Monday, February 28, 2011

What to do in Taos

A proper answer to the question originates from two key pieces of information:  how long are you here and what are you most interested in.

In this first entry I'm simply going to list things and provide links.  If you need more information, please search the blog by keyword for later entries or please contact me directly via telephone (800) 645-4803, e-mail or our Ask the Innkeeper feature from our website.

One Night:
Because La Posada de Taos has only six guest rooms, we cannot take advance reservations for one-night stays.  We understand that you might not be able to stay more than one night and we really wish that we could be included in your advance planning.  

We do take single-night stays, but they are only if an available room is booked within a day or two of the actual stay.  We recommend that you read the reviews of various places on TripAdvisor.com for Taos County and that you then pick ONE thing from the lists below.

Two Nights or More:
1. Arrive in the early afternoon and visit the Taos Pueblo.  Be sure to call ahead to confirm they are open.  The Taos Pueblo Tourism Office phone number is (575) 758-1028.

2. Arrive at La Posada de Taos during check-in time between 4 and 6 pm.  If you haven't already made dinner reservations, be sure to ask me about the menus and our recommendations for choices in and immediately around Taos Plaza.  If it's a holiday weekend, you'll need to do this BEFORE coming to Taos.

3.  Stroll over to Taos Plaza and visit shops and galleries and find your dinner destination. We don't recommend that you drive on your first night -- just relax and stay close to home.  There are at least two venues that feature live music each night within a 5 minute stroll of La Posada.

4. Next Day: Pick One . . . or Two . . . or More

Museums and the Arts: We always recommend that you visit members of the Museum Association of Taos where you can buy a single pass that will get you into all of them.  But, if you only have time to get to one museum, pick one of these three:  The Harwood Museum of Art, The Taos Art Museum or the Millicent Rogers Museum. 

Eco-Tourism:  If museums aren't your thing, then there are more eco-adventures here than you can possibly complete in a week:

Downhill Skiing  -- there are 4 ski resorts close by
Cross-Country Skiing -- both public and private areas open
White Water Rafting -- there are a dozen whitewater outfitters here
Horseback Riding -- there are several horse outfitters here
Llama Trekking - National Geographic Magazine's Bucket List
Hiking -- easy to difficult
Hot Air Ballooning -- there are several ballooning companies here
Mountain Biking -- miles and miles of world-class trails
Golfing -- Taos Country Club or in Angel Fire

Driving Tours:  if you want to see some beautiful scenery, we have two of the country's most scenic drives right here.

The High Road to Taos
The Enchanted Circle

Shopping:  Taos has lots of small shops and galleries where local artists and artisans have their world-class creations on sale.  Almost all of these businesses are within an easy walk of La Posada de Taos.

Workshops and Classes:  Taos has a thriving community of Master Artists, including painters, sculptors, potters, jewelry makers, and chefs who teach their craft.  Although we're working on making a single clearinghouse for these classes available to our guests, we recommend that you contact galleries directly for art classes. 

Spas:  There are dozens of businesses in Taos dedicated to top-notch spa services.  We recommend that you start with the Taos Vacation Guide listing as a reference of what' available.

During 2011, La Posada de Taos will be offering Cooking Classes to its guests upon Request.  Costs will vary based upon themes and number of students.

Special Events, Festivals, Openings, Etc.: there are whole calanders full of things such as this weekend's Taos Shortz Film Festival or Independent Films at the Taos Community Auditorium or any number of incredible winter events at the world-class Taos Ski Valley Resort.

Complete Listings:  You can find the best listings of things to do and special events at the Taos County Chamber of Commerce and the Taos Vacation Guide.  The Taos Ski Valley Chamber of Commerce also works hard to provide up-to-date information. 



5.  Repeat to Your Heart's Content or as Time Allows

6.  Come back on work on the list a little more.

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Observations On Time

I'll be 49 this Sunday.  I've got time on my mind.  Taos Time, that is.  Others have noticed well before me --notably D.H. Lawrence -- that time moves differently here.

Locals in Taos seem to barely accept the measures of time that the world at large has adopted.  Watches are virtually never worn here.  Business hours of the shops and galleries in town rarely seem to be according to any kind of schedule.  In fact, it's common to see a sign on the door saying what the hours "might be" with an explanation that the shopkeeper is out _______________ (fill in the blank). 

Around these parts, we sometimes like to say "Carpe Manana."  It's not a complete disregard of the standards of time.  The time to do something will eventually arrive, but it's probably not right now.  It's more like an acknowledgment that perhaps we all need to slow down a little.  In other cases it's just another way of saying "No."

I've noticed that many of us in Taos have set our body clocks to the cycles that nature provides.  We rise with the sun, for example.  Who would want to miss that glorious sunrise over the foothills of the Sangre de Christos on the outskirts of town each morning?  The middle of the day involves running errands and performing chores while the sun is high in the sky.  

