, at least from the direction I came, was filled with homelessness & poverty. And under the harsh desert sun, it seemed even more despair-full. It was heart hurting to see so much poverty, sadness & disassociation in the people walking the streets. This would be a hard place to be homeless! 

I saw so many people walking bent over, their abdomen area contracted, their core bent in half, with such a profound loss of strength, power & vertical alignment. Seeing so many people walking from a bent center, block after block, was an interesting observation for me to see, especially after I had just met my elder tree in the desert & was contemplating for my own self how to stay open & outstretched in this harsh world. 

Seeing all these collapsed people was a powerful reminder for me to me stay open, aligned and engaged with my own inner & outer posture. Their plight made my presence deepen. 

Staying Local

For this part of the trip I’m staying at an Air B&B in Albuquerque (ABQ). I’ve been considering a move to New Mexico, so I was looking forward to exploring the urban landscape of New Mexico’s largest city (of about 550,000 people). The size of this city feels good to me. It's big enough that there are lots of nooks & cranny's to explore and not too small that I would get bored too easily.

I haven’t heard many good things about ABQ but I want to explore it with an open mind & heart. If I moved to the region, this would be the city center I would be visiting for healthcare, the airport and other infrastructure components. 

I’ve read that violent crime in ABQ is about twice the national average and property crime is even higher. My air b&b host even told me to leave the dead bolt engaged when I am inside the unit for safety. 

Old Town

I walked around Old Town & checked out some of the shops. There was a time when places like this would have enticed me to purchase little treasures to take home. However, these days I am less inclined to buy stuff. I hardly even bring rocks & sticks home with me that I find out in the wild.

I'm in a season of release & consolidation as I strive to condense and be more nimble as I consider what’s next & where I want to move to next. I did however buy this painting from a local artist. I saw a roadrunner one morning & that made me so happy, and this painting makes me happy too.

Adobe Architecture

I love the adobe architecture in New Mexico. The rounded edges and warm earth tones feel incredibly soothing to my nervous system. These homes and structures are built from clay, sand, straw, and water, materials gathered from the very ground they rest on. There is a connection to the earth here that is very palpable.

I find a certain intimacy of the design of adobe. Soft curves replace the sharp edges we’re so used to in modern spaces. Gardens are tucked into hidden corners, shaded alcoves offer relief from the sun, and simple benches call you to sit and stay awhile. I enjoyed sitting in this courtyard and just being.

Loud Town

Albuquerque is a car place. There’s lots of low riders & antique cars driving around town. Some are low & slow, some are loud & flashy, and most "cruise" around town in a show-off kind of way. 

There are even murals & statues of cars around town, honoring this aspect of the city’s culture. I’m thinking this ABQ car culture is due to the large Hispanic population, which is also woven into the popular driving route of Route 66 that passes through town. 

And while the cars are pretty to look at, and they are their own form of art & personal expression, it's loud here. The sound of revving cars & modified exhaust systems is extremely prominent throughout the city (at least the parts I visited). It's such an assault on my nervous system.

It reminds me of the state park near my house in Denver, CO that has an outdoor shooting range. I can’t ever really sink into peace while I am there due to the sound of constant gun fire. ABQ is like that, but with car engines revving.  I’m sure there are quieter parts of town, however, all the places I went to were loud.  

Bio Park Gardens

The highlight of my time in ABQ was at the Botanical Gardens at the BioPark. What a magical experience I had there. If I lived in the region I would have an annual pass & visit at least quarterly. It’s an oasis in the arid desert, with trees, water & shade.

The first part I explored was a magical land, protected by a dragon portal. The vines were thick and beauty bloomed in all directions. There were so many portals in this place & I didn’t know where any of them would lead. I laughed, jumped, played & explored like a happy kid. What a gift this place was to my spirit. I am deeply grateful for the joy burst I received here,

Ceremonial Pumpkin

One of my favorite spots (and there were many) was a big orange pumpkin structure you could sit in. It offered shade, had interesting lighting & felt like a place to do ceremony. I pulled out my Oracle deck and did some crown chakra activations in the pumpkin. It was lovely. 

The Oracle card I pulled from my new deck is perfect for my Crown Chakra studies; it reads: "Master Your Reality. If there are things you don’t like, start changing them. If you can’t change them, walk away. If you can’t walk away, change your perception. This present moment is where all your empowerment is. Enjoy the journey, master your reality, and stop thinking the future will bring something better, because when the future arrives, it will be now." 

