Follow Up: Red River in National Geographic

Forgive us for gushing, but we wanted to share this tidbit the Mayor forwarded this morning. As a follow up to Red River being named one of the "Best Places to Live and Play Now" in the October issue of National Geographic Adventure, many positive letters poured in about what a fantastic hidden gem Red River is. Please take a second to read the segment of "Feedback" regarding the described lovefest of fan mail they received following the article and tell us what you think!

One Town to Rule Them All?

Our annual roundup of the best adventure towns usually provokes a spirited debate. This year it sparked a lovefest. Fan mail poured in, most of it directed at Red River, New Mexico, our choice for the top spot to enjoy life on the cheap. "Red River will always hold a special place in my heart," wrote one reader. "I learned to ski and appreciate live music there and found some of the nicest people in the world. The payoff of working two jobs is being able to wake up to the sights and sounds and smells of living in the middle of a national forest." Another reader confirmed: "We own a place in Red River, and it's the best kept secret in the Southwest. Skip Colorado and come see us!"

You can read the original article here, and follow the online thread here: http://adventure.nationalgeographic.com/comments/3/1166/

Snowshoeing at the Enchanted Forest

We went up to the Enchanted Forest Cross-Country Ski & Snowshoe Area for the first snowshoe adventure of the season. It was, after all, opening day and we had been chomping at the bit to get some winter exercise. It never ceases to amaze everyone how beautiful and serene it is up there (up there being 5 miles outside of Red River at Bobcat Pass). The day pass was pretty affordable at $5 (early-season conditions = cheap tickets), and even with limited terrain open there was still plenty to explore. So here's the video we took to give you some idea of what to expect. Snowshoeing is incredibly easy (the one spill one of us took at the end of the day was due more to silliness than anything) and a great way to get out and enjoy nature. Usually tickets and rentals run about $30 for adults and teens, with reduced rates for seniors and children under 12. Traveling with your dog? They also have a few miles of designated dog trails for your pet. Enjoy!

Is it Time to Ski Yet?

It seems like we were all just sitting around at Oktoberfest saying how the summer flew by. In the blink of an eye, we've skipped over fall and are headed right into winter! Red River received 12" of fresh snow on top of the mountain over the weekend, and the ski area crew has been hard at work making new snow every single second the conditions will allow. We braved the chilly air this morning to get some video of snowmaking on the Face and over at the Gold Chair. Enjoy this for now, and we'll see you in 9 days when the ski area opens for the 2009-2010 season!

What a Summer!

So much for our commitment to blog every week...

At least we have a good excuse though: this has been a BUSY summer in Red River! From the first motorcycle that rolled in over Memorial Weekend to the record-breaking crowd at "Hot Chili Days, Cool Mountain Nights," Red River has seen it's fair share of people this year. It certainly gives us a warm, fuzzy feeling to know that families and friends are still making their way up to the mountains for their annual vacation, and that all of the effort we put into making Red River a "home away from home" doesn't go unnoticed.


Before we go on to tell you about all of the fun and exciting things left to do in Red River before the leaves fall, it seems appropriate to update you on the 7th annual "Hot Chili Days, Cool Mountain Nights" Music Festival and Cook-off. Once again, Larry Joe Taylor put together a stunning lineup of musicians that kept the crowd entertained for three days straight. Beginning with the "Songswap Campfire" and Joe Ely concert Thursday night, the Red River Valley was the backdrop for some incredible entertainment. And even though our trip to the top of the mountain for the concert at "The Tip" was rained out, everyone was in good spirits for the remainder of the weekend. The Tejas Brothers wowed the crowd at the cook-off Saturday and even got couples out of their seats for a little two-steppin' in the park. Keith Sykes, Terry Allen, Richard Leigh, the Josh Grider Trio, Michael Hearne, Jed Zimmerman, and South by Southwest were all terrific performers and we look forward to having them all back again in the future.

Saturday's cook-off drew a record 1,400+ attendees who enjoyed the perfect weather while sampling chili, green chile, and BBQ. With 39 CASI teams, 20 green chile teams, and 11 BBQ teams, the competition was HOT! After all was said and done, our CASI "Red River Red" champion hailed from New Mexico, our BBQ grand champion came from Texas and our New Mexico Green Chile State Champion drove in from Colorado. Good to see what a large draw this event has!



So now we're gearing up for the numerous fall events the Red River Chamber of Commerce puts on. September kicks off with our annual softball tournament on Labor Day Weekend, followed by the Enchanted Circle Century Tour and Top o' the World Mountain Bike Race, September 12th & 13th. This is always an adrenaline filled weekend with 1,000 cyclists and 150 mountain bikers speeding around the Enchanted Circle and the Enchanted Forest XC Ski Area. September 18th - 20th you'll find Brandenburg Park and the Red River Conference Center filled with hundreds of arts and crafts vendors for Aspencade, then Red River returns to the "Wild, Wild West" October 2nd - 4th for Days of 1895 (our version of Pioneer Days). Lastly, we wrap up the festive fall season with a local favorite, Oktoberfest, October 9th - 11th. With polka music, authentic German food, microwbreweries, and more, Red River's Oktoberfest is a "must do."

So hopefully you're all caught up on what's been happening the last few weeks in the mountains. We've got a few more good weeks left in us before things start to dramatically slow down and locals start to put on their winter bulk for the ski season. Hope you get a chance to visit again soon!

