Limping towards Santa Fe, New Mexico

We departed Mesa Verde RV Resort on Saturday, September 13 and headed to the city park at Lake Farmington 77 miles south across the border in New Mexico. This city park has 21 dry camp sites for $10 a night. Farmington, as of the 2020 census, has a population of 46,624. It is located at the junction of the San Juan River, the Animas River, and the La Plata River, and is located on the Colorado Plateau in the northwest corner of the state.

Because of our truck's continuing coolant issues and concern about the possiblity of the diesel engine going into limp mode, I wanted to have the option of larger cities on our route in the event of a breakdown. While staying in Farmington we went to their Sam's Club and Walmart to shop. We refueled and got more coolant at the O'Reilly Auto Parts store to be prepared.

On Sunday, September 14 we found a Calvary Chapel not far from the campground and joined them for worship and fellowship that morning before leaving the campground. The distance to our next destination would be ambitious given our trucks condition. We would attempt to drive 202 miles and get to Cochiti Lake just 30 minutes west of Santa Fe, New Mexico. The route would take us at least three and a half hours without any stops through this unpopulated area of the state. We were praying the truck would not breakdown along this section of the trip. On this leg of our journey we encountered a new message on the dash display. The message stated that the diesel exhaust filter was 80% full. An odd message especially since our DPF assemblywas brand new. As we traveled, I vigilantly monitored the coolant temperature, oil pressure and oil temperature for any indications outside of their normal ranges. It was a long and stressful journey but we made it to our campground safely and without incident.

Karen and Jane at the steps leading to the cathedral.

Regardless of our truck issues we intended to try and enjoy this part of New Mexico and make it into Santa Fe to do some sightseeing. Karen's high chool classmate, Jane Baxter lives in Santa Fe so she called her to see if we might be able to get together. She was thrilled Karen called so we planned on meeting for brunch on Monday. Karen reconnected with Jane when she attended her 50 year high school class reunion a few weeks earlier So on Monday morning, September 15, I once again topped off the coolant reservoir while the engine was cool before we left to meet Jane.

We met Jane at for brunch at the Old French Bakery in the in the La Fonda Hotel just off the town's plaza square. They had a variety of crepes and quiches along with incredible looking pasteries and desserts. Delicious but a bit pricey which is the norm for Santa Fe we were told. After brunch we walked the area around the plaza taking in the cathedral grounds. Unfortunately, the front doors were closed so we didn't get to see the inside. The plaza and the surrounding neighborhood is filled with museums, restaurants and art galleries, all within a comfortable walking distance.

The county seat of Santa Fe County, Santa Fe is situated at the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains at the highest altitude of any U.S. state capital, with an elevation of 6,998 feet. Founded in 1610 as the capital of Nuevo México, a province of New Spain, Santa Fe is the oldest state capital in the United States and the earliest European settlement west of the Mississippi River. Its name, Spanish for "Holy Faith", is the shortened form of its original name, La Villa Real de la Santa Fe de San Francisco de Asís (Royal Town of the Holy Faith of Saint Francis of Assisi).

The Cathedral Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi, commonly known as Saint Francis Cathedral, is a Catholic cathedral in downtown Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Nuevo México became a territory of Mexico after Mexican independence from Spain in 1821. It was ceded to the United States in 1848 following the Mexican–American War, and in 1851 Santa Fe was named the capital of the U.S. Territory of New Mexico; it became New Mexico's state capital in 1912. Santa Fe remained the political and cultural center of New Mexico throughout the Spanish, Mexican, and American periods, which each impacted the city's development and character.

The Palace of the Governors (Spanish: Palacio de los Gobernadores) is an adobe structure built in the Territorial Style of Pueblo architecture on Palace Avenue in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

All around the plaza square were artisans and vendors selling jewelry, paintings and pottery. For a Monday it was busy but not crowded. Karen found some unique gifts for upcoming birthdays. After a few hours in the city we returned back to our campground to relax and prepare for the next leg of our journey. Little did we know that Tuesday, September 16 would be the most difficult and stressful leg of our journey back to Texas.