February 11, 2024
by David Ryan
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For the better part of the last two years the dogs and I have been wandering to places that make New Mexico special. Most of them several times. These are places that you’ll only find in New Mexico and are important enough or compelling enough to warrant a trip across the country, or over the ocean, to check out.
To begin, the nation only has 25 UNESCO-Designated World Heritage Sites. Three of them (Carlsbad Caverns, Chaco Canyon, and Taos Pueblo) are in New Mexico. This is more than any other state. And when you throw in the state’s incredible landforms and sense of place, you have an amazing state to explore. I doubt if any other state has as much to discover.
Through this effort, Wandering in the Clear Light of New Mexico is now available. In many ways the new book continues the theme of discovery described within 60 Hikes within 60 Miles: Albuquerque and The Gentle Art of Wandering. Both of those books stress all that is waiting for you to experience when you get out and allow yourself to see all wonders around you. Wonders and gifts that are already there and waiting for you to discover.
Wandering in the Clear Light of New Mexico features:
- 30 Gold Star locations – these are the special locations worth a drive across the country to check out.
- 18 Silver Star locations – these locations may not warrant a drive across the country, but are still very cool and worth checking out while you’re in the area.
- 7 Bronze Star locations – these too are very cool and worth checking out while in the area if you have an interest in them.
- 5 Sidebar locations – these are locations of special historical or cultural interest and are unique to the state.
Many other extraordinary and interesting places are also described within the context of traveling to the primary locations.
In addition to the three World Heritage Sites, you’ll discover:
- Landscapes and landforms that will knock your socks off.
- Locations that have inspired great works of art.
- Amazing archaeological sites.
- Native communities.
- The World’s First Designated Wilderness Area.
- The nation’s most remote and beautiful monastery.
- The site of the very first atomic bomb explosion and many other locations of scientific, historical, and cultural achievement.
The book is already available at several retail outlets and several talks are already scheduled. With the rollout just starting, more will be coming. Please return to this website for updates.
The book has 320 pages, over 200 color photos, and detailed driving directions. The book retails for $21.95 and is available at retailers and this website.
Click on CLEAR LIGHT on the MENU bar for upcoming talks and retail outlets.