The afternoon sun painted our adobe walls with that familiar golden glow as Paulette and I laced up our walking shoes for another adventure on the Santa Fe Rail Trail. At eighty-something years young, I've learned to appreciate the simple pleasures—and there's nothing quite as simple or as pleasurable as a four-mile walk in our beloved Santa Fe New Mexico on a day when the sky seems to stretch forever and the high desert air carries promises of afternoon thunderstorms.

July 19th, 2025, was one of those days that reminds you why we fell in love with this ancient city nestled in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The thermometer read a toasty 84 degrees, but that cooling north breeze—the kind that whispers secrets from the Colorado peaks—made it feel like nature's own air conditioning. As we stepped out of Casa Santa Fe, our summer retreat that's become so much more than a seasonal escape, I couldn't help but pause and drink in the view that never gets old.

The Sky's Daily Masterpiece

The sky was particularly spectacular today, mostly bright blue with those towering cumulus clouds that build like white cathedrals against the horizon. To the west, they were gathering over the San Juan range, those distant peaks that seem to float like mirages on clear days. The San Juans, part of the Colorado Rockies, stretch their magnificent spine across the northern horizon, a reminder of the vast wilderness that lies just beyond our high desert home. Even from Santa Fe New Mexico, those peaks call to the wanderer in me—the same restless spirit that once roamed the Kansas Flint Hills as a boy, chasing cattle and dreams across endless grassland.

To the east, more clouds were building over our closer neighbors, the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. These are our daily companions, the peaks that catch the first light of dawn and hold the last rays of sunset. The Sangre de Cristos—Spanish for "Blood of Christ"—earned their name from the way they glow crimson in the evening light, a sight that still takes my breath away after all these years. The range extends from just north of Santa Fe all the way down to the Glorieta Pass, creating our eastern wall and serving as the backbone of northern New Mexico.

As a photographer who's spent countless hours chasing light across the American Southwest, I've learned that the sky is never the same twice. But here in Santa Fe New Mexico, at 7,200 feet above sea level, the sky seems bigger somehow, more present. Maybe it's the thin air, or maybe it's the way this high desert landscape strips away everything unnecessary, leaving only what matters most.

Walking Through Living History

Our section of the Santa Fe Rail Trail winds through our subdivision, where pueblo revival style homes sit gracefully on spacious one and two-acre lots, each one a testament to the architectural wisdom that's made Santa Fe New Mexico so distinctive. These aren't the cramped suburban boxes you find in other cities—these are homes that breathe, surrounded by xeriscaped gardens that work with the high desert rather than fighting it.

One of my favorite things about Santa Fe is the Pueblo Style architecture that defines both our residential neighborhoods and the downtown commercial buildings. This isn't just architecture—it's a conversation with the land that spans centuries. The pueblo revival movement, which gained momentum in the early 20th century, wasn't trying to recreate something that was lost; it was honoring something that had never really gone away.

Walking past these homes, with their smooth adobe walls, flat roofs, and distinctive vigas (wooden beams) extending beyond the walls, I'm reminded of the Ancestral Puebloan people who first understood how to live in harmony with this landscape. The thick adobe walls keep homes cool in summer and warm in winter, while the flat roofs are perfect for the high desert's low precipitation. It's architecture born from necessity and refined by generations of wisdom.

The pueblo style homes in our neighborhood each tell their own story. Some feature traditional courtyards that create private outdoor sanctuaries, while others incorporate more modern elements like larger windows to frame those spectacular mountain views. But they all share that distinctive Southwestern character that makes Santa Fe New Mexico unlike anywhere else in the country.

The Rail Trail's Rich Heritage

The Santa Fe Rail Trail itself follows the historic route of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway, which first reached Santa Fe New Mexico in 1880. As we walk along the smooth, paved surface, I often think about the trains that once carried settlers, merchants, and dreamers to this ancient crossroads. The railroad transformed Santa Fe from a remote trading post at the end of the Santa Fe Trail into a connected part of the expanding American frontier.

Today, the rail trail serves a different but equally important purpose. Stretching 18 miles from Santa Fe to the village of Lamy, it's become a beloved recreational corridor that connects communities and provides a safe, scenic route for walkers, cyclists, and equestrians. Our regular four-mile section takes us through some of the most beautiful residential areas, where the trail becomes a neighborhood gathering place.

As we walked today, we passed other regulars—dog walkers, cyclists, and fellow retirees like ourselves who've discovered that the best way to stay young is to keep moving. There's something democratic about the trail; it welcomes everyone, from serious athletes training for marathons to grandparents teaching grandchildren to ride bikes.