Fact is, I rely upon a natural rhythm to do my job well.  Working 7-days a week as an Innkeeper, sometimes 12 to 16 hours a day, I'm best when I'm "in the rhythm of Taos."  It may be next week that I get a day off or it may be 3 months from now, so a natural cyclic rhythm is essential.  

I have to admit that it's no small help that I love my job.  It's just that if I measured the hours or the days. . . let's just say it wouldn't work.

But let's take a less concrete perspective.  I encourage you to jump into the realm of the abstract with me.  

Most of us think of time as the clock or the calendar -- in other words, a construct that people have invented to assist in commerce, mark religious observances or to otherwise organize their lives.  These measures of time, however, rely upon an element of faith that everyone else will observe the same rules of time as you.

Step back from the clock and calendar.  People are believed to have moved to Taos permanently about 1000 years ago.  A millennium ago.  They have farmed the land, built homes, lived and died here for centuries.  Each successive generation built where their ancestors lived and each passing season has brought the Story of Taos to the present.  

To be in Taos is to move both forward and backward across time.  D.H. Lawrence notwithstanding, as a first-time visitor you need to surrender to this aspect of Taos.  Take that watch off, please.

In the Native American tradition, time may be thought of as seasons and generations -- in most ways it is explained in their traditional stories.  There are no mentions of years or months.  If you think of time as a continuum composed of your ancestors, your understanding of the world around you shifts doesn't it?  If you think of time as successive seasons, you can understand it without trying to remember the name of the year or the month.  Time has more context than a date.

In Taos, time might be thought of as the ground you stand on.   Layers of life and of dirt, sand, and rock beneath you measure time.  In a place like Taos, the layers of life spanning back a thousand years might be just at the surface, or they may be buried under mankind's intentional efforts to cover over the past.  

In a place as old as Taos, digging in the dirt is tantamount to unearthing a time machine.   

I think you get my point:  let yourself experience a time shift in Taos.  Don't worry.  Those measures of time you left behind beyond the mountains will still be there when you get back.  It is our hope that after a few visits to Taos you'll never see time the same way again.



Sunday, February 20, 2011

Culinary Destinations

Guests who come to B&B's in Taos expect something more than the "toaster breakfast" served at local motels.  It's a given.  

Those that stay at La Posada de Taos also tend to have very refined palettes.  When they eat away from home, for example, they frequent fine dining establishments.

It's also a given that the cost of that breakfast is included in the price of your room.  Not so everywhere in Taos.  One boutique Inn that TripAdvisor.com ranks among the tops in Taos charges extra if you want the Innkeeper to serve breakfast.  Of course, Trip Advisor doesn't know or care about that.  Guests are on their own to find out whether that B&B actually provides both "B's" as part of its inclusive services.

From the very beginning of our time here at La Posada de Taos, we decided that our guests deserved the best we could offer.  We immediately focused on both "B's:  the beds and the breakfasts.  I'll save the story of our incredible linens for later, but I just wanted to introduce you to a few of our culinary creations.

Breakfast at La Posada de Taos always begins with cut fresh fruit, organic yogurt and our signature housemade granola.  This simple beginning sets the stage for a wholesome, hearty breakfast.  The first course is always accompanied by a variety of fruit juices such as our favorite Blueberry Pomegranate juice or orange juice.

Fresh Cut Fruit with Organic Yogurt and Housemade Granola Begins Breakfast Each Day at La Posada de Taos
 But what is breakfast without something baked fresh in the oven each day?  We're not talking store-bought muffins here.  And we're definitely not talking about anything prepared from a mix.  Nope.  At La Posada de Taos our chefs had determined that the only way our guests are going to enjoy their breakfast from beginning to end is that the baked item be made completely from scratch.  The housemade delicacies vary from day to day, but typically include a housemade blueberry muffin or a made-from-scratch buttermilk biscuit.  Yum!


La Posada de Taos' Made-from-Scratch Buttermilk Bisquit with a Selection of Chili Jams


Michael Carter, our own "Breakfast Guru," next prepares an entree that our guests always find memorable.  The Breakfast Tostada pictured below is an example.  The photo pretty much shows the makings of the dish:  corn tortilla, black beans, cheese, poached egg, corn chip strips, and a small avocado and tomato side. It's hearty, it's healthy and it's just one part of the well-balanced meal that our chef will prepare each and every day for our guests.


The La Posada de Taos Breakfast Tostada


I'll focus more on the incredible entrees and baked items in future posts.  We hope you get to come and enjoy breakfast with us some day.  It's always a memorable meal.

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Millicent Rogers in Taos: Why We Love Her

In my previous post, I focused on "facts" about Millicent Rogers, in particular her legacy as one of the leading icons of style in the 20th Century.  There is little doubt that she carved out a special place in the history of Taos and in the development of style, the arts, and culture in this region as a whole.

But none of that is why I love her.  Certainly, her achievements are unique, but until I visited her museum a few years ago, her iconic image meant little.  As I wound up my visit I approached a side entrance into the gift shop of the Millicent Rogers Museum.  There at the end was "The Letter." 

