King of the Road - July 2010
You've Got a Friend
Connect with community in Cuba
Story and Photography by Lesley S. King
As I cruise into Cuba on U.S. 550, I observe one of its landmarks to the south: Cabezón Peak, a volcanic plug of basalt rising 2,000 feet from the surrounding desert floor. The peak always reminds me of a family story: Many years ago, my mother was learning to pilot. When she took her first solo flight, from Albuquerque to Farmington, in a little Cessna, she was justifiably fearful. Although she thought she was alone in the great blue yonder, just as she passed Cabezón, a familiar voice came over the radio. It was her husband (my stepfather), a seasoned pilot who’d taken his plane up to fly alongside her. The story strikes me now as I head solo into Cuba.
My friends often ask me how I can bear to travel alone. Sometimes, I ask myself the same thing—as I do now, driving into this relatively remote village of about 1,300 people, some 83 miles from the nearest city, Albuquerque. It’s a place of sprawling meadows that border miles of national forest. It’s also the home of a fearsome Native people known as the Gallina Indians, the world’s original longest burrito, and one of New Mexico’s landmark restaurants.
My first stop, the Cuba Ranger District, offers a glimpse into the culture of the little-known Gallina. They moved into this country around a.d. 1000, and built stone houses along ridgetops. A mysterious culture that farmed terraced hillsides and defended themselves in stone towers, the Gallina lived here some 300 years.
In a glass case I find remnants of their culture—an olla (storage jar), an axe, a bone needle and awl—set in a colorful diorama. As well, there’s a small replica of a Gallina house: rectangular, with thick walls and a fire pit. The remains of such dwellings still dot the area, and today intrepid hikers make their way to them, though rangers here discourage such exploration; over the years, many of the ruins have been vandalized.
IF YOU GO Visitor Information Cuba Visitor Center (open in summer) Where to Dine Where to Stay Sueños Encantados y Casa Vieja Where to Shop
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I cruise through Cuba, which is split by broad U.S. 550, and find more reminders of the area’s past. A state Historical Marker informs me that the first Spanish settlers arrived in 1766.
In subsequent years, the area became known for its wheat farming and cattle ranching, the latter still a large part of today’s economy. I pass the empty Young’s Hotel, a sprawling two-story adobe building at the center of town that was once a stagecoach stop.
Across the street is one of New Mexico’s dining landmarks, El Bruno’s Restaurante y Cantina. Foodies cruising between Albuquerque and Farmington plan a lunch or dinner stop here to eat enchiladas and burritos. Inside, I sit down for coffee with Frank Murphy, who moved to Cuba 14 years ago to ranch. Today he raises llamas, and enjoys the many activities available in the area.
Most of all, Murphy likes to head into the mountains. To the east of town lies a portion of the Santa Fe National Forest, within which is nestled the 41,132-acre San Pedro Parks Wilderness, with the San Pedro Peaks rising to 10,523 feet—a place I’ve explored on horseback. “It’s lush, with meadows surrounded by big spruce and cedar trees, and herds of elk and deer,” says Murphy. In the National Forest and the Wilderness Area, visitors hike, ski cross-country, ride horses, fish, and hunt.
Saying good-bye to Frank Murphy, I make my way deeper into El Bruno’s—it sprawls through a historic adobe home to a gift shop that sells embroidered velvet clothing, pottery, and jewelry. Phyllis Montoya, who works as a hostess in the restaurant, points out Navajo silver-and-turquoise bracelets and pendants made by her and her boyfriend, Cisco Whitehorse. “The art his been in the family for generations,” she says. Montoya’s heritage reflects another rich aspect of Cuba: The town is near the Navajo and Jicarilla Apache nations.
Next, at a table in the restaurant, I join Hazel and Bruno Herrera, owners of El Bruno’s. Hazel is the flamboyant creative energy here, while Bruno provides a good-natured stability. In the restaurant business for 36 years, they agree that the secret to the survival of such an institution is consistency. “Our customers are like family,” says Hazel—and as we eat red-chile enchiladas and freshly fried sopaipillas, diners stop by the table to hug Hazel and compliment her on the food.
Hazel and Bruno grew up in Cuba. “I married my high-school sweetheart,” she says, fondly smiling at her husband. They especially enjoy the town’s friendliness. “Everywhere you go, people wave at you and say hello,” says Bruno. This has been the case for me today. Though I’m traveling on my own, my time has been full of connection to the interesting people here.
In fact, such connection landed this town the title of the site of the making of the first longest burrito in the Guinness Book of World Records. Shortly after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Hazel embarked on the quest. The project grew to cover tables stretching along the highway all the way through town. Some 5,000 people participated, and CNN and ABC News broadcast the event. In the end, the burrito measured 7,856 feet—nearly one-and-a-half miles long. “I wanted everyone to hold hands at the end, but they were too busy rolling the burrito!” says Hazel. The record has since been eclipsed, but the memory of victory remains.
I finish my day on one of the region’s ranches. My room in the restored Sueños Encantados y Casa Vieja B&B has aged wood floors and thick adobe walls. It’s completely quiet out here, seven miles from town. As I fall asleep, I consider this day full of generous people who have helped me feel one of their tribe. It’s odd that, while I often travel solo, like my mother on her flight past Cabezón, I am consistently reminded that I’m never alone.
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"King of the Road" columnist Lesley S. King visits another little-known community in New Mexico each month.
Discover more road trips along New Mexico's backroads and byways.
