| Subject | Date | Category | Presenter | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indian Market no show | Sat Aug 16 | CANCELED | Too much chaos downtown, catch us next week! | |
| Alula to Petra Jordan | Sat Aug 23 | Slide Show | Christy Gervers | A Do-It-Yourself Trip to Saudi Arabia and Jordan "High on our bucket list was the historic Nabatean civilization in Saudi Arabia and Jordan. In 2025 we finally went. Our destination in Saudi was AlUla, it is new to tourism and there is not much information available about independent travel. We found an English speaking taxi driver at the AlUla airport who became our driver for the whole visit. Alula has ancient town sites and 1500 year old Nabatean tombs. Petra was spectacular and almost deserted because the Red Sea cruises have been discontinued. We walked or rode donkeys into the ancient city of Petra to visit the amazing rock cut Treasury, Monastery, temples and other edifices. " --Christy Gervers |
| Art in the Loo | Sun Aug 24 | Booksigning | Christy Hengst | Art in the Loo book release/signing and pop-up exhibit of the original pieces, Sunday August 24th 3-5 pm, at Travel Bug and in the Axle truck (in parking lot of Travel Bug). Informal chat about the experience of this year-long clandestine public art project at 4pm. Art in the Loo was a city-wide, public art project in which 40 small paintings of Yucca plants were installed anonymously in public bathroom stalls all over Santa Fe, NM, for the duration of one year. The proposal was to create a little surprise and aesthetic pleasure in a place that typically is not considered in that way. Give a little lift where it 's needed most. |
| Travel Bug Book Dissussions 5pm | Tue Aug 26 | Book Group | Aimee Gwynne Franklyn | Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green Tuesday, August 26, 5:30 - 7:00 p.m. Tuberculosis has been entwined with humanity for millennia. Once romanticized as a malady of poets, today tuberculosis is seen as a disease of poverty that walks the trails of injustice and inequity we blazed for it. In 2019, author John Green met Henry Reider, a young tuberculosis patient at Lakka Government Hospital in Sierra Leone. John became fast friends with Henry, a boy with spindly legs and a big, goofy smile. In the years since that first visit to Lakka, Green has become a vocal advocate for increased access to treatment and wider awareness of the healthcare inequities that allow this curable, preventable infectious disease to also be the deadliest, killing over a million people every year. In Everything Is Tuberculosis, John tells Henry’s story, woven through with the scientific and social histories of how tuberculosis has shaped our world—and how our choices will shape the future of tuberculosis. |
| A Trombone on the Malecon: On the Road in Cuba | Sat Aug 30 | Slide Show | Carl Moore | |
| Financial Fridays! 5:00-6:30pm | Fri Sep 05 | SPECIAL | Emily Estes | Join us and Emily Estes (Financial Advisor, Edward Jones) the first Friday of every month for an informal, but informative way to enjoy your evening! From 5:15-5:45pm Emily will cover various financial topics to help you live a life worth living. Stay after the talk until 6:30pm for the Q&A, casual discussion, and a beer! Remember Happy Hour is 5-6pm! Everyone welcome! |
| Exploring New Mexico's Special Places | Sat Sep 06 | Slide Show | David Ryan | With cooler temperatures just around the corner, now is the time to get ready to explore our fantastic state. David Ryan shows us many of the special places that you can only find in New Mexico – places that are compelling and important enough to warrant a trip across the country to check out. David Ryan, who moved to New Mexico in 1998 (after completing the 2180-mile Appalachian Trail), is the author of Wandering in the Clear Light of New Mexico and the coauthor of the most recent edition of 60 Hikes within 60 Miles: Albuquerque. Both books are available at Travel Bug. He will be signing books at the conclusion of his talk. |
| Gen X Millennial Book Club | Wed Sep 10 | Book Group | Zoe Michael | This month 's book is DEMON COPPERHEAD By Barbara Kinsolver |
| Kennecott Alaska | Sat Sep 13 | Slide Show | Richard Rindone | Richard will take you deep within the Wrangell-St Elias National Park and Preserve, a very large but deserted mine operation that ran between 1911 to 1938 when it closed almost overnight. Everything was left behind including dishes on tables and medical records in the hospital. Richard felt as if he was transported through time wandering through the empty buildings. The Historic Landmark is located about 300 miles from Anchorage. The Kennecott Glacier Lodge operates a very nice hotel for stays while visiting. Guided tours are given daily. The remote location is rich with both history and hiking. |