A Symphony of Sights and Sounds

The high desert has its own rhythm, and walking the Santa Fe Rail Trail allows you to sync up with it. Today, the cooling north breeze carried the scent of piñon and juniper, mixed with the sweet fragrance of chamisa that's just beginning to bloom. In a few weeks, those chamisa bushes will paint the landscape golden yellow, creating one of the most spectacular wildflower displays in the American Southwest.

The soundscape of Santa Fe New Mexico is as distinctive as its architecture. We heard the distant call of ravens echoing off the canyon walls, the rustle of wind through the cottonwoods that line the seasonal arroyos, and the soft conversations of other trail users. It's a quieter world than the one I knew growing up on the Kansas ranch, but there's a richness to the silence here that speaks to something deep in the soul.

As we walked, I found myself thinking about the layers of history beneath our feet. This land has been home to Ancestral Puebloan people for over a thousand years. The Spanish arrived in 1610, making Santa Fe New Mexico one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the United States. Mexican traders, American pioneers, artists, writers, and dreamers have all left their mark on this landscape.

The Sky Railway's Timely Arrival

Right on schedule, as we neared the end of our four-mile journey, we heard the familiar whistle of the Sky Railway scenic train. This delightful throwback to the golden age of rail travel runs from Santa Fe to the village of Lamy, following much of the same route as the old Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe line.

The Sky Railway has become one of Santa Fe New Mexico's most charming attractions, and for good reason. As the train rounded the curve today, we could see the typical two flatcars full of tourists, all waving enthusiastically and clearly having the time of their lives. There's something infectious about their joy—it reminds you that the wonder of this landscape never gets old, whether you're seeing it for the first time or the thousandth.

The Sky Railway operates vintage rail cars pulled by historic diesel locomotives, offering passengers a chance to experience the romance of train travel while enjoying spectacular views of the high desert landscape. The journey takes visitors through terrain that would be difficult to access any other way, providing unique perspectives on the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and the vast high desert that surrounds Santa Fe New Mexico.

Watching those happy faces on the flatcars, I was reminded of my own first train ride as a boy in Kansas. There's something about train travel that connects us to an earlier, perhaps more thoughtful way of moving through the world. The Sky Railway preserves that experience for new generations while showcasing the natural beauty that makes this region so special.

The Gift of Perspective

As we completed our walk and headed back to Casa Santa Fe, I reflected on how blessed Paulette and I are to call this place home during the summers. From our boyhood ranch in the Kansas Flint Hills to our mountain-top log retirement dream home overlooking the Moreno Valley at Angel Fire, and now our summers here in Santa Fe New Mexico, each place has taught us something different about what it means to live well.

The Kansas plains taught me about horizons and the importance of seeing far. Angel Fire, with its views of Wheeler Peak and Eagle Nest Lake, showed us the grandeur of alpine landscapes. But Santa Fe New Mexico has given us something else entirely—a deep sense of place that comes from living where human culture and natural beauty have found a way to coexist.

The pueblo architecture, the rail trail, the mountain views, the high desert ecology—they all work together to create something greater than the sum of their parts. This is what makes Santa Fe "The City Different," and it's why artists, writers, and seekers have been drawn here for generations.

Looking Forward to Tomorrow's Walk

As I write this evening, watching the sunset paint the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in shades of rose and gold, I'm already looking forward to tomorrow's walk. The Santa Fe Rail Trail will be there, patient and welcoming, offering another four miles of conversation with the landscape and with each other.

At my age, I've learned that the secret to staying young isn't about chasing youth—it's about remaining curious, staying active, and never taking for granted the simple pleasures that surround us every day. Our daily walks on the Santa Fe Rail Trail provide all of that and more.

Whether you're a longtime resident of Santa Fe New Mexico or a first-time visitor riding the Sky Railway, I encourage you to slow down and pay attention to the details. Notice how the pueblo architecture reflects the colors of the landscape. Listen to the way the wind sounds different at 7,200 feet. Watch how the light changes throughout the day on the Sangre de Cristo peaks.

This is the gift that Santa Fe New Mexico offers—not just spectacular scenery, but a different way of being in the world. It's a place where the pace is slower, the sky is bigger, and every day offers new reasons to be grateful for the simple act of being alive in one of the most beautiful places on Earth.

Until our next adventure on the trail, I'll be here at Casa Santa Fe, camera ready, waiting for tomorrow's sky to paint another masterpiece over our beloved high desert home.