To The Rio Grand and Ojo Caliente

 

Monday 9/28/2015 Spa treatment and all!

We were so busy when we got here and there was so much to do that I did not get even one photo of thie resort. I will take a couple in the morning before we take off again. But I will tell some about the Resort and Spa.

These are ancient springs (which burst out of the foot of the mountains) that have been a gathering place and source of healing for thousads of years. Opened in 1868, Ojo is one of the oldest natrual health spas in the US. The literal translation is "warm eye", but more commonly it is known as "hot springs". Ancestors of today's Native Americn Tewa tribes built pueblos and gardens overlooking the springs. There is a lot of history about this place and that happened here from peaceful laying down weapons and differences to gather in peace to reap the benefits of the waters, to the Spaniards attempts ot colonize the area.

There are four different sulfur-free (thus not "smelly") mineral waters: Lithia, Iron, Soda, Arsenic and each has its own unique healing power for mind, body and spirit. We each at one point today took a soak in the pool behind our group of cottages -- soda and arsenic I think.

A few of us (including Bette-Ann and I) had pre-scheduled a spa experience that included an 80 minute massage. The results rejuvenated some pretty tired and spent muscles. I took a few early morning shots and will include them now to be edited or added to later.

Early morning sunrise

 

 

Along the front doors of our rooms

 

Early morning moon

 

Hammocks in our back "yard"

 

But now a little about the earlier part of our day...

 

I finally got a photo of Julie

Julie is one of our four front runners. If you are keeping track, they are: Julie (MD), Allison (BC), Beth (NH), and Jeanie (CO). Julie lives in Maryland (my home state) and had a few O2 canisters to help her breathe in this altitude. We tease her about that -- like "is that cheating?" -- because many of us are envious!

 

Cy, one of our two guides

Cy lives in Kentucky and has designed a tour there for Woman Tours. The first time for it is this October. At least two of our group tried to sign up for it but it filled quickly and they could not get in. A few of us here are planning to sign up the Kentucky tour next year in October.

We were soon saddled up and ready for another wonderful day of cycling. The first several miles took us on quiet back roads with nearly no traffic. But first we had to get out of town. At the first traffic light we were confused (didn't take long) do we go right here? No I thing we go left.. Maybe we're supposed to continue straight... I'll try going a little ways to the left... nope, we must turn right because look how the name of the street changes. All this time there was a car behind us and when we looked around to apologize for being right in the middle of the traffic light, she was laughing and giving us a thumbs up.

 

Has seen its day

 

A working ranch

We had a few more miles before the hill would hit us and some riders would have the option to take a bump over it. But before the hill came the bridge over the Rio Grand. And tarantulas crossing the road...

 

Beth is the only one who stopped to take a photo of the spider!! You go Beth!!!

The Rio Grand is waaaaay down there

 

 

 

Bonnie, me, Bette-Ann, Cynthia at the Rio Grand

I didn't take the bump because Denise said the hill was long but only about 4% grade. Bonnie and I rode it together and ... it is long! Once to the top though, the ride down was glorious. There were rolling hills that were the kind you could speed down and then coast up most if not all the way up the next one. The kind of hills one loves!

Once we landed there was a fine picnic lunch set out for us before we each and all scrambled around to do our thing(s) -- unloading, going for a spa experience, soaking in a mineral pool, and feeling glamorous as we rubbed shoulders with the "upper crust".

 

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