Tue. 6/27.
Drive to Carlsbad, NM from Big Bend, TX. Lots of the usual southwestern scenery.
and a lot of less-scenic evidence of industry.
Wed. 6/28.
Driving from the town of Carlsbad to the Caverns, we passed some ancient cliff dwellings. It was awfully hot out and we were dressed for cave temperatures but we did some short walks anyway.
Tour Carlsbad Caverns. Carlsbad Cavern includes a large limestone chamber, named simply the Big Room, which is almost 4,000 feet (1,220 m) long, 625 feet (191 m) wide, and 255 feet (78 m) high at its highest point. The Big Room is the fifth largest chamber in North America and the twenty-eighth largest in the world.
Until 1932, visitors to the cavern had to walk down a switchback ramp that took them 750 feet (230 m) below the surface. It’s reported that the walk back up was tiring for some. In 1932 the national park opened up a large visitor center building that contained two elevators that would take visitors in and out of the caverns below.
Thur. 6/29.
Drive north towards Albuquerque. Lots of nothing out here. Not sure what Aaron liked so much about back roads (non expressways). (Bob’s son did an RV roadtrip last year.) Saw some oil drilling yesterday. Soil has changed color from grayish to red. Still mostly flat. Occasionally a few cows. A couple of horses yesterday.
US 40 in the Albuquerque area IS Historic Rt 66, even before we got on at Rt 285 (north of Roswell). [Rt 66 is a 2,448 mile journey thru America, created in 1926. Its diagonal path linked hundreds of rural communities and it became a principle East-West artery. In 1984 interstate 40 was completed; it bypassed the small communities along Rt 66. More later.]
Our RV park is ON Rt 66!
Fri. 6/30.
In Alb., Central Ave. is the straightened version of Rt 66 and it meets El Camino Real (now Rio Grande Blvd.) at a corner of Old Town. Walked around Old Town. The plaza has replicas of 2 cannon buried by retreating Confederate troops during a Civil War skirmish April 8-9, 1862. Originals are in the Albuquerque museum. More about them later.
Sat. 7/1.
Day trip to Santa Fe. Reviewed all the jewelry we brought to possibly have appraised with Cheryl Ingram, co-owner of Silver Sun (we had gotten advice from her on our 2015 visit ). She spent 4 hrs looking at these pieces and describing them re origin of turquoise and native style. Very impressed with Bob’s collection. Not an appraiser herself but recommended Dr. Leona Zastrow. We set up an appt with Dr. Z for Mon. Took Cheryl to dinner at The Teahouse (multi-page menu of teas to go with your dinner, not Japanese food).
One of Bob’s goals is to find out exactly who made his father’s turquoise watch band. It was purchased in 1965 at Marshall Field’s store in Chicago and has a hallmark of “Wayne C”. That has been attributed in reference books to Wayne Cheama (Zuni) and Wayne Calavazza (Zuni). Pieces with this hallmark have distinctly different styles, but which is whose? Cheryl suggested a side trip to the Zuni Pueblo after we leave Santa Fe, on our way west.
Sun. 7/2.
Toured the Pueblo cultural center in Albuquerque.
Learned a lot about Indian history and perspective too.
Mon. 7/3.
Day trip to Santa Fe. Reviewed jewelry with Dr. Z. She was amazed with the collection and Bob’s knowledge. Very excited at having the opportunity to work with the pieces. Bob’s research on the “Bennett Patent Pending” marks on some of the bolo clips indicated the patent was never even applied for but were indicative of timeframe the bolos were made, and this was verified in a book she loaned him. (Good work, Bob!) She invited us to work with her for 3 days later this wk on the appraisal, if we had the time!! We’re very excited about that–hurray for our flexible schedule!
Tue. 7/4.
Drove to Santa Fe campground to be nearer to Leona’s house. Learned that some of her neighbors lost property when the Glorieta Pass Battlefield Monument in Pecos National Historic Park was established. Presumably the cannon in the Albuquerque Square were left by CSA forces retreating from the Battle of Glorieta Pass, March 28, 2861. Per www.battlefields.org, this was “commonly referred to as the ‘Gettysburg of the West.'” But, actually, it was a lot less bloody: 2,640 forces engaged and 369 casualties here vs. 165,620 forces and 51,000 casualties at the other Gettysburg . . .
Wed. 7/5.
When Bob and Sally were here in 2015, there was a really great little French bakery near their hotel called Clafoutis. Maybe a dozen small tables. Always a line out the door. Such good food. So we drove over and found they’d moved. and expanded. and were still delicious!
Wheelwright Museum, Santa Fe, great turquoise jewelry collection. 80th anniversary celebration, sale, Indian dances, etc. on Sat. (Didn’t make it).
Learned that 9,500 Navajo and 500 Apache were imprisoned 1863 to 1868 at Bosque Redondo, Fort Sumner NM 160 east of Alb. In an effort by U.S. military to quell raiding and warfare between white settlers and indigenous tribes.
Thur. 7/6.
Spent about 5 hrs with Leona & her assistant Alice, documenting the bolos and some of the bracelets (to be continued tomorrow & Sat). She has to actually do the photographing and, of course, the description, but we can help with unwrapping and repacking the pieces, filling in the provenance (who has owned it since its creation, or where we got it, e.g. eBay mostly).
Fri. 7/7.
Worked with Leona again.
Sat. 7/8.
Worked with Leona again. Dinner with her & Cheryl.
Sun. 7/9.
Drove to Gallup NM. Route 66 runs with or alongside old Rt 66 west of Albuquerque.
Mon. 7/10.
Drove down to and toured the Zuni pueblo. Bob wore several of his “Wayne C” pieces and stopped to talk to some men outside the Visitor Center, while I made reservations for the tour. They said there is no Wayne Calavazza, the pieces were all made by Wayne Cheama, and if Bob could hang around a while they’d see if Wayne’s son Curt was around since he lives in the village!! (Wayne passed away in 2007.) We also found out that styles changed over the years as good turquoise became harder to come by and the price of silver went up, using different quality stones and lighter weight silver.
We did get to meet Curt and his wife, Idella. Curt teared up seeing our Wayne C collection, at least the pieces that were different from the watch. We knew from Wayne’s obit that he was born in 1950 which made him 15 or less when he made the watch band. Kurt probably never saw his father make the heavier pieces.
Browsed Perry Null Traders in Gallup.
Tue. 7/11.
Browsed Richardsons in Gallup, recommended by Leona as reputable, then headed west to the Painted Desert.
Took a detour thru the Petrified Forest NP. Amazing scenery, on a grand scale
and close up.
Very windy. sally’s right arm aches from opening RV cab door so much to get out to take pictures. Very glad we decided to stop. Overnight in Holbrook.