Do you ever think back on your life and wonder how it is that you got where you are?  I'm not talking about being harsh or critical of your life -- just allowing yourself to observe the paths that have led you to this point.  Some might call this an admission that you have accepted your own mid-life crisis or a step in the process of resolving yourself to give up the past.   Or something more, perhaps.

For me, the process began before I got to Taos and ended not long after I got here.  It's a part of accepting life on life's terms in this very special place.   In a way, I've always thought of myself as a person attempting to find some kind of spiritual peace with the world.  Be this a spiritual journey or be it simply surviving the vicissitudes of life, I had to experience all that came before "here" before I could truly appreciate "here." Landing in Taos brought an amazing peace to my restless soul.

Finding the words to describe these things was difficult.  I knew I had powerful feelings and emotions about being in Taos and I knew that my soul was finally beginning to let go of the angst that had burdened it for so many years.  But all I could grasp were concepts and broad brush strokes.

Millicent Rogers

Then I read Millicent Rogers' letter to her son written over 60 years ago in Taos.  Although the letter is hanging on a wall in her museum, I heard her voice speaking the words.  As I listened, my heart melted.  I fell in love with Millicent Rogers the way that I had fallen in love with Taos.

Darling Paulie,

Did I ever tell you about the feeling I had a little while ago? Suddenly passing Taos Mountain I felt that I was part of the Earth, so that I felt the Sun on my Surface and the rain. I felt the Stars and the growth of the Moon, under me, rivers ran. And against me were the tides. The waters of rain sank into me. And I thought if I stretched out my hands they would be Earth and green would grow from me. And I knew that there was no reason to be lonely that one was everything, and Death was as easy as the rising sun and as calm and natural - that to be enfolded in Earth was not an end but part of oneself, part of every day and night that we lived, so that Being part of the Earth one was never alone. And all fear went out of me - with a great, good stillness and strength.

If anything should happen to me now, ever, just remember all this. I want to be buried in Taos with the wide sky - Life has been marvelous, all the experiences good and bad I have enjoyed, even pain and illness because out of it so many things were discovered. One has so little time to be still, to lie still and look at the Earth and the changing colors and the Forest - and the voices of people and clouds and light on water, smells and sound and music and the taste of wood smoke in the air.

Life is absolutely beautiful if one will disassociate oneself from noise and talk and live it according to one's inner light. Don't fool yourself more than you can help. Do what you want - do what you want knowingly. Anger is a curtain that people pull down over life so that they only see through it dimly - missing all the savor, the instincts - the delight - they feel safe only when they can down someone. And if one does that they end by being to many, more than one person, and life is dimmed - blotted and blurred! - I've had a most lovely life to myself - I've enjoyed it as thoroughly as it could be enjoyed. And when my time comes, no one is to feel that I have lost anything of it - or be too sorry - I've been in all of you - and will go on Being. So remember it peacefully - take all the good things that your life put there in your eyes - and they, your family, children, will see through your eyes. My love to all of you.

 

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Millicent Rogers in Taos: 20th Century Style Icon

In their 1994 book The Power of Style, Annette Tapert and Diana Edkins focused on 14 women of the 20th Century who "defined the art of living well."  Among the select group were Coco Chanel, Jackie Kennedy Onassis and Millicent Rogers.  Because my blog focuses on all things Taos, I wanted to relay a few pieces of information about Millicent Rogers in the next couple of entries.

Millicent Rogers

She moved to Taos in 1947 and died five short years later at the relatively young age of 53.  In that span of time, Millicent Rogers amassed important collections of art, textiles, jewelry, and pottery that remain intact today at the Millicent Rogers Museum in Taos.  The authors of The Power of Style noted that "No other American woman of style assembled a collection of anything that still remains intact."  One thing that makes them so extraordinary is that these are the collections of lifetimes -- not just one lifetime and certainly not just five brief years of one lifetime.

Coming as she did to Taos near the end of her life, she entered a world that was completely alien to her upbringing in the high society circles of Manhattan and Europe.  Before coming here major fashion houses of the 20th Century had determined that the "perfect" measurements for draping their creations were those of Millicent Rogers' body.  There are many, many stories of her influence on styles of her time that happened long before she came to New Mexico.  But it is here that her influence has endured and its reach has lasted.

When she arrived in 1947, Taos was already well-known as a major art capital.  In part due to her influence, Taos has remained so for decades.  As Dave Hicky said in his 2009 introduction to Dennis Hopper's show at Taos' Harwood Museum,  
"In the twentieth century, [Taos] has probably produced more serious art and literature than any other non-metropolitan area in the United States..."
But for all its amazing artistic influence, Taos was not known as a fashion center or a place of "style" other than perhaps Pueblo architecture.  No matter.  That, too, would change.