This is Where the Music Happens

Surely you've heard the old saying, "this is where the magic happens." Right before our three-day music festival last year it came to us: "Red River - this is where the music happens." We've known for decades that Red River is a musical place. Hundreds of singer/songwriters have gathered inspiration in these hills: Michael Martin Murphey, Ray Wylie Hubbard, BW Stevenson, Jerry Jeff Walker, Rusty Weir, and Gary P Nunn just to name a few. Heck, Neil Young even spent a few weeks here (though that was quite a while ago). These days Red River is home to some of the most creative musicians in the region, and second home to quite a few too. On most nights of the week you can find Mike Addington & Paul Gatton at the Lost Love Saloon. Typical weekends are filled with music as the Highway 38 Houndogs play at the Bull, with either the Naughty Pines or the Damn Band across the street at the Motherlode. Sunday afternoons are laid back with either Fagan & Fritz or Philip J. Brooks at Mountain Treasures, and special occasions are even more special with the melodic sounds of Mandy Buchanan and Ben Butler or Rick Fowler. The Community House is home to weekly music showcases throughout the summer with guest bands from around the southwest, and these days it's not uncommon to find live music at the Lift House or the Lonesome Pine Pub. Top that off with guest appearances by Larry Joe Taylor, Joe Ely, The Rifters, South by Southwest, Asleep at the Wheel, Leon Russell, Suzzy Bogguss, Michael Martin Murphy (still plays at Bobcat Pass), Band of Heathens, and others, and you have one tiny mountain town with HUGE talent!

We're getting pretty close to that three-day music festival again, "Hot Chili Days, Cool Mountain Nights," August 13th-15th. This annual event combines music at some pretty cool venues (on top of the mountain & along the Red River) with a chili, BBQ, and green chile cook-off in the park on August 15th. If you're a music lover (and who isn't?) this is the event for you. If you can't make it up that particular weekend, any weekend will do. The music calendar has just been posted and things in Red River are looking pretty darn entertaining to us.

Busy, busy, busy!

When we first created a blog the intention was to update once or twice each week. It has been so busy around here that we've been told we're slacking (not that we didn't see that coming)! So here it is - our sixth official blog entry!
The Fourth of July was an incredible success. The town was packed with people from all over Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arizona, Colorado, and Kansas (with a few others sprinkled here and there). The Red River Chamber registered 70 floats for the parade and, with the exception of a dispute between a horse and a fire engine, everyone had a great time (we know now that all horses need to be placed behind the sirens). After the parade there was plenty to do in Red River: free games & entertainment at the Community House, live music and a BBQ in the park, the shoot-out at Frye's Old Town, the Red River Valley Charter School's Duck Race, and Cowboy Evening at Bobcat Pass. It was so great to see so many smiling faces and happy families in town! Quite a few people made the drive over to Eagle Nest to watch the spectacular fireworks; we haven't seen pictures yet but we know they'll be in the paper this week.
So what's coming up in Red River? Michael Martin Murphey has a few more dates at Cowboy Evening, the Community House continues with their great line-up of FREE activities, Vanilla Pop has a show at the Bull o' the Woods, and the rest of us gear up for "Hot Chili Days, Cool Mountain Nights" Music Festival and Cook-off! Larry Joe Taylor announced nine bands today for "Hot Chili Days, Cool Mountain Nights," including Joe Ely, Michael Hearne, South by Southwest, Keith Sykes, Richard Leigh, Josh Grider Trio, and Jed Zimmerman. This is just one of the many fantastic events we have over the summer and we'll tell you more about it in an upcoming post (which hopefully won't take two weeks to write)! In the meantime we hope you're having a great summer and we hope to see you in Red River real soon!

Fine Art & Wine Festival

What started out as a wet, chilly weekend turned into something absolutely beautiful! The 2009 "Fine Art & Wine Festival," put on by the Red River Chamber of Commerce, was another huge success thanks to the artists, wineries, volunteers, and attendees. Friday night's welcome reception at Mountain Treasures was delicious... and not just because all of the vintners brought bottles of their favorite wines. Alli Connor, Red River's resident wine expert, did a great job talking to everyone about the different types of wine at the reception, and Steve Garrett, Mountain Treasures own little treasure, prepared scrumptious hors d' oeuvres that were enjoyed by all (pulled pork sandwiches with apple butter on puffed pastries... YUM!).

Saturday turned out to be typical spring weather in the mountains, but we were surprised at how many people braved the rain and wind to come out to the festival (we think the seven wineries may have contributed to the bravery of attendees). Gabrielle Louise was as cute as a button with a dynamite voice and songwriting skills, and Phillip, Mandy, and Ben were crowd pleasers as usual. We are so blessed to have such amazing talent right here in our little valley! The art was beyond compare - sculptors, painters, photographers, potters... you name it, we had it. Magnificent artist, Ed Sandoval, was here again from Taos to judge our juried show, and multiple Red River businesses contributed awards for the winners.

As things started to wind down at the park Saturday afternoon, thirty people hopped on board the Red River Trolley for our first ever progressive wine dinner. From Sundance, to Capo's, to Timbers (stuffed filet mignon), and Onota Bakery, guests were treated to a dinner beyond compare with wines to match. Considering the smiles of contentment we observed, we gather the progressive dinner was a huge success. The Chamber is considering putting together the progressive wine dinner on a regular basis, so stop by their office in Town Hall if you'd like more information.

Sunday was a day for the books in Red River. The sunshine finally came out and warmed up the town to about 70 degrees. A new crowd of people ventured out to Brandenburg Park to enjoy the music, art, wine, and food (we couldn't help but notice how many people also took advantage of Red River being one of the most dog-friendly communities in New Mexico). Fold out chairs and blankets were all over the park while people soaked up some sun and enjoyed the ambiance. As children enjoyed the grass on their bare feet and adults enjoyed the wine on their palates, you could see smile after smile until the last note was played Sunday afternoon.

Festivals like "Fine Art & Wine" are one of the best reasons to live in Red River... or at least visit a lot more often.