We've all heard about the Santa Fe mystique: the history, the retention of culture and the artist colony enclave. Worth checking out? You bet- plus it meant two less days spent in 100+ temps of home.
I pulled into town and was totally confused at how to get anywhere. My Google Drive route directed me where to go to get to the timeshare BUT the battery died on my tablet just a few blocks from the resort. I did find it after some wrong turns.
We all know that first impressions are supposed to be the most reliable. The all knowing 'they' tell us this. Sooooo, my first impression of Santa Fe? >ICK< It seems a little less beautiful than what I expected. No, make that waaayyyy less beautiful. Clogged roads with untimed traffic lights and backups. Deep pot holes messing with my Soul's suspension. Dirt, dust, gravel left on streets from snow removal, run down houses, and tired looking shopping centers completed my impressions. It reminded me of some of the not so great neighborhoods in Phoenix or Southern California.
I won't rag on Santa Fe without going back again. After all, I never did get to actually SEE the historical sites there. I had in my head that Santa Fe would be like a larger Sedona, Arizona Sedona is downright pristine compared to Santa Fe. The beauty is unparallelled, IMO.
What did I do on my stay there? I sat inside a Discount Tire Store waiting and waiting and waiting for nearly 5 hours for new tires and rims to be installed on my car. Some vacation, huh.
My tires, I was told, needed to be replaced BEFORE I left Arizona. Hah! I laughed at the thought of replacing them just because their little gauge(rigged, I'm sure) told them to sell me new tires. I drove away determined to put on another 30,000 miles until *I* was ready to buy new tires on my terms.
By the time I reached Santa Fe on my return trip, I was told during a tire check by the Discount guy, that I had very little usable tread. He invited me to get out and look at the tires myself. Sure enough, there was little to no tread on the outside of each of the tires. Driving the last 552 miles back to Peoria was not advisable. Rotating them would do nothing to save me either. So after negotiating the best tires for my driving conditions of the hot deserts I travel, I decided to spring for new tires and new rims which would enable less rolling resistance for better gas mileage and the open rims should keep the wheels and brakes cooler- meaning better control and less chances of tire blowout. I am happy with my decision, but was just not ready to spend the money yet. The Soul has some serious style now with her new rims and it was worth the investment since I plan to keep the Soul. I like the idea that Gary liked the Soul and rode as a passenger in it back and forth to hospitals and oncology centers. Now Robbie is my passenger on that same seat. He rides on towels to protect the seats from dog hair.
So the day in Santa Fe was shot. Aside from walking with Robbie in the hilly neighborhoods near the resort, I have no great experience to tell you about my time there.
I will make sure to go back as a tourist. My future includes more drives to Denver, I'm sure, so I will make it a point to stop and stay again. Perhaps a little more planning on my part will let me get to the things that are important to me. Walking the historical areas and seeing some unique arts are what I plan on my revisit- a far cry from the scenic interior of a tire store.
No comments:
Post a Comment