She immediately began meeting the local artists and artisans of her time.  Maria Martinez, for example, who's "black-on-black" style pottery was the first of its kind, became very close with Millicent Rogers.  The largest collection of "Maria Pots" in the world now resides at the Millicent Rogers Museum.


Maria Martinez Pottery
In addition to pottery and art, Millicent Rogers loved jewelry.  I have heard it said that what we all think of today as "Southwestern Jewelry" was permanently influenced by what Millicent Rogers bought or designed for herself during her time in Taos.  The collection of over 400 pieces at her museum is impressive to say the least.

One final word about her collections:  as time passes, experts and collectors from around the world have come to believe that many pieces in the Millicent Rogers' collections are some of the most important masterworks of their genre.  They are, just as she was, nothing short of extraordinary.

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Kit Carson Part II: Excerpts from "Blood and Thunder"

I've just finished reading Hampton Sides' Blood and Thunder:  The Epic Story of Kit Carson and the Conquests of the American West.  All I can say is "Wow."  I really encourage you to go out and pick up a copy.  Here are some excerpts from this incredible book.
"Carson was present at the creation, it seemed.  He had witnessed the dawn of the American West in all its vividness and brutality.  In his constant travels he had caromed off of or intersected with nearly every major tribal group and person of consequence.  He had lived the sweep of the Western experience with a directness few other men could rival."
"Yes, Christopher Carson was a lovable man.  Nearly everyone said so.  He was loyal, honest, and kind.  In many pinpointable incidents, he acted bravely and with much physical grace.  More than once, he saved people's lives without seeking recognition or pay. He was a dashing good Samaritan -- a hero, even.
"He was also a natural born killer.  It is hard to reconcile the much-described sweetness of his disposition with his frenzies of violence.  Carson could be brutal even for the West of his day (a West so wild it lacked outlaws, for no law yet existed to be outside of).  His ferocious temper could be triggered in an instant.  If you crossed him, he would find you.  He pursued vengeance as though it were something sacred with a kind of dogged focus that might be called tribal--his tribe being the famously grudge-happ Scotch-Irish."
The sweeping story that Sides tells includes how Kit Carson was involved in the American take-over of New Mexico, his presence at the major battles fought against the Mexican army in California, and how he chose the Union side in the Civil War and his leadership during the Western-most battles of that war in New Mexico. 

There are many sources of reliable information about the man, but the ones that touch my heart are Sides' factual biography and Willa Cather's fictional biography Death Comes for the Archbishop.  Her inclusion of Carson in the story was telling of how important he was to the "respectable" class in the New Mexico territory.  The lead character seeks out Carson and ultimately develops a close personal relationship with the man who so many believed was a giant among men.  She includes a story of how he assisted in a rescue that saved lives but never sought recognition or payment for that act.

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Kit Carson Part I: The Enigmatic Hero

Just about everyone has heard of Kit Carson.  If nothing else, they know that towns in every Western State are named after him.  Carson City, Nevada;  Carson, California;  Carson, New Mexico.

Kit Carson
 Public buildings and thoroughfares throughout the West, including in the state of his birth, Missouri.

Fort Carson, the massive military installation outside Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Kit Carson Statute in Colorado

 He was everywhere in the West during his lifetime.  Just about every major historical event that occurred in the Western U.S. between 1840 and 1868 somehow involved Kit Carson.  He made his initial fame as a mountain man, trapper and scout, but his influence extended far into military and governmental affairs, having died while holding the rank of Brigadier General in the U.S. Army.


Most people don't know that he called Taos his home.  Although his travels took him far and wide on incredible adventures, he kept his home and family here.   In 1842 he married his third wife Josepha in Taos where they established their home and raised a family of 8 children just off of Taos Plaza.  He recognized that there was something very special about Taos, ancestral home to the Taos Indians for at least 800 years and to the descendants of Spanish settlers for some 300 years before he arrived.


I'm going to spend a few blogs talking about him and from time to time in the future sharing stories about Kit Carson, beginning with the enigmatic nature of his story to us in the 21st Century.


Hero or Murderer?  The answer to this question depends upon your perspective.  During his lifetime, he was the subject of over 70 "Blood and Thunder" novels depicting him as a larger-than-life hero.  While he still lived he was known to every American and most Europeans as the man who represented honesty, bravery and courage.  In his rare visits to Washington, D.C. he was treated as a conquering hero or a great celebrity.  In a sense he was one of our nation's first truly "famous" people.


But also during his lifetime he led or participated in the violence our nation inflicted on the Native Americans -- in particular, against the Navajo.  He became known to these Americans as a man who would take away all that they cherished.  His role in the forced relocation of the Navajo Nation across the rugged, wintry terrain of New Mexico was almost immediately seen as a cruel injustice.  At Bosque Redondo he participated in the formation and operation of one of the first "concentration camps" of the Western Hemisphere.   All this despite the fact that his first wife, Singing Grass, was an Arapaho Indian and his second wife, Making-Our-Road, was Cheyenne.

