As part of our great SouthWest roadtrip, we ended up on a great little side trip driving the Enchanted Circle Scenic Byway in New Mexico. The Enchanted Circle is an 84 mile loop that travels from Questa to Red River to Eagle Nest, past the Vietnam Veterans National Memorial, through Shady Brook and then Taos, and up through Arroyo Hondo back to Questa. The Vietnam Veterans National Memorial was one of the best memorials we have ever seen, with a serene chapel. 

When we got to the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge, we stopped to capture this lovely image. Like so much of the Southwest, even though it is primarily desert, there are always spots of color and if you walk the land, you will be surprised by how much plant life diversity is there. At the Gorge, It's a long way down, about 800 feet, and this image really captures the many spots of green echoing the gorgeous color of the water. The clouds were cooperating that day, drawing attention to the graceful mountain slopes.