Did not plan on doing any riding today but saw what appeared to be a window in the cold/windy cycle that is so common this time of year. Went outside at my house and felt no wind, put the leathers on and left. What was calm at 5800' was not as meek at 5000' (this time). 30 mph gusty winds blew in my face as I crossed the Rio Grande bridge. Wandered into the Visitor's Center several miles later.

Bought the 2003 National Parks Pass (as I am intending to visit many sites this spring/summer on my motorcycle) for $50. In addition bought the $15 "hologram" sticker that allows me passage through almost all National Park fee areas with impunity. The ranger told me that they had been trying to sell that hologram for over 2 years. Her name will probably be chanted with reverence among rangers forever after making the "big sale".

Petroglyph National Monument lies in a lava flow/basalt formation that lies on the western side of Albuquerque.

Escarpment with picnic areas - don't have to fight for one of these in the middle of the 100 degree summer.

Regardless of what anyone says, no one knows the real meaning of this rock art. One can buy a book (as I did) and hope for inspiration, but it will be only the author's interpretation of figures. The people that made the original ones are long gone and left no written indication of what these figures really mean. In the case above the main figure features an undoubtedly age old fantasy deity (my batteries died at the monument and this was the only petroglyph picture that came out - really)......

Attempts to preserve this collection of rock art began in the 1960's and continues to this day. Developers are encroaching on the area and I'm sure that it was made a National Monument to forever keep it from being the backdrop for a 7-11.

One of the older guys at work said that he and his Scout troop used to go into the basalt outcrop and "practice" making petroglyphs as a troop exercise. These would not have been around long enough to have the patina of authenticity. In any event, if you see a figure chipped out of the rock at this monument, you can be sure it's a petroglyph but you won't know who to attribute it to. Maybe our graffiti belongs up there, too??? Our Scouts may have important ideas to immortalize.......

The trip home was very pleasurable given the 35 mph tail wind. As I turned perpendicular to the wind near my neighborhood was nearly t-boned by a 4' diameter dense tumble weed. I've hit one of these before in a car and it gave noticeable resistance and scratched my bumper and paint. Saw it coming, gunned it, had to miss it by a foot or 2 - bet it looked pretty cool to the oncoming traffic - 'till they nailed it!