IT’S UP TO YOU TO FLY AWAY!

SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO
by John Bouck

Flying back from the west coast of the U. S., it’s easy to be convinced into taking the most direct route.  To save time, and zip back as quickly as possible, just set all the NAV equipment on “direct”, lean the engine and fly straight back.  You may want to do that of course, so…you can go back to work!  However, when you are doing two of your favorite things…flying and traveling…there’s something wrong with that scenario.  Quick is not really what you need, particularly if you are able to be away!

After departing Ventura, California, to see our daughter and grandchildren, we decided to take the southern route back across the country. Leaving Southern California, we made a stop, for a couple of days, in Sedona, Arizona.  From there, we continued east, planning a quick stop in Santa Fe, New Mexico, for fuel.  A quick stop that ended by not being very quick!

Santa Fe airport is actually pretty big, with 3 separate paved runways, but we were surprised at how quiet things seemed to be.  Maybe, we thought, it’s because we landed later in the morning, after any commuter rush.  Then, after talking with several people, we found there was actually only one daily commercial flight from the airport.  More were expected to be added, and maybe they are by now, but at the time it was pretty quiet for such a large airport.  It’s a great airport for private fliers, though, because there always seems to be a runway available into virtually any wind direction.  Words of caution though…remain aware that the altitude of the airport is 6,400 feet.  On a hot day it could make an interesting departure if you don’t keep it in mind and tend to overload your piston powered plane!

We landed at Santa Fe Municipal (SAF), with the wind howling from the north.  After talking with some of the line people at the F.B.O., we decided, “What the heck…Let’s get a car and go into the city.” First, though, with winds gusting to over 30 knots, and expected to increase, we decided to protect our baby by putting her in a hangar for the night.  While a good tie-down outside would have kept the plane from going anywhere, the wind blown sand and grit is just not nice for paint and engines!  After making certain everything was secure and inside a hangar, we jumped in a rental car the nice folks at the Santa Fe Jet Center had called for us, and headed to the city.

Santa Fe is an incredibly unusual town…particularly for someone used to larger cities and taller buildings.  Someone like me that has worked closely in the past with architects on imaginative building projects!  As we drove along, we saw that virtually all the buildings in Santa Fe are just alike!  Driving along the main highway into town, we first spotted a few adobe style homes in the distance.  Then, we drove closer to the city, and entered a typical commercial strip of fast food restaurants and retail businesses.  Every one of the buildings looked exactly the same! Each building had a typical sand-brown exterior over a thick, one story adobe style structure. Until then, I could never have imagined a 200,000 square foot Lowe’s Home Improvement Center that looked just like…a giant adobe!  There it was, standing at the end of a gigantic parking lot, looking as if a heavy rainstorm would wash the mud away, exposing all the home improvement aisles inside!  There were restaurants, other retailers, and homes along the highway as well…and they all were the same!

This architectural style is basically required by the local codes in Santa Fe, to adhere to the historic roots of the city.  The area around and throughout the city was originally occupied by a group of Pueblo Indian Villages, built between 1050 and 1150.  Today, there are 8 of the Northern Indian Pueblos within the city, or just a short drive away.  Most of the pueblos remain occupied by the Indians, and tourists are free to attend many of their annual festivities that are still practiced.  The historic design of the pueblos, however, remains an important part of the heritage of Santa Fe, and makes that city one of the most unique in the country.

These unassuming, simple buildings even include the “Palace of the Governors”, which was originally constructed in 1609, and is located in the central plaza of the city. This adobe style, one story, unassuming building appears to be anything but a palace!  The state legislature meets in the city, as Santa Fe is also the capital of New Mexico.  With about 75,000 people, Santa Fe is the 4th largest city in the state.  Unfortunately, the city has been losing population over the past few decades as its citizen’s age (more info at: www.santafe.org).

The core of the city is at the Santa Fe Plaza, anchored by the “Palace of the Governors”, as well as St. Francis Basilica, built in 1869.  Next to the “Palace”, we also found the interesting home and museum of trail blazing adventurer Kit Carson, the famous frontiersman that eventually died in the Alamo. The downtown area also boasts historic San Miguel Church.  San Miguel is the oldest church structure in the United States.  Its adobe walls, and alter, were built by the Tiaxcalan Indians, from Mexico, in 1610. The history of early Mexico, and frontier United States, exude from every turn in the streets.  

Besides its unusual architecture, Santa Fe (which was unenthusiastically called “Mud City”, back in the 1920’s) has a world-wide reputation in the art world.  It is an important art center for collectors, tourists, and artists.  Two mile long Canyon Road has one of the greatest concentrations of art galleries on any highway we have visited.  We drove slowly along the narrow road, trying to find a place to park.  The roadway was lined with cars, with people visiting the many galleries and shops, and we ended up parking far up a hill, past the major galleries. The walk back along all the stores and galleries was worth it.  Artwork ranged from modern to antique, with almost every type of media represented.  As a matter of fact, the annual Santa Fe Art Show is one of the most important events in the national art world.  If you appreciate virtually any type of art, it’s worth a trip for you!

From Santa Fe, we decided to drive north to Taos, New Mexico, a small town situated at the base of the beautiful Sangre de Cristo Mountains, which are actually foothills of the Rockies. Some of the most interesting aspects of the area are the various occupied Indian Pueblos, some over 5 stories in height.  This is an area that was totally controlled by the Pueblo Indians until conquered by the Spanish. Their architecture and heritage remain a central part of the past and present history of Taos and Santa Fe.

Driving back to Santa Fe, we stumbled upon El Santuraio de Chimays (Church of the Miracles).  It appeared to be just a small little church, but with a huge parking lot…so we knew there must be a reason so many were apparently stopping by. This tiny, unassuming church is called “Lourdes of America”. It is actually a very well known religious shrine (www.archdiocesesantafe.org).  A shrine where many, particularly children, have come to be healed by the miracles alleged to occur there.  In a room outside the sanctuary, the walls and floor are lined with rows of crutches and children’s shoes, left there after the healing of their infirmities.  This little church, a short side trip for us, is apparently an important pilgrimage for believers around the country, and the world.

After heading back to Santa Fe, we spent an evening on the plaza, leaning across a restaurant balcony overlooking the downtown sights.  We enjoyed a great southwestern meal, with local wine, before heading back to our hotel for the night, and a flight east the next morning.  The city, as well as the people at the airport F.B.O. are laid back, very friendly and couldn’t be more helpful.  As a matter of fact, after I pulled our plane from the hangar, and went into the office to pay, they wouldn’t charge for any hangar fee. The manager just said he thought we had been smart to put the plane away, they had plenty of room, and…“thanks for the business.” 

As I looked over the airport on our way out, it was hard to believe this flat land was actually part of a huge plateau, at over 6,400 feet ASL.  It was early in the day, though, with the air still cool, and a decent wind from the west, so the airplane hardly noticed the altitude.  As we turned easterly, the air was crystal clear and the mountains stood clearly in relief.  This area is beautiful, historic, and unusual.  The city of Santa Fe, New Mexico, has as its nickname, “the City Different.”  It certainly was.  I’m sure there isn’t another place with its friendliness, its “sameness” in unusual historic architecture, and the incongruity of a somewhat isolated location that is also one of the important centers of the country’s art world.  

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John Bouck lives in upstate Auburn, N. Y.  He is a commercial and industrial real estate broker, licensed in New York and Florida.  John flies a Cessna 210, as well as a Cessna 180 on amphibious floats.  With over 2,000 hours of flight time, he holds a commercial license, with instrument rating, as well as seaplane rating, and is a CFI.  He can be reached at:  jcbouck@verizon.net