On the move

On Sunday Sept 12 Ann flew to Phoenix and I drove south to Monument, CO to a campground that was a little cheaper and to start my way out of the big city.  It was only about 50 miles but it was up hill all the way.  I stayed in Monument until Friday the 17th.

NM just south of Raton

It's Friday the 17th and I had fun once again watching the elevation on my GPS as I drove all day.  I pulled out of the campground at Monument , CO and headed south on I-25.  Over the last 2 weeks I drove the entire length of I-25 in CO and it turns out that where I was parked at Monument I was at the highest elevation (7360) along that route except right at the NM border.  Now I know why the campground is called “Colorado Heights”.  As I drove south through Colorado Springs and Pueblo the elevation continually dropped and turned back into prairie.  Elevation leveled out around 4700 feet and then a gradual climb began again into Trinidad.  Leaving Trinidad going south is all up hill until just as you hit the New Mexico boarder (at Raton pass) where you are at about 7800 feet and then coast down the NM side into Raton.

NM south of Raton-6400 ft

New Mexico is then more high elevation grassy prairie until south of Las Vegas where the highway turns around the mountains and heads west to Santa Fe.  From Raton to Las Vegas the elevation hung in there between 6000 and 6400 feet.  The drive from Las Vegas to Santa Fe is beautiful through the mountains and up over another 7500 foot pass.

About 20 east of Santa Fe

Santa Fe is at about the same elevation as Flagstaff but the similarities end there.   The drive from Santa Fe south to Albuquerque is down hill through very rough, rocky terrain with a view of mountains far to the west. 

Antrak running along I-40

I headed west on I-40 at Albuquerque which starts with long, steady climb back up to around 5800 feet.  Initially you drive through very arid, uninteresting country but within 40 miles it becomes very pretty with colorful buttes, cliffs and canyons.  I decided to stop at Casa Blanca after 450 miles today.  Not a lot by car, but it’s plenty by 40 ft motorhome.  I’m parked way in the back of the lot at a truck stop where I shall spend the night.