We like Cortez!

First and foremost, it's not windy here!

Seriously, we know we whined about the wind in Santa Fe. But, last night we got just a bit of validation. We caught the local news from Albuquerque. They reported that this was the windiest April in the last 12 years! See? We weren't kidding!

Making the drive across northwest New Mexico yesterday, we were very glad we waited a day. There were many spots along scenic US-550 where there was fresh snow on either side of the road. Between the wind and snow it would have been more than a bit too adventurous for us. Thankfully, yesterday the drive was mostly sunny, calm and free of precipitation.

We arrived in Cortez yesterday not too far behind our good friends Sandy and John. We hadn't seen these two since Kerrville in January. So, it was great to catch up on each other's doings and travels over burgers at a nearby brewpub last night. John and Sandy are in the middle of a house building project. So, it was especially fun to get the lowdown on that exciting endeavor. We so look forward to seeing the results in person someday!

Our park offers the best of an urban setting and a small mobile community. Tons of essentials, including Walmart, are within walking distance. And, the folks around this simple park are friendly. We've met many of our neighbors, including Hayward and Lydia, a lovely couple with whom John and Sandy and both of us formed an instant bond.

This morning, the four of us donned our walking shoes and set out for an hour of walking around Cortez. Our new friends Hayward and Lydia opted to stay home and see who in the park had a washer and dryer on board.

Just across the street from our park are three of the town's six city parks. Between the three spaces are miles of walking trails, a swimming pool, tennis courts, recreation center, a pond or two, many trees, fantastic views and, among other things, a disc golf course. With plenty of sunshine and absolutely no wind, this was just the kind of place we were eager to explore.

While on our hour-long walk this morning we discovered the disc golf course and all vowed to pick up a frisbee today. With four discs in hand, we wandered back to the park late this afternoon to play six or eight holes. Between the four of us, it had been nearly 80 years since anyone had thrown a Frisbee, so we weren't exactly sure what we had gotten ourselves into. We started at Hole #3 and called it a day on Hole #13. So, no, we didn't exactly follow the rules. But, we had lots of fun.

During our outing, we ran into a couple of disc golf enthusiasts. We explained, as if we really needed to, that we were absolute newbies. They proceeded to provide us welcome tips and encouragement. Turns out one of the two works at the local disc golf supplier. We promised to stop by and do a little shopping.

Yes, folks, we think we might be hooked.

This disc golf thing is actually pretty cool. There are parks everywhere. And, unlike the pricey golf courses we've spent many hours on in our previous life, play is free. All you need are a few nifty discs. With that, you get to enjoy a hike in a beautiful green space...for free.

Sounds good to us!

But, before we turn into card-carrying members of the Professional Disc Golf Association, we have other places to see and explore. Tomorrow, the four of us are planning to tour some cave dwellings and do a little hiking in nearby Mesa Verde.

I wonder if Hayward and Lydia will join us?