It's all about Rides and Rocks (the trip that nearly wasn't) TR starts page 6

[Aussie Wendy]

Part 2 Into space

Now it was time to see the Space Shuttle Atlantis Exhibit. You walk under the Solid Rocket Booster and External Fuel Tank Stack



On the way I met an astronaut



Your visit commences with a film about the space shuttle and concludes with the curtain rising to reveal the actual space shuttle – pretty cool effect. It’s displayed with its payload doors open and its robotic arm (called a Canadarm) extended, apparently as if it has just undocked from the International Space Station.

It completed 33 missions with the last July 2011, including deploying the planetary probes Magellan to Venus in May 1989 (the first shuttle to launch an interplanetary probe) and Galileo to Jupiter in October 1989, as well as the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory in 1991, components for the ISS and teams servicing the Hubble Telescope.





A better view of the Canadarm



Other side





Lots of interesting interactive displays here as well including a ride in the simulator which was too realistic for me, I didn’t like it!

Proof we went into space



There is a crawl-through space station (mostly for kids; if I was a bit more supple I would have had a go!)



There are also steep re-entry slides; you can sit in a replica space shuttle cockpit; plus lots of interactive technology and wii –style displays like you see in science museums where for example, you can experience the sensation of working weightless and having to manipulate tools using gloved hands (very hard) or land a space shuttle (even harder). With interested kids you could spend hours in here. This link actually has the best explanation of what there is to do here if you want to read up beforehand. http://media.kennedyspacecenter.com/kennedy/atlantis+astronauts+guests.htm

Sample loo



And instructions on how to use it



Sleeping



In the shop Barbie astronauts



A mural of the ISS



By now time was racing away. I hadn’t planned to do the Angry Birds Space Encounter or the Robot Scouts so we had time for a stroll around the Rocket Garden representing the different periods of space exploration. Somehow in the visit here today we managed to miss the huge Space Mirror Memorial though.



Saturn 1B, the first launch rocket designed for the space program used to launch the unmanned Apollo 5, 3-man Apollo 7, all 3 Skylab crews, and the Apollo/Soyez Test Project. The plaque said it is the last surviving flight-ready vehicle of its kind.



The Titan II intercontinental ballistic missile designed to deliver nuclear weapons across oceans. The last Titan was decommissioned in 1987.Due to its reliability it was also used as a launch vehicle for the Gemini missions in 1965 and 1966.





Before leaving we just had time to check out the Early Space Exploration Gallery focusing on the early Mercury and Gemini space programs. This is a pic of the recreated Mercury Control Centre (using furniture and consoles relocated from its original location at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station).



The rockets just kept getting bigger and bigger



Robot B9, from Lost in Space.



It was nearly 5pm which was when the Centre closed so it was time to leave. There is certainly a lot to see and do here. The drive back was uneventful and we found our hotel for the night, the Comfort Suites at the airport, easily and a petrol station just around the corner.







We got changed and did some googling to see if we could find somewhere to eat in walking distance. The Waffle House was just down the street. This was set up like a 50’s diner and had a hilarious older women in charge. Only three of them working: her, a younger girl and the young male cook. It was basic comfort food with a dominating theme of waffles but lots of other choice as well. I had a simple toasted bacon and cheese sandwich that came with salad and can’t remember what DH had but I do remember it hit the spot and the mugs of coffee were actually good. It was just us and another woman, a regular it seemed, eating there and we had a riotous evening. Our server was straight out of the south, highly opinionated, colourful language, we were all swept up in discussions about Ebola, politics, climate change, presidents, conspiracy theories, living in Florida and life in Aus versus the US. She lived out of town on acreage with a stream with a resident alligator in the back yard. I ventured that must be dangerous for her dog (who had featured in various stories) but she said it was well fed by plenty of fish and stupid ducks on the riverbank so didn’t bother her none. It was a meal with a show thrown in for free.

By the time we finally made it back to the hotel it was time for bed with a 3.30 am wake up call for an early flight.

 

[PrincessInOz]

What a full day KSC is! Looks like you and DH were in space heaven.

I definitely saw a hidden mickey in that picture.
Dinner sounds like a real hoot! You truly scored on personality plus there.

 

[lffam]

WOW Kennedy Space Centre looks great. Loved the hidden Mickey too!

