Saved by Gravity (and Perhaps Good Karma)

Crestone, CO to Santa Fe, NM

Hello friends. Much ground has been covered, sights have been seen, experiences…… experienced. I have many tales to tell, but as time is short, and the sun is shining here is Santa Monica, I will relay a small little tale of gravitational good luck.

Here goes-

We left Joyful Journey Hot Springs (Crestone, CO and well worth the trip!) feeling loosey goosey after a night and morning of hot soaks, mind blowing cloud/mountiain/floral visuals, friendly folks, and great vibes. The Compass (Jeep Compass that is) pointed South toward Santa Fe, and the gas pedal launched us onward. The day was going to be an easy and relaxing one. A quick jaunt through the smaller roads and routes that lead through the mountain towns of Colorado and New Mexico, a stop off at the Jemez Range for some secret hot springs dipping, and then a late afternoon Santa Fe arrival for some good New Mexican food followed by a good nights rest.

Well, the road doesn’t care about dinner plans.

We cruise down isolated Route 285 at a fast clip- passing through Antonito, the last town in Colorado before the NM border- with full joy and a quarter tank of gas. We decide to keep the pace, and stop in the first town in NM, Tres Piedras, for gas and a New Mexico style stretch session. By the time we reach the Tres Piedras county line, the gas tank is near empty, and our calves are in serious need of a downward dog. Tres Piedras proves to be a one street town, and that street consists of a liquor store and a long abandoned gas station. Liquor may be quicker, but it doesn’t fuel the Compass. Panic Stage One.


Ok, no time to panic. We have the GPS. The GPS is smart. The GPS can tell us where the closest gas station is. The GPS has a British Accent. The GPS says the closest station is west on route 64 about 18 miles into the Carson National Forest Land. We love you GPS. West we go. 10 miles in and the gas light goes on. 16 miles in and any sign of man’s mark on the planet is 16 miles behind us. 18 miles in and the GPS says ‘Destination on Left” while the Left says “we are a thick forest, there is no town here. You are stupid for relying on a computer.” PANIC STAGE TWO.

Ok, decision time. Do we press on through the National Forest land or do we turn around, go back to Tres Piedras, and then see if we can make it another 28 miles to the next GPS listed gas station. We decide to press on. Forward always.

Onwards we wind through the magnificent and now entrapping Carson National Forest. We pass some run down ranches and lots of vast forest land. No towns to be seen, no people to be seen, and certainly no gas to be seen. The gas gauge pushes well past E, and our concern pushes into PANIC STAGE THREE.

“Ok, should we stop at a ranch and see if they have gas”
“If we stop and there is no one there we might not be able to start the car again”
“If we do run dry, should we both hitch into a town or should someone stay with the stuff?”
“Damn this National Forest looks big on the map.”

We push on and on, and somewhere about 40 miles past empty we reach the top of a long uphill, and see that there is a fast downhill before us. Trees and fields stretching as far as the eye can see. No town in sight.

Down we go. No gas is used as we wind our way down the National Forest roads. Gravity does its thing, and we coast and coast. Finally cell phone service is found, and a call to AAA is made.

“We are about to run out of gas in a National Forest, can you save us.”
“There are no addresses here, just trees and trees and trees.”
“It looks like the nearest town is at the route 84 junction, that is a long down hill coast away.”

As Caitlin talks to Anthony at AAA, Greg does his best to keep a steady speed without touching that gas pedal. Wild flowers dot the landscape, making this one of the most beautiful panic drives one could ask for.

There is no way we can still have gas. It has been about 60 miles on empty, and the engine barely responds to any amount of pressure on the pedal. But still we roll.

We start to see some houses, and Caitlin begins to tell Anthony an address where the tow truck can find us. But wait, there ahead is a zooming car going perpendicular to us. Ahoy. We fast approach a Junction. A sign says Route 84. Another sign shows a Fork and Bed. Food, lodging, NO GAS? We make the turn, and the car begins to crawl down the road into a small little town. And then it is clear. A MUSTANG sign ahead. Old fashioned for sure, but maintained looking. That station has gas. We roll into this Valhalla and let out woops of joy. The Compass gets fed, we hug and praise Newton and thank the spirits of the Road. The Journey Continues.