Sunrise, Sunset, and Sandias

 





Being from Colorado the thought of mountains shouldn’t seem that alluring. Going from a state where there more 14ers than I can count, the thought of Sandia peak should seem small and insignificant. But what most people outside of Colorado don’t realize is that unless you’re driving west, or waiting in the hour plus traffic to get into them the mountains aren’t as accessible as they once were. They are merely a pretty sight that is often just out of reach without the proper planning and early wake up call. After relocating down here I consistently found myself in awe that no matter where I was driving the Sandia was always in sight. Even more so is the close proximity to it makes it seem grander than its 10,000-foot peak really is.

With that being said one of my favorite aspects of this mountain is watching how much it changes throughout the course of a day. I love how as the sun moves across the sky certain crevices become more prominent while others disappear into the shadows. It’s great how only something as small as a 5-minute drive can make it that much more majestic. Most importantly I love how everyday I wake up to it, and every night I see it fade into darkness. That being said there are two times each day where the Sandia becomes my favorite part of living here, and that is of course sunrise and sunset.

Considering I am the furthest thing from a morning person sunrise over the Sandia is my favorite way to start each day. The chilly mornings being in the shadow of the mountain are worth it when the sun creeps out over it and warms everything up. That means that my favorite view will soon be visible, the hot air balloons will start appearing all over, and another day in the Land of Enchantment can begin. I’m grateful that I have a view of this everyday from my house, work, or wherever I’m at. But this time of day still ranks second to sunset.

On a bad day the sunset over the Sandia is beautiful, but on a clear day the sunset over the Sandia is breath taking, and will make you stop and stare in awe. I always wondered why this mountain was named after watermelon, and once you see it you know. No matter how many times I see it, I always watch it, try to take photos and just like that it is gone. But that’s fine because in 12 short hours the sun will rise over it, and start another great day of enjoying the mountains. It’s funny because I never thought that moving down here one of my favorite things would be mountains. But it just goes to show that it’s the little things, that photos don’t do justice to make you realize it was the right decision to relocate.

To see all my photos follow me on Instagram @the_nm_tx


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