Just visited by my maternal cousins Steve and Patrick Riley (our mother’s were the Newlin sisters back in Glendale days). It is always great to see them and recount our previous adventures: starting with family vacation trips in Balboa (where Steve & I first attempted kayaking) and Carpentaria (camping on-the-beach), and Sequoia-Kings Canyon & Yosemite (YOSE) National Parks. Photo is their family in YOSE: I’m on left, Steve is stripped shirt to right of me (my left) and Dennis Patrick (Pat) is to right of Steve (and their Mom- Auntie Ginny), also wearing stripes.
The last time Pat visited us here in Santa Fe was 2006. Meme, Pat & I hiked up to Nambe Lake, east of the Santa Fe Ski Area (Santa Fe National Forest). I was working for the SHPO (State Historic Preservation Officer) at the time and during our ascent we met Michael Romero Taylor (former SHPO and NPS employee) and Roger G. Kennedy (former Director of the National Park Service) as they descended. It was a memorable visit.
The last time Steve visited here was Mother’s Day in 2018. Being early in the Major League Baseball season these two Dodgers’ fans were still filled with optimism and keeping “wait until next year” at arms length.
The recent trip was the first time we teamed up in quite a while. Even though Steve was under-the-weather we were able on Wednesday to visit portions of the Civil War battlefield at Glorieta, hike in the Eldorado Preserve (open space); Thursday we took the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad from Chama, NM to Antonito, CO, and Friday saw them seeing the sights around the Santa Fe plaza + the Museum of Indian Arts & Culture exhibit “Grounded in Clay” before it goes to The Met in NYC next year (I didn’t make the local things on the last day, as it was my turn to be puny). If you haven’t been on the Cumbres & Toltec try and schedule it in. Beautiful scenery, and we were there when Autumn was kicking-up-its-heals with color: the cottonwoods in lower elevations giving was to broad groves if aspen in the higher country. The RR does get up over 10,000’ and visitors do come from all over the ride-the-rails.
Another highlight for me of their visit was some of the spoken words. Steve stated: “You’ve been my best friend for 75-years”. I hadn’t heard, or thought about that before. I reminded him of when I locked him in a crate in my parent’s kennel (my Mom finally let him out when she discovered his plight). I did not remind him that as his “Best Man” at his first wedding, he pleaded with me shortly before the ceremony to “get me out of here”, and I refused. Some best friend I was then. As we were saying good byes Pat told me “I love you” and I responded in kind. We hadn’t had that exchange before, but I always felt it. My Primos (cousins) are primo!
As I write this, they’re flying back to CA. I wish them safe trfavels: LOVE you guys!