| Europe and Great Britain | Sat Sep 20 | Slide Show | Suzanne Blazier | Join Suzanne Blazier for a presentation of sites seen across Great Britain and Europe. This was a recent trip, May 2025, and included spending time in Wales, England, Amsterdam, Bruges, and Paris. The journey was 24 days, with two of those spent traveling from Albuquerque there and back. This journey was planned by Suzanne and was not part of a tour group experience. |
| Sierra Club: Wild Rivers Trails | Sat Sep 27 | Slide Show | John Buscher | Hiking the lesser-used Wild Rivers Trails Del Dubois will share his extensive knowledge of the trails in the northern section of the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument. The talk will be followed with an hike guided by Del to Cerro De La Olla (Pot Mountain) on a weekend day. |
| Travel Bug Book Discussion 5pm | Tue Sep 30 | Book Group | Aimee Gwynne Franklyn | Yael van der Wouden 's "The Safekeep " Set in the Netherlands after the war, The Safekeep is a compelling tale of obsession and secrets, exploring the stories that are kept from us as children, and the stories that we tell to ourselves about our own hidden desires. Fifteen years from the end of the Second World War and the rural Dutch province of Overijssel is quiet. Bomb craters have been filled, buildings reconstructed, and the conflict is well and truly over. Isabel lives alone in her late mother 's country home, and her life is led by routine and discipline. But all is upended when her brother Louis delivers his graceless new girlfriend, Eva, at Isabel 's doorstep as a guest, there to stay for the season. Eva is Isabel 's antithesis: she sleeps late, wakes late, walks loudly through the house and touches things she shouldn 't. In response, Isabel develops a fury-fuelled obsession, and when things start disappearing around the house her suspicions spiral out of control. In the sweltering heat of summer, Isabel 's desperate desire for order transforms into infatuation – leading to a discovery that unravels all she has ever known. The war might not be well and truly over after all, and neither Eva – nor the house – are what they seem. Everyone welcome |
| Financial Fridays! 5:00-6:30pm | Fri Oct 03 | SPECIAL | Emily Estes | Join us and Emily Estes (Financial Advisor, Edward Jones) the first Friday of every month for an informal, but informative way to enjoy your evening! From 5:15-5:45pm Emily will cover various financial topics to help you live a life worth living. Stay after the talk until 6:30pm for the Q&A, casual discussion, and a beer! Remember Happy Hour is 5-6pm! Everyone welcome! |
| Two Sticks, One Path | Sat Oct 04 | Booksigning | Darrow Kirkpatrick | Two Sticks, One Path: A Journey Beyond Fear on the Colorado Trail Stunning photos and moving narration from the memoir about a six-year-long section hike of the highest long trail in the country... on crutches! Two Sticks, One Path is a heartfelt memoir that chronicles a journey of resilience and determination. The narrative unfolds against the majestic but stricken Rocky Mountains, tracing the author 's evolution from a young boy enamored with the wilderness to a man grappling with physical disability and crippling anxiety. The author 's boyhood dream is put to the ultimate test as he battles injuries, self-doubt, and the unforgiving elements of nature. Armed with crutches and commitment, he embarks on a journey that is as much about self-discovery as it is about survival. |
| Spanish |
Tue Oct 07 | Spanish | Fabiana | Conversational (Latin-American) Spanish Intermediate I This is a NINE-week session. We will continue with the group as we advance in the learning process. We will achieve our goals through several class sessions. This session will start on: Tuesdays, 10:00–12:30 p.m. Oct. 7– Dec. 9, 2025 NO CLASS ON OCTOBER 14 Location: In person at The Travel Bug Class Size: Limited to 3–7 students. Cost: $540 for the full nine-week session. Payment is non-refundable and must be made through Zelle, cash, or check before the start of the first class. For questions, feel free to contact Fabiana directly via email faradunsk@yahoo.com |
| Spanish |
Tue Oct 07 | Spanish | Fabiana | Conversational (Latin-American) Spanish Intermediate II! This is a nine-week session. We will continue with the group as we advance in the learning process. We will achieve our goals through several class sessions. This session will start on: Tuesdays, 1:00–3:30 p.m., Oct. 7- Dec. 9, 2025 NO CLASS ON OCTOBER 14 Location: In person at The Travel Bug Class Size: Limited to 3–7 students. Cost: $540 for the full six-week session. Payment is non-refundable and must be made through Zelle, cash, or check before the start of the first class. For questions, feel free to contact Fabiana directly via email faradunsk@yahoo.com |
| GUATEMALA: Traditions, Textiles and Evolving Culture | Sat Oct 11 | Slide Show | Judith Haden | The long history of endemic poverty, a horrific civil war, and sudden computerization are all colliding to create much adaptation within the ancient, mystical Guatemalan indigenous culture. But all is not lost! Join Judith for an informative presentation accompanied by her stunning photography. |
