Albuquerque has several nice dog parks, which we learned from Molly, the dog ambassador (her title was probably something else, but that’s how we remember it) at the hotel. We took Duncan a couple of times and met some nice dogs and people. Today we met Michael, who came with two Basenjis. These dogs can be very smart and hard to train but they have a lot of personality. I’ll always remember the Basenji breed because a friend, Ann, had one that was such a great dog (not to say it didn’t get into loads of trouble). Michael’s two dogs were sisters. One was a red and white and pretty friendly, the other was a brindle and didn’t like it when Duncan bugged her sister too much. The three of us chatted pretty much the entire time and the dogs ran around or sat in the shade. Here’s Duncan with a little black chihuahua he adored. It was a one-way friendship, unfortunately.
After Duncan was truly worn out from running, playing fetch, and interacting with every dog he could, we headed back to the hotel so he could sleep the afternoon in his kennel. Our plan was to go to Petroglyph National Monument and do a 2.2 mile hike in the 91-degree heat at Rinconada Canyon. This canyon is ringed with volcanic basalt that is estimated to be from eruptions about 200,000 years ago. It was actually a beautiful day as we came prepared with water and snacks for the hike. We stopped often for pictures and water so it was a relaxed hike. Here’s the beginning of the circle we completed at the foot of the volcanic rock ridge.
There were some great petroglyphs on the rocks. Very clear and recognizable. It’s estimated that there are about 300 some visible here. Here’s a selection of some of our favorites.
It would not be a complete National Monument adventure without the obligatory proof of attendance.
Later in the evening, we stocked up on groceries at Whole Foods so we didn’t have to eat take out or leave Duncan again to go to a restaurant. It’s not surprising how tired I get of fast food, but truth be told I can get tired of restaurant food as well. Salad, cheese, milk, yogurt, broasted chicken can all make a pretty tasty meal.
Tomorrow is another day in Albuquerque. There will be no packing tonight. Just a lot of picture review and typing.