Sacred Sighting

One of my favorite sections was the Japanese Garden. The water features and meandering trails through flowering trees was sweet for my senses. This would be a great place to come with my sketch pad.

I saw a Wood Duck here, which is such a rare sighting..and I saw a female one too! What a treat. Wood ducks have such ornate markings they almost don’t look real. You don’t find these ducks in open lakes. They tend to live in wooded wetlands & ponds with overhanging trees. 

Most ducks nest on the ground, however Wood Ducks nest in tree cavities, sometimes 30–60 feet up, making them a forest duck, which is so cool! Baby wood ducks hatch in tree cavities, then leap out and off they go! 

I must have felt like a stalker to this duck cuz I followed him around everywhere. So beautiful & exciting to have spent so much time with this guy. 

The Housing Market

I spent my last day in ABQ driving around various parts of the city, looking at homes. Houses here are much less expensive then in Denver (which is one of the big reasons I’m exploring the region). 

One of the things I love about homes in NM is that in general it’s easier to find a one story ranch style home, which is what I’m looking for in my next move. As I get older, stairs are getting more difficult, so my next home needs to be easy to move around in & support me as I prepare to move into my elder years.

As I drove around town it felt like a lot of areas are poor or economically strained. New Mexico ranks 47 out of 50 states for their poverty. And while economic hardship is real here, there is a slower, simpler way of life here rooted in community, culture & connection…and that holds a different kind of wealth that’s sweet to feel into as well.

There are several modular home manufacturers in ABQ so I visited one. They had a 3 bed/2 bath layout with porch that was nice, but quite expensive (around $270,000), and you still need to buy land and get everything hooked up. By the time it’s all said and done, buying a regular home would be quicker and easier (for me). 

Nature Access

One of the things that’s extremely important to me with wherever I move next is that there are multiple amazing Day Use/weekend get-away spots close by that allow me easy access to nature with good truck camping options. 

In Denver, I have a variety of places to go for day use; whether it’s along the Platte river, the Rocky Mountains or going over certain mountain passes. The high elevation helps me get away from the summer heat and into trees, where there is a bounty of rivers, and many species of wildlife to see.  

On my last trip to NM, I explored several day use options from Santa Fe & many of them were not good, it was disappointing. For this trip, from Albuquerque I am heading west into the Jemez Mountains. I have not explored that region before & I’m looking forward to getting out of the city and back into truck camping.

On my drive out of ABQ,  I asked spirit for a camping place that would allow me to back my truck up to a creek, next to red rocks, with access to shade …and that’s exactly what I got!  And amazingly so, I got site 7 which is perfect since I’m working on my lesson plan for the Crown Chakra playshop (which is the 7th chakra).

I really enjoyed this camp site. Here's a little peak at how I put up my DAC truck tent. I love this thang! It has revolutionized my truck camping experience over the past several years. It's a very easy process to put up, and its even easier to take down.  This extends the space in the back of my truck in such an amazing way, and it does not require any stakes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOQgbxZTSCU

Jemez Creek

As I camped next to Jemez Creek, I offered prayers and gratitude to the river…honoring the water that continues to flow even in the midst of this deep and concerning drought we are having in the region. I am grateful to have found this vein of life flowing through this desert land. What a blessing to be able to camp here.

I scattered rose petals into the river as an offering of gratitude & watched them drift downstream. However, 2 small petals lingered near the shoreline. They were held in a gentle eddy, moving about in a small, circular pattern that kept them contained & close to shore. I sat in meditation, watching these petals move to the edge of the eddy over & over again, only to witness them return again & again back into the safety of the cove. 

As I meditated on this back & forth motion, it made me reflect on the process I’ve been going through around moving. I reach outward toward change, excited to step into something new, then retreat back into the comfort, familiarity & safety of my current life. There has been so much upheaval in the world since covid, and having a stable home base through it all has felt very comforting for me.

I sat for quite some time watching these petals expand & contract in their circular movements in the eddy. Then something shifted. The pattern broke. And just like that, one of the petals released from the eddy & was carried into the greater flow of the river. I stood up & cheered out loud. I was hootin’ & hollering for this tiny flower petal as it disappeared downstream on its next adventure. 

At this point, it wasn’t just a rose petal. It was a living metaphor for the way we often move through thresholds in life. We circle. We test the edges. We move toward the unknown, then back toward safety, again & again, until something within us shifts. And when it does, we are carried forward, not by force, but by readiness. By alignment. By invisible currents that have been building within us all along.

