January 25, 2020
My plan for this week’s outing was to stop by my parents’ house to drop off some boxes, then head down Corrales Blvd to Alameda, then Rio Grande Blvd down to downtown-ish then head up the El Camino Real senic byway (4th Street) into Bernalillo, swinging by the Coronado Historic Site before heading back home. I decided to reverse the trip instead.
I work on the 8th floor at Presbyterian hospital in downtown Albuquerque. The view from one of the windows in my clinic faces north, northeast-ish. The view from that window is pretty nice, especially in the spring, summer and fall when the trees are green, or starting to change colors.
In the dead of winter, the trees are… well, dead, but there’s still a pretty nice view of the Sandia Mountains.
I gaze out that window a few times a day and invariably wish I was out there, rather than cooped up in the building.
Not that I necessarily hate my job, but I would much rather be breathing fresh air from atop the mountain, or roaming among the trees along one of the many hiking trails up there.
Knowing that today is Thursday, and all I have to do is get through the rest of the day today, then tomorrow, is what keeps me going.
Come on, Saturday!
-Phil
This weekend, I’ll be taking a leisurely drive through a few of my favorite scenic byways thus far: Corrales Blvd, Rio Grande Blvd through Los Ranchos de Albuquerque and 4th St through Albuquerque and into Bernalillo (the original alignment of Route 66, pre-1937.)
I take Rio Grande Blvd. on my way to and from work every day, but I’m usually so focused on getting to work, or getting home, that I rarely take the time to slow down and enjoy the sights.
For a while, I was taking Corrales Blvd home just about every day but since moving in November, I’m no longer in a position to do that logically.
I’ve taken the drive up from Albuquerque to Bernalillo via 4th St a handful of times. It’s a rather plain drive through a good portion of it but gets a little more scenic as you approach and drive through Bernalillo. And on the drive through Bernalillo, I’ll be swinging by the Coronado Historic Site.
I plan on making stops and taking pictures, and I’ll be taking a packed lunch for a picnic somewhere along the way (this is where my shoestring budget kicks in.)
Just getting out of the house for a bit will be nice, even if it’s to take drives I take regularly. Taking pictures and video to share with… well, no one, I’m sure. I haven’t promoted this blog, I started an Instagram dedicated to it but I’ve only got one follower as of this writing. But this isn’t about fame or fortune. It’s about my emotional well-being, first and foremost.
Let’s keep our fingers crossed that this trip pans out as expected.
See you Saturday!
-Phil
January 18, 2020
I’ve been to Old Town Albuquerque a million times before Saturday, but I always find something that fascinates me each time I go.
January 18, 2020
Part of this self discovery journey I’m embarking on is getting used to solitude. Not necessarily being totally alone at any given time (although that is taking some getting used to,) but I’m talking more about doing things by myself.
For my first adventure, I’m going somewhere I’ve been before: The Albuquerque Museum where they’re hosting The Jim Henson Exhibition: Imagination Unlimited.
The exhibit features puppets and Muppets, props and costumes from many of Mr. Henson’s movies and shows, including The Muppet Show, The Dark Crystal, and Labyrinth (which I just saw at Flix Brewhouse last week.)
In my past experiences at the museum, photography has typically been prohibited in the main exhibition hall. With any luck at all, I’ll be able to take some pictures (either openly or surreptitiously.)
Whether or not I get any pictures, I will still be roaming Old Town. I will be taking plenty of pictures there, which will end up on my Photo Diary page.
I’ll be back on Sunday with my write up and images. Until then I’ll sign off with the most cliched wanderlust quote you could possibly think of.
“Not all those who wander are lost.” – J.R.R. Tolkien