Pandemic Road Trip Through Texas, New Mexico, and Colorado

---

We had to cancel trips to Key West and Chautauqua because of the pandemic and we were going stir crazy. So we decided that a road trip was in order and could be done safely. We hadn't seen my son who lives in Denver in a while so that became our destination from Houston. There were many sites along the way that I've been wanting to go to so became my plan for an itinerary.

I thought driving no more than five hours in a day would give us time to do a little sight seeing before settling into a hotel each day. We departed on August 24th and returned home on September 1st.

First stop, Fredericksburg, Texas. We love Fredericksburg and we had also canceled a trip to go to their annual Hill Country Film Festival because of Covid so that would be a great place to visit. I had also always wanted to stay at the Inn on Baron's Creek right in the center of town and I'm glad we did. As we would find at almost every stop along the way, the pandemic had deterred travel and so hotels, restaurants, shops, and attractions were largely empty. However, the flip side is that some were also closed due to the pandemic.

Fredericksburg, including the hotel, was relatively empty and we liked it that way. Normally, parking on Main Street is difficult. Not this time. Some of the shops were closed but we still were able to enjoy the Fredericksburg experience.

Next on the itinerary was Fort Davis.

From their website: Fort Davis is one of the best surviving examples of an Indian Wars' frontier military post in the Southwest. From 1854 to 1891, Fort Davis was strategically located to protect emigrants, mail coaches, and freight wagons on the Trans-Pecos portion of the San Antonio-El Paso Road and on the Chihuahua Trail.

Just south of the National Historic Site is the small town of Fort Davis which has a few cute shops, restaurants, and hotels. We stayed at the Hotel Limpia which is a quaint little place that normally offers breakfast, but, these are not normal times. Lunch the next day was at Fort Davis Drug Store which also offers souvenir items. The food was great and we can highly recommend it. The Davis Mountains Scenic Loop is nearby and worth the couple of hours it takes to drive. Like many small towns in Texas the county seats have impressive county courthouses and Fort Davis is no exception being the county seat of Jeff Davis County.

Our next stop was the town of Marfa which has gained a reputation, over the last several years, of being a hotspot for an eclectic array of galleries, shops, and museums. Sadly, we were disappointed. Many establishments were closed. We assume that it was because of the pandemic. The only point of interest that was open was El Paisano Hotel. A beautifully decorated hotel with a few little shops and a nice little courtyard.

We were only there a few hours and then hit the road again with Guadalupe Mountains National Park as our next destination. Along the way we had hoped to stop at McDonald Observatory, but, sadly, it was closed due to the pandemic. The drive was pleasant, the scenery as well. As you approach the Park you start to get into higher elevations and the mountains. Sadly, the visitor center was closed but we enjoyed driving through the mountains. We didn't have the time or desire to go hiking. So it was on to Carlsbad, New Mexico.

The town of Carlsbad is small and unexceptional with a couple of exceptions. We got into town too late to go to the Caverns so we just went to the hotel, Fiddler's Inn. We highly recommend them. It is a bed and breakfast and the rooms are exceptionally decorated and comfortable. That night we had dinner at Yellow Brix. It was crowded but we ate outside so we felt a little better about being "Covid-safe". The food is outstanding there. We also spent a little time just enjoying the Pecos River at Lake Carlsbad Beach Park. That was a pleasant surprise and we enjoyed walking along the path beside the river. Breakfast was actually at a restaurant just a block from the hotel and it was delicious. Then it was on to the Caverns. The drive into the Carlsbad Caverns National Park is along a winding mountain road so be aware if you have a fear of such roads. We were pleased to see that the park was not crowded at all. The employees were very pleasant and allowed us to take the elevator down to the caverns to save us the walk down the stairs. The Caverns are over 700 feet underground directly below the visitor center so it was greatly appreciated. The Caverns did not disappoint. It is truly amazing that workers were able to build a restaurant and run electricity all throughout the Caverns, not to mention building the elevator shaft all the way down there. The visitor center and shop is also very nice and worth some of your time. We learned that it was yet another CCC project during the depression. Garner State Park and Red Rocks Amphitheater were also CCC projects. It seems we sure could use another CCC today.

Next it was on to Santa Fe, New Mexico. The drive took us through some beautiful country. We stopped in Roswell, New Mexico just to take a picture of one of the many "aliens" they have along the main drag. We had reservations at the Drury Inn right there by the Santa Fe Plaza. I ordinarily would avoid the Drury because of the price, but, one of the silver linings of traveling during a pandemic is that you can get some great rates on hotels. They also fed us a light dinner in addition to breakfast. Both were done in Covid-safe manner. Another nice surprise was no valet parking or fee for self-parking.