As his life wound down and he returned to Taos, he remained to the American public a famous trapper and trader.  Novels and histories, of the man were fictionalized beyond reality, and published by the dozens.  But the enigmatic Kit Carson was illiterate:  he couldn't read a word of any of those books and he couldn't sign his name with anything other than a single initial.


In his time and with his stature, his illiteracy was ignored, however, in part because he could fluently speak at least 8 languages including English and Spanish, as well as many Native American tongues.


One final enigma:  Kit Carson was just a little over 5 feet tall.  All of the books of his day, all of the histories written during his time that mentioned his name, described Kit Carson as a giant of a man.  Not so. 

Thus my title "Enigmatic Hero."  Love him or hate him, his story is the story of the American West.  Taos was his home -- his touchstone -- and each of his stories ends with his return, ultimately to his final resting place here against the Sangre de Christos.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

SBA Disaster Assistance

If you haven't read my previous post regarding making claims in general, I encourage you to do so before you read this one.

Whether President Obama signs a Disaster Declaration for Taos County is unknown at the time of this post.  It may take several more days before anything actually happens, but I'm going to post this information with hopeful optimism that Washington doesn't let us down.

There are some types of immediate assistance grants available to homeowners through FEMA.  Some of the specific items covered include water delivery systems for example.  You can file directly through FEMA for this assistance and they promise a 10-day turn-around time in most cases.

More comprehensive assistance is administered through the Small Business Administration.  These are all Disaster Loans -- not grants.  Navigating their website can be a little daunting, but here are key links:

Types of Disaster Loans are described as:

  • Home and Personal Property Loans
    SBA states:  Renters and homeowners alike may borrow up to $40,000 to repair or replace clothing, furniture, cars, appliances, etc. damaged or destroyed in the disaster. Homeowners may apply for up to $200,000 to repair or replace their primary residence to its pre-disaster condition.  A Factsheet for Homeowners is available online and applications can be filed electronically or over the phone.
  • Business Physical Disaster Loans 
    Physical Disaster Loan proceeds may be used for the repair or replacement of the following: Real property, Machinery, Equipment, Fixtures, Inventory, Leasehold improvements
In addition, disaster loans to repair or replace real property or leasehold improvements may be increased by as much as 20 percent of the total amount of disaster damage to real estate and/or leasehold improvements as verified by SBA to protect the damaged real property against possible future disasters of the same type.
SBA loans cover uninsured and under-insured physical damage. If you are required to apply insurance proceeds to an outstanding mortgage on the damaged property, you can include that amount in your disaster loan application.
  • Economic Injury Disaster Loans
    If your business is located in a declared disaster area and has suffered economic injury because of the disaster (regardless of physical damage), you may be eligible for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL). Substantial economic injury is the inability of a business to meet its obligations as they mature and to pay its ordinary and necessary operating expenses. EIDLs provide the necessary working capital to help small businesses survive until normal operations resume after a disaster.
    The Factsheet for Businesses should be helpful.
Please note that if you have insurance that may cover part of your loss, the SBA Factsheet states that you should not wait for your insurance claim to be processed before you file for an assistance loan with them:
Should I wait for my insurance settlement before I file my loan application?
No. Don’t miss the filing deadline by waiting for an insurance settlement. Final insurance information can be added when a settlement is made. The SBA can approve a loan for the total replacement cost, but any insurance proceeds that duplicate SBA’s loan must be applied to your SBA loan.
I hope this gets you started if you're thinking about the SBA process.  They state in several places that their loan applications are processed within 18 days, but that the most common reason for delay is that some piece of information was not provided or verified to them.

This is a kind of "heads up" to those who have never dealt with the U.S. Government.  They want each "i" dotted and every "t" crossed before they approve your loan and they'll want hard copies of just about everything they ask for, but don't be discouraged.  This low-interest loan program is a reason why we pay Federal Income taxes each year.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Gas-tastrophe: To Claim or Not to Claim

I've been asked to say a few words about making claims for losses incurred during the recent gas-tastrophe here in Taos.  At this time businesses have the opportunity to consider claims to be made against New Mexico Gas Company directly or they can consider making claims under insurance policies, or there may be some other alternatives that I mention below.

My comments are going to be directed at the business community as a whole, but generally circumstances will vary greatly and you'll need to think carefully about the course of action you wish to pursue.  Although I have a law degree, I'm not an attorney and I'm not familiar with the nuances of New Mexico law.  If you believe that you have a monetary claim against New Mexico Gas Co., and you believe that the value of the claim is substantial in any way (not just monetary), then you better go talk to an attorney. 

Get it over with.  If you've lost a boatload of money or your business has been damaged to the point where it's teetering on the edge of oblivion, talk to an attorney at least for your peace of mind.  Get an opinion from someone who might be able to protect you.

The most important thing you want to ask an attorney is "What is the best way that I can make myself (my business) whole again?"

