Gallup

New Mexico - Land of Enchantment I

From Flagstaff, AZ, to Gallup, Mentmore

Our adventure kicked off en route to Flagstaff, where we’d hoped to see the famed Meteor Crater. But the weather had other plans, cloaking the area in clouds so thick we decided to keep rolling—no worries, the sky put on a show of its own! That massive, 50,000-year-old crater, one of Earth’s best-preserved impact sites, will stay on the bucket list for now. Once in Flagstaff, we took two peaceful days to unwind with yoga sessions and café hopping—a much-needed breather after our National Park marathon!

When the skies finally cleared, we journeyed east toward Winslow, ready for water solo climbing. But as luck would have it, chilly rains followed us there, pushing that plan onto the “next time” list too. Fortunately, the sun returned just in time for us to climb Jack's Canyon, surrounded by the rugged beauty of Coconino National Forest. We rounded off the day with laps at an indoor pool, savoring the luxury of a hot shower—no cold welcome for winter just yet!

Crossing into the high desert, we welcomed the warmth (a cozy 25°C by day), although nights dropped below freezing. In Petrified Forest National Park, we wandered among the Rainbow Forest’s ancient trees, petrified and painted by mineral deposits over a mind-boggling 210 million years. These trees, once buried in river sediments, slowly fossilized into colorful crystals through an intricate process involving mineral-rich groundwater—nature’s alchemy at its best!

Entering the Land of Enchantment
The beauty of the red sunsets over the Sangre de Christo Mountains of New Mexico, earned this state the nickname: “The Land of Enchantment”.
New Mexico is also known as Chile Capital of the World. Entering the land of Enchantment, it greeted us with its famous red-rock terrain, steeped in the legacy of the first Americans, the Indigenous tribes. Our morning began with mountain biking on the High Desert Trail System in Mentmore, flowing over ridges and valleys. At midday, we tackled canyon climbs, feeling the thrill of exposed aretes and shaky hands (no thanks to a climbing break that’s lasted far too long!). As the day drew to a close, we hiked up the Pyramid Rock Trail, where juniper trees and hoodoos created a surreal landscape against the evening light. The views stretched across Church Rock, basking in its majestic red-rock glow.

Continuing along historic Route 66, we soaked in a landscape reminiscent of a Monet painting with vibrant hues stretched across the horizon. That night, a steaming bowl of Udon vegetable soup with poached eggs and ginger warmed us up—pure soul food!Read more