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Our 2008 visit to Fort Union near Las Vegas, NM. This is a picture of one of the many remaining structures at the Fort.

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A shot from the side of one of the out buildings at Fort Union, NM.

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A picture of the supply and warehouse area of Fort Union, NM.

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Another Fort Union, NM.

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A close up of the weathered supports from what used to be a large warehouse or supply building at Fort Union, taken 2008.

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My wife found this bottle top while walking the area. Over the course of a few hours, we found many wonderful artifacts. Fort Union, NM.

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Fort Union, 2008.

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One can only imagine the thousands that passed by these gates of this famous Fort - responsible for safeguarding the Santa Fe Trail.

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A shot of Fort Union. So much of this Fort remains for visitors, near Las Vegas NM.

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Inside the courtyard at Fort Union, the wagons are still now. NM.

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There is a strange peace surrounding this amazing place. Fort Union, NM.

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The indention in the middle of this shot is the Santa Fe Trail. So heavily used, the ground remains packed to this day. NM.

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While walking the Santa Fe Trail, I saw several of these. Spent brass from battles protecting wagon trains? Amazing...

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Tracks of the BNSF, continuous rail, concrete ties. Not your grandfathers railroad. Near the Abo Canyon, NM.

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One of the thousands of old posts that protect the mighty BNSF in Abo Canyon, NM.

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Wildlife inside the Caldera, NM.

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5405 pulls hard up the grade in Abo Canyon, NM.

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BNSF engine rumbles by, Abo Canyon, NM.

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Showing this young one the ropes, they must be incredibly sure footed! Abo Canyon, NM.

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We had these guys watching us like we were stealing the place blind! Abo Canyon, NM.

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I guess sometimes maybe they are not so surefooted... Abo Canyon, NM.

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BNSF entering the Abo Canyon. It's uphill froim here! NM.

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Tight turns and tense grades make Abo Canyon unique, NM.

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I'd guess there are kids who would not know what this is. There are thousands of them in Abo Canyon, NM.

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Once out of the Canyon, you can really pour the coal on! Near Manzano, NM.

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Coming into Abo Canyon, NM.

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Rolling through the Canyon, Abo Canyon, NM.

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Riding the rails - just outside of Abo Canyon, NM.

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It's not a model - it's real. BNSF on the edge of Abo Canyon, NM.

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A BNSF train crosses one of the many 100 plus year old concrete trestles in Abo Canyon, NM.

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BNSF crossing yet another trestle, NM.

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BNSF multi-engine charges across one of several trestles in the Abo Canyon, NM.

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7517 comes screaming around a bluff in the Abo Canyon, NM.

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Up close and personal - 7517 at work, Abo Canyon, NM.

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Another trestle in the Abo Canyon, NM.

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Cactus growing everywhere in Abo Canyon, NM.

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Cactus flower, Abo Canyon, NM.

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Another cactus flower, Abo Canyon, NM.

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It's purple! It's wonderful! It's cactus?? Abo Canyon, NM.

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One of the 15,638,250,250 ground hogs that live on Kirtland, NM.

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This owl just has that - "you don't want to mess with me" look. We saw him resting, one leg tucked up and then we noticed he was tagged with a radio colar. Now I understand the look!

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Burrowing Owl - Kirtland AFB, NM.

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This Church stands the "testament" of time, Lamy NM.

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Gas no more - long since abandoned station near Lamy, NM.

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A few hours later, tram cars are hidden by the clouds. Sandia Peak, NM.

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Albuquerque - taken from atop Sandia Peak as a strom slowly works its way into the metro.

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A tram car from the Sandia Peak tram heads up to the top, Albuquerque NM.

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Heading back down the mountain, Sandia Peak, NM.

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BNSF rounding a cut near Laguna Pueblo, NM.

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An abandoned bunkhouse near Laguna Pueblo, NM.

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I have not researched this abandoned line but parts of her still stretch across the New Mexico landscape, near Laguna Pueblo, NM.

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An old abandoned bunk house near Laguna Pueblo, NM.

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Tent Rocks from a distance - NM.

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Tent Rocks, NM.

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Tent Rocks - along the path to the top, NM.

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Years of erosion have left the roots of this tree exposed - Tent Rocks, NM.

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A spiral was, several hundred feet high, Tent Rocks, NM.

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It's really hard to describe - well worth the visit, Tent Rocks, NM.

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A view of the Tent Rocks canyon from the top of the hike. Tent Rocks, NM.

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Tent Rocks as you approach the top of the hiking trail, NM.

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The peaks of the Tent Rocks, NM.

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Walking along inside the amazing Tent Rocks park, NM.

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Found this old Chevrolet at a car show at Route 66 Casino, NM.

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Thousands of visitors along Route 66 stopped here and were amazed by the Mountain Lion attraction. Long since abandoned to the Interstate, many of the original buildings remain. Two Guns, AZ.

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One of the many buildings that remain from the roadside attractions at Two Guns, AZ.

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Another one of the buildings from this "once amazing" road side attraction, Two Guns, AZ.

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A BNSF cuts the AZ heat heading West.

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The wonderful colors of nature in Arizona look just as good to me when BNSF orange comes blasting through!

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BNSF track - worn from use, AZ.

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507 takin' care of business on the upside of a split-rail. AZ.

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BNSF engines struggle with the grade as they enter Abo Canyon, NM.

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507 caught a few miles from my original pictures speeds across Arizona.

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A shot from the Caldera as a storm starts to work inside. NM.

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Inside the peaceful Caldera, NM.

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Purple - yellow - green, every color in the Caldera, NM.

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Wildlife inside the Caldera, NM.

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The General Store and two others buildings are long gone - inside the Caldera, NM.

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Only the New Mexico sky can cut a picture like this. Inside the Caldera, NM.

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Out looking for lunch - wildlife inside the Caldera, NM.

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Sometimes being the only one is OK. A lone tree inside the Caldera, NM.

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Just hangin' out. Wildlife inside the Caldera, NM.

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Wildlife inside the Caldera, NM.

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Caldera, NM.

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Wildlike inside the Caldera, NM.

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Ever wonder what they're thinking? Caldera NM.

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There's a road here. We never did get to pass along it... Inside the Caldera, NM.

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Beautiful New Mexico from Nothern 550.

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This rattle snake ruined my afternoon walk. After seeing this, I was just like Forrest Gump. I kept running and running!!!

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Near Shiprock, AZ.

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Abandoned bunkhouse from the mid 1800's near Aztec, NM.

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Old bunkhouse, near Aztec, NM.

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Wildlife inside the Caldera, NM.

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A distant shot of a Pueblito in the Dinetah, ancestral Navajo homeland, Northwestern NM.

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Distant shot of a Pueblito - built in the early 1700's, these aare an amazing sight to see. NM.

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A side shot of the Pueblito from the ground, NM.

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A pueblito built atop a steep mountain ridge, these were built in the early 1700's. NM.

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Pueblito - Northwestern NM.

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Another shot of a Pueblito in the Dinetah, ancestral Navajo homeland, Northwestern NM.

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A wonderful detour after picking up some famous Dixon apples, NM.