This rose petal meditation was powerful & it moved the river of life inside me as well, activating such a beautiful day. I spent the day dancing on the red earth, doing yoga in the shelter of shade, feeling life force move through my flesh. It was a great day of celebrating the beauty and wonder of life. 

Breakfast Time

I love the little electric kitchen in the back of my truck & I am enjoying my new Jackery battery pack. It's a bit heaver and bigger then my last model so I am still getting used to moving it around the bed of my truck. 

Here’s a little peak into a standard breakfast cooking experience in my truck. Easy breezy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eReuBClbMAU

Ancient Home Stuctures

The next location on my trip was Bandelier National Monument. I took the main trail from the Visitor Center that winds through Frijoles Canyon. Throughout the canyon walls you can see a network of cliff dwellings created from Pueblo peoples that lived here centuries ago. Along the path are the remains of structures that once held community, ritual & daily life. It’s a nice walk and I am glad I got here earlier in the day since there is little shade.  

There were options to climb ladders up into the dwellings but there were so many people waiting in line to do that. I choose to take a back trail and found my own way through the park in a quieter way. 

Magical Encounter

I found my way towards a little creek in the park, and spent some time stretching & watching the little water skippers walk on water. Some were even getting intimate with one another. I got a few shots where you can see the male on top of the female. They can stay there for days!!! It’s called mate guarding. He stays on top of her to prevent other males from mating with her.

While I was here I had an amazing connection / conversation with an elder. She passed my way, we started talking. We sat on a log and talked about life, location, passion, aging. It was lovely. That encounter was the highlight of my time there. I am so grateful for “divine appointments” like this. They remind me of the good in humanity and I need that from time to time.  

Things Change

The final destination on my trip was to Ojo Caliente Hot Springs. This location has been one of my sacred spots for over a decade. And while this road trip was designed to visit all new places, I chose to stop by Ojo on my way home for a soak.

….and I did not enjoy myself here at all. This is the first time this has happened to me at this location. The energy felt very off. I soaked in my favorite pools. Explored their new ones. Tried to settle in, to soften, to receive… but instead, it felt as though the land & waters were pushing me away.

I camped there overnight and in the morning I felt like I couldn’t get out of there fast enough. I was planning to stay a whole extra day / night there, but I couldn’t force myself to do it. I forfeited the money and left. Wow!!!

Several months ago as I was contemplating the idea of moving to New Mexico, I said to myself, “It would be great to live next to Ojo and be able to go there whenever I want.” Then another part of me said “Don’t move to New Mexico just so you can be closer to one place. What if it changes or disappears? You need to anchor your next move into something much bigger than one location.”

This trip is reminding me of this wisdom & is bringing it to light in an embodied way. And for that I am grateful. 

Integration at the Chama

I found my way to the Rio Chama to contemplate my road trip through New Mexico. This has been a wonderful & powerful journey through central and northern New Mexico. One of my bigger intentions for this trip was to visit all new places and step outside the familiar.

I explored Las Vegas, went to a new state park, explored ABQ for several days. and spent glorious time in the Jemez Mountains. I made a new friend at Bandelier Park and crafted an amazing lesson plan and playlist for my Crown Chakra playshop.

And yet, one of the more powerful teachings came from a place I already knew. Returning to Ojo Caliente, a place that was once a sacred sanctuary for me, and feeling completely disconnected there awakened something in me.

I was reminded that nothing is fixed. Not places. Not relationships. Not even parts of ourselves we once felt so certain about. My time at Ojo reminded me to continually practice the mastery work of releasing my grasp & rigid attachment to things and to not try to make something be what it once was.

And, as I release attachment, to continually practice staying open. To engage with with Beginners Mind. To meet each moment without the weight of yesterday’s story.

Living this way doesn’t mean I have no preferences or discernment; it means I hold them lightly. It means I am willing to be changed by what I encounter. Willing to let this moment be new, and alive with wonder & curiosity. This is the edge where control softens into presence.

Throughout this journey, I found myself reflecting on expansion & contraction. The elder tree standing open to the stormy sky vs. the bent bodies on the streets of Albuquerque. Rose petals circling in the eddy, reaching outward, then retreating back to safety. The observation of my mind and releasing attachment to the old ways, and striving to stay awake in the moment to the newness that is alive now.

New Mexico always has deep teachings to offer me …and this trip is no different. I am so grateful for my time on this trip. It was wonderful. I will be back. 

If you feel inspired to explore your own Hero’s Journey through art, reflection, and creative expression, I invite you to attend one of my on-line playshops.

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