Casamero is a small sandstone pueblo on the edge of a valley below the red cliffs of north-western New Mexico, near Prewitt and Thoreau, and it was built about a thousand years ago by people connected to the great Chaco culture. It is one of the Chacoan outliers, communities that shared the architecture, pottery and probably the beliefs of the great houses of Chaco Canyon, more than eighty kilometres to the north, and that were connected to them by a network of straight roads. The walls of Casamero, made of carefully laid stone, still stand to a good height, with the outlines of rooms and a great kiva, a large round ceremonial chamber, nearby. It is part of the Chaco Culture World Heritage site.
The landscape around is classic high desert. Red and buff sandstone mesas rise above valleys of sagebrush and juniper, and to the south-east, Mount Taylor, a volcano sacred to the Navajo and the Pueblo peoples, dominates the horizon. The sky is enormous, the light is clear, and the summer monsoon brings dramatic thunderstorms in the afternoons, with lightning and sudden downpours that can flood dirt roads. Winter nights are cold, and snow is not unusual.
The main road through the area is Interstate 40, which follows the route of the old Route 66 across New Mexico. Sections of the old road still run alongside the interstate, through small towns like Thoreau, Prewitt and Milan, and they are a much more enjoyable way to travel, with less traffic and a sense of history. North of Thoreau, the road to Crownpoint, on the Navajo Nation, crosses open plains and mesa country; Crownpoint is known for its Navajo rug auctions. The road to Chaco Canyon itself includes long stretches of rough dirt, best avoided after rain on a heavy bike. Wind can be fierce on the open plains.
The nearest fuel and supplies are in Thoreau, and the town of Grants, about thirty-five kilometres east, has more choice, including motels and restaurants. Try New Mexican food, with green or red chile on almost everything, and a Navajo taco, fry bread topped with beans, meat and vegetables. Carry plenty of water, as services are few and far between.