Federal Disaster Declaration?  As I write this there has not been a Federal Disaster Declaration.  If one does come, FEMA should come to Taos and make certain low-interest loans available "on the spot" to allow you to open your doors each day and stay in business.  It is not necessarily the intent of FEMA loans, but they can help tie you over while your legal claims against New Mexico Gas Co. are processed.  That way you shouldn't have to rush a claim. 

If a Disaster Declaration happens, that's a game-changer for the claims process.  So, hold on, for a few more days and let's see if one comes.

If a Disaster Declaration does not come, things are going to be a lot tougher.

Property Insurance?  If you've got property damage and you have insurance, file immediately.  I suggest that you don't wait for an attorney on this one.  Do it now.  Find the phone number and get the claims process started.  The Insurance you have contains specific contractual and statutory obligations to act quickly on your behalf.  In other words, they have to pay valid claims and they have to pay them quickly. 

Be advised that the insurance company will most likely attempt to "subrogate" your claims against the Gas Co. -- This means that if you have filed a property insurance claim under an insurance policy, you should not make a separate claim for property damage with the Gas Company since the Insurance Company will probably do that.

Renters Insurance?  Same as above.  Call the insurance company immediately.  Don't wait to talk to an attorney.  Don't file two claims.

Business Loss Insurance?  If you've got this, you're going to need to speak with your insurance agent right away.  I suggest you do this in person where you can get a checklist of all the things you're going to need to substantiate your claim.   Insurance claims for business loss are really hard to make in some industries -- such as lodging, for example, where a lost room night might or might not be considered an actual business loss (I know: Ouch!)

Again, don't wait to speak to an attorney when it comes to filing an insurance claim.  Your agent should be able to advise you.  If you feel you're getting jerked around, contact the State Insurance Commission.

No Insurance?  If FEMA doesn't come in and start offering low interest loans for business and property loss, you might be able to get something going through the Small Business Administration.  Otherwise, your last chance might just be a direct claim to New Mexico Gas Co or filing a law suit (remember the attorney).

Claims Against New Mexico Gas Co. Directly?  Again, if your losses are substantial and your business is teetering on the edge, go to an attorney first.  My biggest concern for our business community is that none of us waives any of our rights for full compensation. 

Don't sign an Arbitration Agreement if it is presented to you without first speaking to an attorney.

Any system New Mexico Gas Co sets up will be biased in their favor.  It will be - by design -- full of procedural pitfalls and claims denial loopholes.  Also, it will involve some type of waiver of your right to have your claims resolved in court by a jury of your peers (such as an Arbitration Agreement).

Bottom Line:  Unless you're filing an insurance claim under an existing policy, don't worry about rushing to make your claim to New Mexico Gas Co. immediately if you don't have all the facts together (extra costs associated with Electrical Heating, for example). 

The process will take an uncertain amount of time and if the Gas Co's response time to the actual emergency is any indication of the speed they'll address your claim, well . . . good luck.

Meet Fritz!

La Posada de Taos allows guests to bring their dogs.  As listed on various pet-friendly accommodation websites, we've always allowed folks with well-behaved dogs to stay with us. 

I'd like to introduce everyone to our best friends, Fritz and Roxy.  First:  Fritz.

Fritz is a Mini-Schnauzer.  When he's in the room, he is convinced that he is "in charge" -- the complete center of attention.  That's primarily why our little boy lives upstairs in the Innkeepers quarters and only gets to pay visits downstairs once or twice a day before or after his walks.

He's very vocal, as they say.  But he's also incredibly friendly.  He'll bark, bark, bark his "Hello" until you give him his scratch behind the ears, then he'll bark, bark, bark his "Thanks."

Fritz at La Posada de Taos in his Christmas Regalia
We adopted this cute little guy in late-July 2001 and he's been with us ever since.  Someone had already clipped his ears and docked his tail by the time we adopted him -- a practice we think should be outlawed.

Since he was fully grown when we met him, we assumed he was at least a year old.  During his most recent visit to the Salazar Vet Clinic here in Taos, the doctor did geriatric blood work and pronounced that he's as healthy as a 3 year-old.  That made us very happy, since we believe he's at least 11 years old now.

As with any aging dog, we've tried to stay on top of various things that our "Old Man" might need, such as dental work -- he's lost 3 teeth so far -- and something called Schnauzer Bumps which I don't describe.  Although he can go from zero to Mach 9 in about 10 seconds, Fritz sleeps more than he used to these days.  We take him to a nearby open space and run with him as often as we can.  We're pretty sure that dogs get the same benefit of exercise at 7000 feet as people do.

Fritz knows he's a handsome dog and he's completely willing to show off his good looks to anyone who would notice.  Because mini-Schnauzer's don't shed, they have to be groomed every 4 to 6 weeks to keep their hair from matting (I call it the "Brillo Pad" look).  After a grooming, Fritz is especially interested in showing off his "new look."  Because we keep his hair short (except for the beard), Fritz wears a variety of seasonal sweaters.  His favorite look is the Space Man cape (photos later)

When you visit us at La Posada de Taos be sure to ask how Fritz is doing and we'll see if he's awake for a visit.  Just be prepared for a very vocal greeting.

