Albuquerque is just off the map beyond Sandia.
La Bajada Hill on the Indian Detours
La Bajada Hill on the Indian Detours
La Bajada Hill on the Indian Detours
Day 3 saw the Detourists departing La Fonda Hotel in Santa Fe at 9:00 a.m. for the hair-raising drive over La Bajada Hill, a few miles southwest of town. The switchbacks on the gravel road were steep and tight with jaw-dropping views. The road was not improved until the 1930s.
Santo Domingo Pueblo
La Bajada Hill on the Indian Detours
La Bajada Hill on the Indian Detours
Breathing a sigh of relief, the dudes on the Indian Detours reached Santo Domingo Pueblo safe and sound. An hour-and-a-half visit there allowed them to see the Corn Dance if it was being performed, or to buy jewelry which the pueblo was famous for creating, particularly beadmaking.
Albuquerque
La Bajada Hill on the Indian Detours
Albuquerque
Leaving Santo Domingo Pueblo at 11:45 a.m., the Detourists arrived for lunch at Fred Harvey's Alvarado Hotel in Albuquerque at 12:45 p.m. After lunch and a rest break, the tour continued on south about eight miles to Isleta Pueblo.
Isleta Pueblo
Isleta Pueblo was the only pueblo not to participate in the Pueblo Revolt of 1680. This was due to the fact that the Spanish army was encamped in Albuquerque and could control the pueblo. The Detourists saw the beautiful St. Augustine Church built in Isleta in 1716. The tour then returned to Albuquerque for a drive around the city sights. After dinner at the Alvarado Hotel, the Detourists were encouraged to visit the adjacent Fred Harvey Indian Building to purchase arts & crafts. The next day they would board the train to continue their westward journey.