Jesus stuff and saloons

Jack Bell, a friend of Sue’s family, told us that Red River was a one-road town where cowboys from Texas hang out. Although it’s called a ski town, Jack said real skiers don’t go there. I could see why. I swear one of the slopes runs into a building. Red River has a mile-long main street with a couple of saloons and cafes. The place that caught my eye had a sign advertising wireless Internet, coffee, jewelry and Jesus stuff. Yep, Jesus stuff. I had to go inside.

The Jesus stuff place had T-shirts that read "Jesus has MySpace in heaven," or something like that. There were other Jesus shirts, a jewelry case and various trinkets.

We stopped for a drink and a game of pool at the Bull of Woods Saloon. Before leaving, we tried Tractor Brewing Company’s Farmer’s Tan Red Ale. Despite the hearty name, it was a light beer.

Folks inside the saloon, and on the streets of Red River, looked at us as if they’d never seen real black people. Apparently, the percentage of African Americans in the Santa Fe and Taos area is miniscule. Mostly whites, Mexicans and Native Americans live there. Tourists tend to be from Texas, Arizona and Oklahoma, where it’s blazing hot in the summer.

We were a novelty, as someone put it.