| Beer Hiking | Sat Oct 18 | Booksigning | Kevin Holsapple | Join New Mexico author Kevin Holsapple for a unique and captivating presentation on the niche pursuit of "beer hiking. " In this special booksigning event, Kevin will take you on a journey around the world with a stunning slideshow of images from his global beer hiking adventures, including some of the best from his new book, Beer Hiking Southern Rockies. The presentation will delve into the art of combining breathtaking hikes with visits to local breweries, sharing the stories behind the trails and the craft beer scenes that define these communities. Following the slideshow, Kevin will host a Q&A session, followed by a booksigning. A drawing will be held for a custom Beer Hiker 's Kit designed by Kevin. Come for the adventure, stay for the stories, and enjoy a cold beer from Travelbug. It 's the perfect evening for outdoor enthusiasts and craft beer lovers alike! |
| How to Tell a Story | Fri Oct 24 | SPECIAL | Nancy King | |
| The Road: An American Love Story | Sat Oct 25 | Slide Show | Andrew Singer and Sarah May | Life has a lot of speed bumps, and many of us have hit a proverbial detour or two, leading us to the tarmac and the 'for spacious skies ' of the American West. From remote public lands to overcrowded national parks, from solo self-reflection to a culture consumed with selfies—the road still calls us, teaches us, and ultimately changes us. Join van-lifers and authors Andrew Singer and Sarah May for a journey across the American West, and a dynamic discussion of the road 's place in love, healing, and exploration. Married and full-time nomads, Andrew is the author of the travel memoir Now Is the Time: A Van Life Road Trip, and Sarah is the author of She Journeys: A Memoir of Heartbreak and Homecoming. Both books are available to purchase at Travel Bug, and available at the event. Tour Andrew & Sarah 's self-built campervan from 4:00-4:45pm. Presentation at 5:00pm, followed by Q&A. |
| Update on Mexican Border | Sat Nov 01 | Lecture | Morgan Smith | |
| Financial Fridays! 5:00-6:30pm | Fri Nov 07 | SPECIAL | Emily Estes | Join us and Emily Estes (Financial Advisor, Edward Jones) the first Friday of every month for an informal, but informative way to enjoy your evening! From 5:15-5:45pm Emily will cover various financial topics to help you live a life worth living. Stay after the talk until 6:30pm for the Q&A, casual discussion, and a beer! Remember Happy Hour is 5-6pm! Everyone welcome! |
| Medicinal Plants of Northern New Mexico | Sat Nov 08 | Slide Show | Jessie Emerson | Nature to the Rescue Jessie Emerson, RN, herbalist has travelled the mountains, foothills, and uplands of northern new Mexico for many years. She will take us on a field trip where we will learn to identify plants and learn how to use them in emergency situations. This presentation is intended to educate those interested in natural medicine and learning about the plants where they live or visit. Our focus is the plants traditionally used by historic and contemporary Northern New Mexicans. Her newest book Nature to the Rescue will be available at the talk. |
| Spanish in Merida, Mexico | Sun Nov 09 | SPECIAL | Greg | We are presenting a one week Spanish conversation class with our Spanish teacher, Clara Evans, at our hacienda near Merida, Mexico. Dates are tentative If you are interested in joining please email us for more information: travelbug@mapsofnewmexico.com |
| Petra Rephotographed | Sat Nov 15 | Slide Show | Kaelin Groom | Join Dr. Kaelin Groom for a visual exploration of the magical ruined city of Petra, Jordan through the lens of repeat photography — a method that recreates historic photographs from the same vantage point to show change over time. This event blends landscape storytelling, archival research, and cultural geography to celebrate Petra 's resilience, people, and the site 's layered history. Audiences will walk away with new insights on heritage, memory, and the power of repeat imagery. |
| Italian Dolomites | Sat Nov 22 | Slide Show | Ken Collins | |
| Botswana in the Green Season | Sat Nov 29 | Slide Show | Evalyn Bemis | |
| Financial Fridays! 5:00-6:30pm | Fri Dec 05 | SPECIAL | Emily Estes | Join us and Emily Estes (Financial Advisor, Edward Jones) the first Friday of every month for an informal, but informative way to enjoy your evening! From 5:15-5:45pm Emily will cover various financial topics to help you live a life worth living. Stay after the talk until 6:30pm for the Q&A, casual discussion, and a beer! Remember Happy Hour is 5-6pm! Everyone welcome! |
| Buy a home for $1 in ITALY | Sat Dec 06 | Slide Show | Melanie Lamb Faithful | Have you ever dreamed of living in a medieval Italian town? In wine country? At a price much less than you can imagine? We live this dream as Italian half-timers. And the "buy a house for a dollar plan " will be explained. There are so many options for people who are craving la dolce vita. |
| AVAILABLE | Sat Dec 13 | AVAILABLE |