Several of us from the Albuquerque Kayak Meetup group decided to head south to a warm, sunny, tropical environment for some Spring Break kayaking. We got as far as the Gila Wilderness. It was neither warm nor tropical....but sunny and every bit as beautiful.

Kayaking is something your whole family can do, and in New Mexico, there are hundreds of places you can kayak together.  If your kids love exploring the outdoors, they'll find endless adventures exploring New Mexico's lakes and rivers by kayak.  New Mexico is home to five Congress-designated "Wild and Scenic" rivers, and numerous natural and man-made lakes, providing thousands of miles of shoreline waiting to be explored.

I'm often asked "At what age should I start teaching my kids to kayak?" and "How is the best way to introduce them to the sport?"  The answers can vary greatly from one child to the next, but by following a few simple guidelines, your kids will be begging you to take them out on the water again and again!

I've managed to avoid the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta each of the four years since moving to Albuquerque. A corporate day-job, trips to Mexico and Oregon seemed to pull me in different directions each October. Tales of death, power outages and traffic jams didn't sound like too much fun. But, much as I learned to enjoy a good Green Chili Cheeseburger, I've come to appreciate Albuquerque's world-famous Balloon Fiesta!