I went to San Acacia because I found it in a book about New Mexico's ghost towns. What the author failed to mention is that San Acacia not a ghost town at all.     

    Johnpaul and I drove through Seboyeta on the way to Moquino. It is near Laguna Pueblo, off I-40 west of Albuquerque. I suspect we may have missed some of the highlights of the town because all we saw were two abandoned stone houses, the remains of a tricycle and a band of friendly ranch horses.
     Seboyeta, New Mexico is a census designated place in Cibola County. That means it has a name and a dot on the map because people still live there but it no longer has a post office or a town government.
     In 2010, census data reported a population of 179 and Seboyeta had a post office from February 5, 1885 to January 7, 1995.

     Travelers on Route 66 looking for a place to get lunch between Albuquerque and Gallup would likely find themselves in Grants, New Mexico. Grants is the county seat of Cibola County and has a population of about 9000 people.
     To drive through Grants is to see a city in decline. Many Route 66 era businesses now sit abandoned. With the decline of mining and railroad industries, the most successful businesses in Grants now seem to be the WalMart Supercenter, McDonald's, and the gas stations and hotels near the freeway.

     On this day it was soooo windy. Wind that rips the car door out of your hand and chokes you when you open your mouth to speak. Wind that makes your eyes crusty. You know... New Mexico wind.
     Santo Nino Cemetery in Carnuel, is located off I-40 (Route 66) in the canyon that separates Albuquerque from the east mountains. It includes 259 grave sites, some dating back to the 1800's. I don't believe this cemetery is still in use but it is certainly still watched over by the local residents of Carnuel.
     Should you decide to visit Santo Nino Cemetery, arrive quietly, tread lightly, take your photos (and nothing else) and head on down the hill to get some pizza.
     As a matter of practicality, do spirits get blown around by the wind?

Click here to view my other posts about cemeteries.

     The Ojito Wilderness in New Mexico is an 11,000 acre site located north of Bernalillo, around the vicinity of San Ysidro. It is a BLM owned public open space full of desert jewels such as petrified wood, rare plant species, dry river beds, ancient petroglyphs, hoodoos and a generally alien landscape. 
     Some things to be aware of when visiting Ojito is that it is closed to motorized vehicles. I don't recall there being any proper parking lots and it is in no way ADA accessible. There are no bathrooms, water fountains, tour guides or snack bars. What there is is wind and lots of it. If you come here, be prepared to pack in anything you might need and carry it all out too. The desert doesn't want baby wipes and beer bottles so, as always, leave only footprints and take only photographs.