A visitor driving a vehicle on the expressway on the outskirts of Santa Fe, NM, last Thursday may have thought that New Mexicans sure must like to walk as there were hundreds of people walking on the shoulder of the highway. Drivers had to pay close attention, because the walkers seemed oblivious to the potential for hazard. Signs cautioned drivers to watch out for walkers, and the sheriff's office gave the walkers safety tips and glow sticks.
Luckily I was with a knowledgeable native who politely explained that those pedestrians were making an Easter weekend pilgrimage.
Their destination was Chimayo where a miracle was supposed to have occurred a couple of centuries ago in that Spanish settlement nestled on the edge of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. And that tiny community attracts thousands of pedestrians every year.
Some people make the trek to heal themselves or others, although some probably do it to honor the ritual. It appears on the map to be about the distance of a marathon and then some from Santa Fe, and most of the hikers appeared to have readied themselves for a long trek. But the ones pushing a baby stroller? They may have been expecting a miracle.
Happy Easter, everyone.
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