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Gas-tastrophe: Protocols, Procedures

I previously said that I didn't want to focus on "stupid people" and I still don't want to do that.  Because what ultimately happened here is a collapse of a system that was created by lots of people.  The people who created that system, by the way, aren't those who were present on Thursday at the gas company.  Nope.  They're all gone on to their greater reward or have simply retired.

A system failed.  A human-created set of rules and procedures didn't work.  When New Mexico Gas Co. decided that it didn't need to service the coldest, most isolated communities on its system, they made a conscious decision to follow a protocol that industry executives had established years ago.  They followed a procedural book that someone wrote back in the 1970's.

How do I know this?  Simply put:  a very loud cell phone conversation in a small lobby at Taos Ski Valley on Friday morning. 

Please stay with me. . .

It's Friday morning, February 4, 2011.  I'm helping a guest of La Posada de Taos finish his ski week at Taos Ski Valley.  We've arrived at the Ski School and he's getting his equipment.  I'm standing there checking e-mail on my Blackberry.  A large gentleman with a distinctive Texas accent (I know, I grew up there) is having a very loud conversation on his cell phone in the little lobby of the equipment rental office.  He's not slowing down or trying to be quiet I'm assuming because he's very excited about something. 

I keep hearing the words, "That's what I told the media," and "The press I spoke to were told that it's the blackouts."

What disturbed me is what I heard next.  "At some point someone is going to start talking about the protocol; the 1970's protocol that set this whole thing up." 

Well, I guess I can start talking about it if no one else has.

At some time in the 1970's the procedures were established for dissemination of gas from Point A to Point B in the fields that service what is now known as New Mexico Gas Co.  The owners of the production and distribution system prepared for an emergency involving predictable interruptions and shortages.  They made rules for where their supplies would go first, second, third, etc.  The system was geared to address conditions known at the time based on federal and state law then existent, populations and power plants then existent, and other quantifiable, provable facts known at the time.

Let's say that this was developed in light of the 1970's Energy Crisis and was adopted in 1977.  Therefore, I'll say that the "1977 Protocol" was the plan in place when the Winter Storm of 2011 hit our region.

The explanation that pumps were being turned on and off, that pressure could not be maintained because of the shortage caused by the inability to pump and all the related "details" that New Mexico Gas Co. gave us during the Gas-tastrophe start to fall apart in light of the truth surrounding the 1977 Protocol.

What actually happened, in my opinion, is that those who control the production followed a set of procedures -- the Protocol -- they had in front of them.  They didn't care about what the results of following this protocol would be.  In their minds, they didn't need any information about the "effects" on communities or who they would "affect."  The simply did something by a book that was written in another time by other people who could never have anticipated explosive population growth in the region thus could never have foreseen the demand for gas created by a 21st Century Storm.

It's a shame and someone needs to look into this Protocol -- perhaps demanding that it be rewritten.

It's not a perfect comparison, but here is where I'm coming from:  In the legal system today we follow protocols developed over the centuries for the orderly administration of justice.  Much as it in Congress and elsewhere, the procedural rules of the legal system are often more important than outcomes.  As an example, follow the development of Consumer Protection Statutes in every state from the 1970's when a consumer could make a claim without a lawyer to the present when lawyers are the only ones who can see claims through the system.

Call me cynical, but in my opinion we are often focused on the game while the score isn't being followed whatsoever.  Sadly, procedures and protocols are constantly used by those who are losing or those who are wrong to prolong the game.  Worse yet, they are filled with traps for the unsuspecting.

So, here we sit on our 4th night without Natural Gas, with the "relighting" proceeding at a snail's pace because of Protocols and Procedures.  Rules and Regulations?  Words and more words written decades ago and never considered until we got what the National Weather Service now calls an "Epic Storm."

We'll have gas tomorrow I expect and all will slowly fade into the background of the history of this region, but it's my hope that the fade will only occur after we've all had a thorough explanation as to how our lives were turned upside down by the Gas-tastophre of 2011: the Protocol of 1977.

State of Emer

Driving down Paseo del Pueblo Sur on my way to run some errands, the blinking roadside marquee read:  "State of Emer" and then provided some phone numbers for the public to use during the Gas-tastrophe. 

Everyone in Town knows what the sign means -- it didn't need much else to explain.

The National Weather Service now acknowledges that the storm that swept across this region and much of the country last week was one of the record books.  The Special Weather Statement issued for the storm predicted for later this week in New Mexico said the following:

WHILE THIS SYSTEM CURRENTLY IS EXPECTED TO BE SIGNIFICANTLY LESS SEVERE THAN THE EPIC STORM OF LAST WEEK...IT WILL STILL HAVE A MAJOR IMPACT ON TRAVEL AND OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES DUE TO THE COMBINATION OF SNOW...WIND...BLOWING SNOW AND MUCH COLDER AIR.

