Pride comes first

One of the books that I am most proud of writing is the Kindle book, "Spirits of Cibola County". It includes all of the personal interviews I did with the people who live here. Some of them are friends and neighbors. Here is the introduction.

 

Spirits of Cibola County

 

Introduction:

 

            Cibola County, New Mexico has been my adopted home for 42 years. It is as close to a hometown as I am ever going to have. Being Anglo, moving here was an eye opening experience. It was the first time in my life that I felt like a minority because the area is predominately Spanish and Native American. It took years for me to actually feel at home. It only happened when I began to look around and appreciate what I had been offered.

            The census puts us at over 10,000 residents. I began interviewing some of those souls as a columnist for our local newspaper in 2000, recently adding new stories to reflect the growth of the county. These personal stories make up the contents of this book. I am grateful that my subjects shared the details of their lives and trusted me to write them down so that others might benefit from their unique experiences. These are the Spirits of Cibola County; many of whom I count as my friends.

            Cibola County is located halfway between Albuquerque and Gallup. It is the home of four Indian pueblos: Acoma, Laguna, Zuni and Navajo. Chaco Canyon is the site of the ancient ruins of the Anasazi Tribe. Other historic sites include the Sandstone Bluffs, El Malpais National Monument, Acoma-Sky City and several mesas and lava beds.

            The town of Grants, where I live, got its start in the early 1880s as a railroad camp and prospered as the result of logging in the Zuni Mountains. In the1930s it gained fame as the “carrot capital” of the U.S., as the volcanic soil provided ideal conditions for farming. Paddy Martinez, a Navajo shepherd, discovered uranium ore in the area around 1950. It led to a mining boom that lasted until 1980. The Guadalupe Vineyards in San Fidel, NM were added in 2000 by a former priest who believes God chose him to plant the vines and make wine. The county is currently being promoted for its historic attractions and for the beauty and spirituality it offers.

            The major employers are three prisons, Cibola General Hospital, New Mexico State University Grants Campus, Grants Good Samaritan Center and Wal-Mart. The rest of Cibola County and the town of Grants are much like any other small town in southwestern USA.

            Our most renowned event is the Winter Quadrathlon held in February. It attracts participants from all over the world. The start to finish race is 44 miles and includes biking, running, cross country skiing and snow shoeing. It begins in Grants, goes up Mt. Taylor (elevation 11,305 ft) and back to town. Participants are exhausted when they finish. Many residents hold their breath at the beginning of the year as they look up at the mountain and pray there will be enough snow for the Quad.

 

            Getting to know the Spirits of Cibola County begins here just follow me…