NAN SANDERS POKERWINSKI
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HeartWood
A blog about cultivating
creativity, connection and contentment
wherever you are

Golden Moment

10/18/2017

11 Comments

 
​I had barely stepped out of the truck when . . . "GOOD MORNING!" 
​​The voice filled me with warmth on that damp morning when I'd stopped for a better look at an unusual roadside assemblage along New Mexico's Turquoise Trail, between Albuquerque and Santa Fe.
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This roadside assemblage caught my eye and drew me in
​​"Come on in! Take all the pictures you want." The man with the welcoming voice emerged from behind a rustic fence of planks and crooked tree limbs, decorated with railroad spikes, old tires, metal barrels, cast-off toys and colorful bottles and jars.
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Visitors are always welcome to stop and explore Leroy's world.
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Cast-offs become parts of his creations
​Come in I did, and that's how I came to meet Leroy Gonzales, self-proclaimed mayor of Golden, New Mexico, population 37 at last count. Once the site of the first gold rush west of the Mississippi, Golden has been considered a ghost town since 1928. Leroy, on the other hand, is alive—and lively—as can be. With a showman's flair and a comedian's pacing, he gave me a guided tour of his property, starting with the adobe cat and dog sprawled in the yard. The dog is plumbed with a fountain-like spout of colored water, which Leroy obligingly demonstrated.
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Leroy's well-worn card
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Leroy Gonzales
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Leroy demonstrates the fountain in the adobe dog (which looks more dog-like from the front)
​​From there, he hustled me over to the "gold mine," a mirror-backed tunnel that Leroy winkingly told me extends all the way to the Ortiz Mountains in the distance. Then a stop at the cantina, another trompe l'oeil façade of corrugated metal and cow skulls.
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The gold mine
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The cantina and "tattooed tree."
​When he invited me to step inside a small structure behind the cantina, I didn't hesitate, even before he assured me, "Don't worry, it's perfectly safe." Inside, the walls were covered with tacked-up notes that previous visitors had left in the spiral-bound guestbook Leroy keeps on a table out front. I read a few, then he showed me a plastic storage tub filled with more notes and letters and a collection of photos visitors have taken of him and his surroundings.
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Leroy treasures notes and photographs from visitors
PictureEverywhere you look, Leroy has left his mark



​​"Stay as long as you want," Leroy said as he headed off to tend to his creations. "Just let me know when you're leaving."

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Bottles everywhere!
​By the time we said goodbye—me with a bunch of photos in my camera, Leroy with a few bucks I left in the tip jar, along with my promise to send him some pictures—I was in high spirits. 
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A visit with Leroy will brighten your day
​In just a short visit, this man whose main mission in life seems to be welcoming people into his world, had cast a colorful light on my day. I hope I carried some of that color and sparkle away with me.
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11 Comments
Emily Everett
10/18/2017 07:07:05 am

A perfect road trip side trip! Love all the pix and Leroy's colorful creations and his spirit. Thanks for letting me take a nice little side trip of my own from my living room in Michigan.

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Nan
10/18/2017 07:51:34 am

Good to have you along!

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Valerie deur
10/18/2017 07:42:13 am

oh i love this place and Leroy's creations. would love to visit there sometime! Thanks for posting!

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Nan
10/18/2017 07:53:39 am

Definitely your kind of place, Valerie. If you're ever down that way, be sure to stop by. You would also love Mountainair and Madrid, NM. (More on those places to come in future blog posts.)

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Tonya Howe
10/18/2017 01:06:44 pm

Thanks for bringing Leroy's cheery outlook and sparkle to us. What fun!

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Nan
10/20/2017 06:33:22 am

A highlight of the trip!

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Sue S.
10/19/2017 06:05:28 pm

How wonderful to find his treasures on your trip. Quite a character and intriguing person. You captured his personality so well!

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Nan
10/24/2017 07:03:42 am

:)

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Kathy link
10/20/2017 07:06:45 am

How fun to meet people like that, simple pleasures.

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Nan
10/21/2017 12:59:52 pm

I'll bet you've met plenty in your travels.

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Laura
12/6/2017 06:44:32 am

This is SO cool. What a great, off-the-path find.

Reply



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    Nan Sanders Pokerwinski, a former journalist, writes memoir and personal essays, makes collages and likes to play outside. She lives in West Michigan with her husband, Ray.

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