Day 9: Rest day in Taos

June 6, 2019

I went to breakfast at 8:15, still feeling weak. I sat around the hotel for much of the morning and took a few pictures of this awesome place. It was built in the 1980's, run by a woman who died a few years ago. It's now run by her husband who looks to be about 90 years old. He helps the breakfast servers every morning. They serve a very nice breakfast with fresh fruit, baked egg dishes, homemade pastries, etc. It should be nice because 3 nights at Casa Benavides cost $562. They also serve Afternoon Tea at 3 PM but I was disappointed that the food was all sweets, no savory snacks.

Casa Benavides, my home for 3 nights in Taos.

Sitting room at Casa Benavides. There appears to be nothing to prevent items on the shelves from "walking away".The female portraits resemble the style of famous Mexican painter Frida Kahlo.

My balcony at Casa Benavides. Shared by 3 rooms but the other rooms were vacant.

I sat around the hotel for most of the morning. I wish I took a picture of my room before messing it up. I did take a picture of the most notable antique in my room.

Spanish colonial chest in my room. Probably more than 200 years old.

While walking 3 blocks to the Taos Plaza I pass the Kit Carson house. The 3-room house is now a museum. Kit Carson was the most famous citizen of Taos but he is hated by the Indians. The museum does a good job of explaining Kit's wide ranging travels in the western U.S. as a young man and later as the guide for 3 government-funded map/survey expeditions led by John Fremont. Both men are quite famous and accomplished, but also controversial. John Fremont was known as a self-serving promoter. Thanks to publicity from John Fremont, Kit Carson was known as a mass Indian killer. It's true that Kit Carson encountered hostile natives almost every place he went, and he probably killed hundreds of Indians. But the fact that he survived while constantly outnumbered suggests that he was good at avoiding conflict whenever possible. He had two Indian wives, spoke several Indian languages, and understood Indians better than most white people. He probably didn't hate Indians. Later on a bus tour I heard the narrative from the Mexican and Indian perspective. They regard Kit Carson to be a brutal mass-murderer whose name doesn't deserve to be on a prominent street and the city's main park.

Kit Carson's 3-room house is now a museum.

Map of John Fremont's map/survey expeditions. Kit Carson was the guide and navigator.

Kit Carson's legacy was further distorted by Hollywood movies in the early 20th century. I'm sure he was 100% heroic and virtuous in the movies.

Several early 20th century Western movies were made about Kit Carson.

I explored the plaza quite a lot during the two days I was in Taos. It's the main attraction in town. The redundantly named Hotel La Fonda is the dominant feature on the south side of the plaza. Very exclusive, no doubt. Taos doesn't have much lodging in the central city but there are hundreds of chain motel rooms 3 miles south of the central city.

Hotel La Fonda is the focal point of Taos plaza.

Taos has a long history but it only became an incorporated city in 1934.

Taos plaza is mostly tourist shops. Mostly trinkets and t-shirts. Only a few nice art galleries. Taos has dozens of fancy galleries but few are on the plaza. Most Spanish plazas have a Catholic church in a prominent location, but Taos plaza has no church.

Taos does an outstanding job of retaining its historic character. Adobe appearance has been required for more than a century. But few buildings are made of genuine adobe because it requires too much maintenance. Instead the buildings are made of concrete tinted and sculpted to resemble adobe.

I had lunch at The Gorge Bar and Grill on the east side of the plaza. It has a huge deck overlooking the plaza. I liked it so much I ate lunch there both days.

View of Taos plaza from the restaurant deck where I had lunch.

Near my restaurant is a new looking side plaza with shops and galleries. There are a few other side shopping areas near the plaza. Bent Street has two blocks of pedestrian street mostly lined with clothing shops.

After lunch I decided to bike to Taos Pueblo. Traffic is heavy in town but it gets much lighter when turning into the Indian Reservation.

Pretty much every building in Taos is fake adobe, even the Presbyterian church. The buildings are actually made of concrete.

I took a picture of the new casino that wasn't there when I last visited Taos Pueblo in 1988.

New Mexico's first smoke-free casino at Taos Pueblo, just before tribal police stopped me.

Just past the casino a Tribal Police pulled me over and told me I'm not allowed to bike or walk in the Indian Reservation. I saw the sign and thought it meant that I had to stay off all the side roads. I biked to Taos Pueblo in 1988 but that's illegal now. I asked the cop if I can ride a bus to the Pueblo and he said yes, from the plaza. I went back to the plaza to look up the bus schedule. One morning bus and one afternoon bus and it's too late for today's afternoon bus. So I will visit Taos Pueblo tomorrow on a bus.

I have no problem with the tribe making their own rules. But I'm certain that the bicycle and pedestrian ban has nothing to do with the safety of visiting cyclists and pedestrians (the road has light traffic and a low speed limit). It probably has to do with safety of residents. There must have been some bad interactions between residents and visiting cyclists and pedestrians.

Back in Taos I had dinner at the Alley Cantina. The menu describes the history of the building. Their kitchen is the oldest building in Taos, built 400 years ago by Indians. Later it served as the office for Governor Charles Bent (a short tenure because he was murdered after only a few weeks as New Mexico's first Territorial Governor). The restaurant was packed and it seems to be more of a local hangout than tourist hangout.

North side of Taos plaza, on my way to dinner.

After dinner I spent some time in the plaza listening to the band. Taos plaza has live music every Thursday night. This week's band played mostly Mexican pop songs but I did hear one Lynyrd Skynyrd song, in English. It was a festive atmosphere in the plaza and the weather was perfect. 75F (24C), sunny.

The band played mostly Mexican pop songs.

I felt better in the evening than in the morning, but still not fully recovered. Good thing I have another rest day tomorrow.

Distance: 4.0 mi. (6.4 km)
Ascent/Descent: +106/-106 ft. (+32/-32 m)
Average Speed: 10.4 mph (16.6 km/h)

Today's ride: 4 miles (6 km)
Total: 334 miles (538 km)

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