2023 // New Mexico on Film
Albuquerque & Alamogordo
New Mexico, October 2023
This specific trip has been in the works for a decade. During my senior year of high school, as a family unit, we became fixated on attending the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta only to have this dream trip be a figment of our imagination, recycled annually. We often tossed the idea to the wayside as other obligations occupied the first two weekends of October. Rose, finally broke the cycle by reserving hotel rooms back in January 2023 “just to have”. Over the next few months, a plan was slowly formulated and flights were booked.
It had been years since I’d been to New Mexico. Bordering Colorado, we had made road trips down through the Land of Enchantment when I was growing up and it struck me as a fascinating place; esoteric, caught somewhere between the spiritual undertones, burgeoning art scene, and otherworldly landscapes.
There is an alluring mystique in the air. The arid landscape is dotted with yucca and brush contrasted against snowcapped mountains in the distance. Towns are blips of civilization that break up the long swaths of nothingness as you drive iconic highways like Route 66. Houses and buildings still subscribe to adobe architecture for durability and historical preservation of culture in the dry climate. Dried chili pepper braids dangle from the dwellings and repurposed outposts outline town centers with dazzling turquoise and clay pottery proudly displayed in the shop windows.
In recent years, there has been a boom in the food and beverage scene. Naturally, it was straight off the plane for lunch and a brewery. Bow & Arrow Brewing Co. has been on my list for ages after reading about founder, president, and CEO, Shyla Sheppard’s feature in a magazine. Sheppard and her co-founder Missy Begay, set out to create the first Native Woman-owned brewery. Not only does the brewery live up to the hype with innovative beers featuring the likes of cactus fruit and prickly pear, but they also prioritize Native initiatives and land recognition while cultivating community. From Bow & Arrow, we drove over to Sandia Peak Tramway to take in the views of Albuquerque and the tram overhead. To pass the time until Gina’s evening arrival, we hit the nearby casino to test our luck for the weekend.
Balloon Festival & Eclipse
The 4 am wake-up call to drive into Fiesta traffic, to park, walk, and wait in the cold was not an ideal series of events, it was more of a necessary evil. We groggily bundled up and did it. The drone show kicking off the morning was a small consolation to distract our minds from the frigid desert cold as we patiently awaited the first flicker of morning light and warmth. In our delirious state, we gathered our bearings and staked out a spot as a myriad of balloons lit up before the sun had risen and looked like candles in the dark, drawing oohs and aahs from the crowd clamoring around. The true magic began as the sun rose and the opening ceremonies were conducted.
Ballon launch is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
I don’t think there are enough words to describe the awe I felt as we watched hundreds of balloons on an open field inflate and launch into the clear, blue New Mexico sky. The sheer amount of colorful nylon streaking the horizon line was a shock. There was palpable, genuine jubilation exuding through the crowd erupting in cheers when the balloons would take off. Beautiful designs and funky shapes like a cat and Smokey Bear were gliding above us. Standing amidst readying balloons, we conversed with a gentleman named Franklin with the 2nd Wind Balloons team who kindly and patiently answered our questions. As more and more balloons rose into the sky, we kept pointing at the ones that would catch our eyes and exclaiming WOW!
As balloons descended and the festivities wound down, the crowd readied for the annular solar eclipse which “happens when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth while it is at its farthest point from Earth creating a ‘ring of fire’ effect” (NASA). New Mexico, specifically Albuquerque, was on the path of totality, a serendipitous coincidence. The clear skies offered perfect hot air balloon conditions and continued to provide the ideal eclipse viewing conditions. All the balloon attendees gathered in the field, staked viewing spots, donned eclipse glasses, and directed their attention to the impending display in the sky. Again, we watched in awe as the sun became a ring the temperature dropped slightly and the day became darker. Absolute glee was buzzing in the crowd — there’s nothing like a bunch of balloons and a celestial event to unite everyone.
Exhaustion consumed us by midday after an action-packed morning and we slowly trucked on with our touring. We entered the main area of Albuquerque and wandered the old town. I think we were moving to try and stay awake because we were walking zombies when we entered Sawmill Market for some sustenance. The food hall boasts 27 merchants of all cuisines accompanied by spacious seating areas both outdoor and indoor. I could have spent the whole afternoon trying each vendor had we not been so tired. Later, we retired to bed early to watch the UW Football team beat Oregon and rest up for the next day’s drive.
On the Road
If there is one thing you must understand about my family: we love a good road trip and enjoy a quirky roadside attraction even more. We’ll spot a landmark and Dad will make a hairpin turn so we can see what the fuss is all about.
It was an all-out driving day as we took the scenic route south to Alamogordo. We had our end destination for White Sands National Park in mind and studied the map for where we could stop along the way. The first stop was the Trinity Site, the location of the Manhattan Project, the first atomic bomb, which has experienced exponential popularity since the release of Oppenheimer. As you may imagine, it’s the middle of nowhere.
We drove further down through the Valley of Fires and walked amongst the remaining rocks of the Malpais Lava Flow for a much-needed rest from the car. Rivaling the hype of White Sands was the prospect of the giant pistachio at Pistachio Land. I admit, it did not disappoint. The reward for the strange and unusual would have to go to the Apple Boy at the Old Apple Barn. Before arriving at our destination, we detoured to pay our respects to Smokey the Bear’s resting place in Capitan, NM, a town near where he was initially found.
White Sands National Park
By this point, the energy in the car was electric — we were eager to get out of the car and stretch our legs, but even more excited to lay our eyes upon the hotly anticipated white sand dunes. Let me tell you, it did not disappoint.
The dunes were formed from layers of gypsum deposited on the seafloor during the Permian era and through time became the dunefield that it is today. The park covers a wild 227.8 square miles, basically as far as the eye can see. Similar to the balloon launch, I have a hard time describing such an experience, it’s otherworldly, far from anything I’ve ever seen. These stark, white dunes are expansive and composed of the finest sand I have touched. It’s one giant litter box. I felt like it brought out this childlike joy in me and induced play like rolling around in the sand. We ventured through the dunes to explore and marvel, catching a wedding in the distance and staying for sunset. White Sands is a magical and mystical place.
Lessons learned
I have always loved traveling with my family, which I feel lucky to admit. Sure, we have our squabbles, but for the most part, we are on the same page and energy level for what we do and how we do it. I think a vast majority of people would think what we managed to cover is absurd. The quality time in the car experiencing these adventures is something I always cherish (despite some moments where no one listens to my directions).
I felt inspired by this trip. This was the first trip in recent months where I shot a full roll of film. Even going to the museum and exploring the exhibition on Georgia O’Keeffe spurred some ideas for drawing again. Since then, I’ve been diving back into creative projects more and more and hope to continue to.
Allow this to be your sign to experience the mesmerizing charm of New Mexico. I'm already eagerly anticipating my next trip.