Just to update everyone:  as we all expected, the electrical power grid failed in Taos.  Our little B&B was without power for over 10 hours in one stretch and then two stretches of about 3 hours.  With 6 fireplaces in the house, we immediately went into "Fireplace" mode and kept the Inn warm during the blackouts.  Kit Carson Electric Co-operative had various excuses for the power failures, but it all boils down to the fact that no community in New Mexico -- not just Taos -- has a power grid capable of handling the heating demands created by a loss of gas heat.  There simply was no way that Taos' system was going to survive unscathed by this huge winter storm.
In the meantime, the Town Officials responsible for keeping order and disseminating information to the public did a smashing job.  When the citizenry began to panic on Thursday, these folks hit the radio airwaves and used the extensive e-mail program they have developed in order to give us factual information that was valid and useful in the immediacy of the developing disaster.

Amazing folks! 

Cathy Connelly, Town of Taos Public Information Director.  Wow, Cathy.  All I can say is I hope you get some paid leave when this blows over.  Have you slept?  I doubt it.

Steve Fuhlendorf, President and CEO of the Taos County Chamber of Commerce.  What can I say to you, Steve other than "Thanks" and "Thanks, again."

It's been remarkable.  On two occasions I communicated with both Cathy and Steve and they both responded immediately to me with facts.  Just the facts.

Thanks to our public officials from Governor Suzanna Martinez all the way down to those working in the trenches here in Taos. 

All will return to normal tomorrow and we're thankful.  Our guests will never know anything happened other than the stories I'll tell them at the breakfast table each morning, but La Posada de Taos will be a warm, comfortable oasis as our Trip Advisor ranking indicates.

Friday, February 4, 2011

Gas-tastrophe

Early Thursday morning as I made coffee and prepared for the day, I kept track of the temperature outside here in Taos.  It had dropped to minus 20 degrees when I first checked.  The last time I checked it was minus 25 -- yes, that's 25 below zero.

It was an unusual occurrence to be sure.  Record low temperatures here in Taos tend to range in the minus 10 to minus 15 area.  Only a few occasions in the past have there been recorded lows as far below zero as they were on Thursday, February 1.

During breakfast we got a phone message -- we are rarely able to answer our phones while serving what we're so famous for.  The message, from a concerned friend, said something like this:  "All the natural gas in Northern New Mexico has been cut off and you're going to be out of gas soon."

It sounded like a joke at first.  We looked at one another and said, "Really?"  What else, the Zombie's are coming?  We had no context for the words and we had no understanding of what was about to come within a few short hours.

According to the folks from New Mexico Gas Co., somewhere upstream in their production network, gas pumps were being turned on and off by "rolling blackouts" and "brownouts."  Turning these pumps on and off had reduced pressure in the distribution system such that it had become unsafe (or such that it had run out of gas!).

At the end of the distribution network, in other words HERE in Taos and vicinity, the gas could not reach the customers and was being shut off somewhere south of here.

Gas stoves, heaters, and other essential appliances relied upon during dangerously cold weather were now inoperable.  The entire Taos region was suddenly cut off from a basic necessity -- the primary source of residential and commercial heat -- during record low temperatures.

Individuals and businesses were not told about this by New Mexico Gas Co.  Word of mouth was the primary means of communication about the impending gas-tastophre.

As the crisis became apparent, individuals began to panic in Taos.  There were runs on the grocery stores and hardware stores.  People were seeking water and heaters primarily.  As the official response came slowly at first, the word-of-mouth panic spread.  People were told that the power grid was going to go out next, then the water supply would be cut off.  It was pandemonium, frankly.

Here at La Posada de Taos we began the process of assisting our guests with finding alternate accommodations.  Without the ability to take a hot bath or shower, we feel our guests would simply never have the quality of experience they demand and deserve.

We started following advice to conserve electricity by turning off lights and computers, setting electric heaters at the minimum required to heat a room, and by making sure we turned off the lights that adorn our rooftop during the winter.  Thank goodness the power grid hasn't failed yet.

As darkness descended on our town, we posted items on Facebook letting our friends and contacts know that we will be available to assist any way we possibly can.  A few locals called up and booked rooms with us.  We have a couple of small families staying here.

We've taken food to the shelters and we're getting ready to do some more volunteer work.  Fact is that I want to RAGE in this blog about this situation, but I'm simply too busy to think about it.


New Mexico Gas Co isn't off the hook, by the way.  But we're in full crisis mode here in Taos and I'm not going to think any more about stupid people.

Can't spend too much on the computer, by the way.  Can't even really proof this before I post it, but I just wanted everyone to know:  Taos is doing OK for now.  We'll make it because we're a community that knows how to pull together.

If you want to donate some food or other items, please let me know.  I can help arrange that. . .