Wrong turn at Albuquerque on my high horse

Happy Pi day! Pie for breakfast, and (pizza) pie for dinner, makes for a good day, no? We started the day at New Mexico Pie Company, which was, unfortunately disappointing, as they had exactly one pie baked less than half an hour after opening, and our "pie for breakfast" turned into Pie Tartlets (homemade pop tarts) and a s'mores whoopee pie. I guess I expected more from a place called a pie company, but at the same time, as a non-regular to the establishment, I am sure there is level of supply and demand in effect so I don't hold it against them, much.

Just a small shop in a strip mall

Kids weren't disappointed, they were just excited about pie for breakfast!

I think we're going to try to to get out of here tomorrow and head out of New Mexico and into Texas, or as close to it as we can get. Rumor has it the base in Southern NM is nigh on impossible to get a space at, but I may call and ask anyway. They don't do reservations, which just seems strange to me, but whatever. Albuquerque has less than impressed us. Although we did enjoy the Petroglyph National Monument for the most part.

For the most part, my kids are rule followers. They respect authority and follow basic rules like, stay on the path in national parks. So it was not much of a surprise that when we saw a family (including a boy H's age or so) who repeatedly went off of the path to get closer to the Petrolyphs, climbing on the rocks to get up close and personal, that they kind of lost their minds. They began peppering me with questions about why they were off the path and how come we can't go there and we want to see them too, and so on. The other group came back on the proper side of the fence and I simply said that some people didn't understand the rules. Um no. Not good enough. Needlesss to say, about the third time they passed the fence, I was done explaining, particularly when they started touching them and climbing on the rocks that held the petroglyphs. I could hold my tongue no longer, and gave a shout to the other family, "You aren't supposed to cross the fence, you know."

They got all agitated and said some old guy who said he was a park ranger told them to get closer for a better view. I pointed to the "Do Not Enter, restoration in progress" sign and said, "no, there are signs all over telling you not to cross the fence. I am trying to explain to my children why you chose to ignore the rules of the park, but honestly I'm at a loss as to what to tell them."

Sputter, sputter, grumble, old dude, grumble, park ranger, sputter, said it was okay, sputter, grumble. Followed by a hasty retreat. Maybe it was none of my beeswax, but to be honest, it pisses me off. Putting hands on these artifacts damages them, and climbing around is just damaging to the park, a park we are all there to enjoy. Self-entitled a-holes make me angry, acting as if the rules don't apply to them, and then furthering that by teaching their child that this behavior is okay... Boy I'd hate to be that kid's teacher!

We finished our 2.6 mile hike, went back to the Visitor's Center and finished our books for Junior Ranger Badge #8.

Entrance to the visitor center

A winged creature, perhaps a bat?

Just amazing how many of these rocks were decorated

I find it interesting that most symbols are unidentified

K thinks it is a sword and shield

The kids called this guy jelly man for some reason

My favorite site of the day - skipping together