Santa Fe is a delight and there is much to see. But, we had been there twice before so a one night stay was enough for us this time. Santa Fe Plaza is lined with shops and restaurants and artists and is always beautiful.

The next day we headed to Taos, New Mexico. We had never been there and many people told us it was a must see. They were right. It is a miniature Santa Fe, but, much more affordable. I came up with a slogan for them..."Go to Santa Fe to look, come to Taos to shop." And we did. We only had a few hours there, but it left us wanting more. The drive from Santa Fe to Taos was breathtaking and there are many opportunities to stop and enjoy the view. Next it was on to Evergreen, Colorado.

What a surprise we came upon while en route to Evergreen. The Rio Grande Gorge just outside Taos is a miniature grand canyon. We were so surprised to see this, and the scale of it that we stopped at rest stop that was just across the bridge to get a better view. As it turns out there are bathrooms there and a mini flea market of vendors selling their wares. Parking can be a challenge though.

The drive to Evergreen was also breathtaking. Our destination was the Arrowhead Manor Bed & Breakfast. If you go there pay attention carefully to your GPS. It is on a 285, which is a major highway, so you will be traveling fast, and there is virtually no off-ramp or exit lane to turn into before you get to their driveway. So, you have to slow down quickly and turn into the parking lot just as fast. We were surprised that it was so close to the highway since the pictures on Expedia showed beautiful mountain views from the hotel itself. Like many of the hotels on this trip they were not serving breakfast during the pandemic. That was a disappointment, but, the views on the back porch and from the great room with a wall of windows was not. The room was very small, but, comfortable. Another disappointment was how easily sound from other guests in the little foyer outside of our traveled through the door. Parking can also be difficult in the very small parking lot. So, while it is a gorgeous building and location, there were some disappointments.

My son lives in Denver and this, for that reason, was our final destination, and therefore, we stayed two nights. He and his girl friend came to have dinner with us the first night at a nearby restaurant. The second night we went to their neck of the woods for a meal. While we were in the Denver area we went to downtown Evergreen which is a great little touristy area with shops, restaurants, and great scenery. There is a walk path around Evergreen Lake that is well worth your time. There are other recreational opportunities at the lake as well as a golf course.

As we headed back to Houston from Denver we stopped in Colorado Springs. I wanted to see if we could drive through the Air Force Academy, but, you can't enter the grounds without a cadet. I also wanted to tour the Olympic Training Center, but, they were not allowing visitors during the pandemic. Fortunately, Garden of the Gods was open, and it was the only crowded stop on our whole trip. It is a truly magical landscape that will have you snapping pictures at every turn. You can just drive through, but, take the time to stop and hike around a little bit.

After Garden of the Gods we headed south once more towards Texas, but before we left Colorado we wanted to sample some of their CBD products. We stopped in Pueblo at a large dispensary called NuVue Pharma. They are licensed and legal and can help you pick something out for whatever your goal is. We wanted something to chill-out so they recommended a chocolate-based product that did just that. Do not use while driving. We waited until we got back home to partake.

Our next stop for the night was in Amarillo at a Hyatt Place. They never disappoint and as it turns out they had just started to serve a breakfast to-go that weekend after having stopped serving their usual wonderful free breakfast for several months. There were two things I wanted to see in Amarillo, Cadillac Ranch and Palo Duro Canyon. Cadillac Ranch is such an iconic and storied stop in Texas I just had to go. There is nothing else there to see, just several Cadillacs buried nose first in to the ground in a row about one hundred yards off the road. My wife, Dawn, was not so interested, and since it was muddy and very windy we didn't stay but a few minutes which was just long enough to get pictures and use one of the spray paint cans provided there to leave our mark on one of the cars.

Palo Duro Canyon, on the other hand, is very impressive. It is much larger than I expected. It will make you compare it to the Grand Canyon. There is a nice visitor center and shop there as well. You can drive around it and stop and take pictures as well as do some hiking.

Our last stop on the trip was in Fort Worth. We stayed at the Fairfield Inn & Suites in downtown. Fort Worth has one of the nicest downtown areas of any big city in the country. The Water Gardens are a must see as is Sundance Square. There are lots of shops and restaurants as well as an active night life, that is, when there is not a pandemic. Once again we were two of very few guests in the hotel. Downtown was so deserted it was eerie. But, that also made it more pleasant to walk around and easier to get a table at a restaurant.

Finally, we started on the last leg of our journey back home to Spring, Texas. It was great to be home, but, we really enjoyed our first ever lengthy road trip. All told it was eight nights and nine days covering about 2,800 miles. I relied on Expedia for hotels and Google maps for our route, but, the destinations were places that I've always wanted to go to.

You can pick your own destinations, but, if you choose the same ones you will not be disappointed.

---