Where's Governor Richardson? Not Hiking Naked...

This is an official state vehicle with a sworn New Mexico Police officer standing next to it in a nice northeast heights neighborhood in Albuquerque. It's parked in front of Lieutenant Governor Diane Denish's home. On Saturday, she was entitled to the extra protection because, as it turns out, she was acting-Governor of New Mexico.

Like the Associated Press, who spot checked the whereabouts of a few state's governors, we decided to check where Governor Richardson was traveling. Our governor's office wasn't as forthcoming, which is disappointing following the whole mess last week with South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford who came up missing in action. Most governor's offices cooperated with the media inquiries and made it easy to find their governors. Our spot check was clearly not that easy.

After multiple calls, we confirmed the governor was out of state, on private business. But no one in the round house would tell us where he'd been.

Richardson spokesman Gilbert Gallegos sent us a pretty vague email this afternoon:

The Governor did not have any public events scheduled last weekend. I generally do not comment on what the Governor does during his personal time, other than the fact that he is always in contact with key staff members.

Today, Richardson was back at work touring in Las Cruces where he donated $30,000 in emergency state money to Jardin de los Niños a non profit that provides child care, education and other help to homeless and near-homeless families.

After we asked where the Governor's travels may take him next, and for how long, Gallegos sent us an email said he didn't understand what we were asking, but after thinking about it sent this news release announcing the Governor and First Lady Barbara Richardson were leaving tomorrow on vacation to Cape Cod.

The state's first family is scheduled to be out of town until next Friday, a sweet 11-day break over the 4th of July Holiday.

Richardson is familiar with the Cape after spending years attending school in the Boston area and in 1967, he pitched in the amateur Cape Cod Baseball League for the Cotuit Kettleers

On Friday, Governor Richardson will interrupt his vacation to receive a prestigious education award in San Diego, where the National Education Association will name him the Education Governor of the Year.

Photo Credit: MG Bralley