Glad we will be going there also on our next trip now.

 

[Aussie Wendy]

lffam you might just need to pre decide what you want to see most at KSC since you probably won't get around everything. Given I am not big on space I was surprised at how interesting it all was and the time we spent on the exhibits we did fit in.

 

[lffam]

lffam you might just need to pre decide what you want to see most at KSC since you probably won't get around everything. Given I am not big on space I was surprised at how interesting it all was and the time we spent on the exhibits we did fit in.

great tip thanks.

 

[jacs1234]

I'm still not sold on KSC. I just can't decide if I want to spend a day there.

 

[lffam]

I'm still not sold on KSC. I just can't decide if I want to spend a day there.

we didn't go last time, but have had friends who went this year and thought it was great. We wont miss it this year again.

 

[Aussie Wendy]

October 31 Enough of the rides, now for rocks

Part 1 Unlike Bugs we take the left turn to Albuquerque

This was one very, very long day. It started at 3.30am to ensure we were downstairs by 4.10am to catch the shuttle to the airport. We grabbed a Grab N Go pack provided by the hotel since we were missing breakfast – contained a bottle of water, apple, muesli bar, and peppermints. We checked in and got our boarding passes and sat in the food court which was mostly closed at that early hour. DH had a Macca’s breakfast (ugh!). Too early for me. There were lots of interesting shops but none open this early. Overall MCO gets an 8/10 airport rating from me though.

A last farewell



On board our plane all the staff were dressed in Halloween outfits. Apparently South West make the biggest deal of Halloween with their headquarters decorated and staff dress up and have a huge party. The spiel as we took off was hilarious. I do like South West and all the staff always seem happy working for the company. Today drinks were complimentary in honour of Halloween as well but a tad early for me!

We stopped at Houston briefly and got to stay on the plane so I took the opp for a pic.



We landed in Albuquerque just after 10.30 am and caught the shuttle to the car hire centre. This time we got a Kia as figured the small SUV might be handy on the trip and we drive similar at home.

It was an easy drive into town on a bright sunny day. The city centre seemed clean and small and for some reason reminded me a little of Hobart, but we continued through a bit further and parked in the Old Town, a tiny lowset area of Adobe buildings.

The rubbish bins photobomb anyone trying to take a pic here



First up was the plaza, created at the formation of the town in April 1706. Spain’s laws of the Indies at that time required setting a plaza at the centre of any villa.




Facing the plaza, the Church of San Felipe de Neri. This was rebuilt after it collapsed in 1790. It has thick walls and high windows as it doubled as a fortress against Indian attack. The Gothic spires were added much later. Next door is a convent. It was very pretty.













I was side tracked from my sightseeing by Indian wares spread out along the covered walkways around the plaza. It was very cheap and since my DD’s birthstone is Turquoise I bought her some earrings from here, figuring (correctly) that as we headed further into tourist territory the price, but not necessarily the quality, would just continue to rise. It was very quiet in town, with only one other browsing couple, obviously not tourist season, so I felt a bit awkward taking pics and didn’t. PIO would have snapped away I am sure! Here is what I bought here.



The old town is characterised by alleyways and small shops.





The Albuquerque Museum gets mixed reviews and we had no time to see inside today, but the sculptures outside were interesting.







I had earmarked a café for lunch and found it hidden away around a corner in Plaza Don Luis. Called Rolling in Dough, we both had the soup and half sandwich deal. OMG, maybe it was because we were hungry but the chicken soup of the day was so good, thick and creamy and stuffed full of chicken pieces. I could have carried a vat away with me for the rest of the trip. The roast beef and mustard sandwich was also very good on lovely home baked, and note not sweet, bread.



After complimenting the owner, we browsed some shops back to the car.



I was so tempted by heavy Indian ponchos for just $13 but resisted-no room in the case and in Qld, when would I need one? I did buy this though:



Halloween and the Mexican Dia de los Muertos, Day of the Dead, decorations proliferated.





We then drove the short distance to the Indian Pueblo Museum. I had debated about visiting this one or the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture in Santa Fe, but decided this might be a good overview of Indian pueblo history and culture for the area. It was as good as I anticipated but no photos are allowed inside. As well as an overview of the history and the impact of the Spanish, each of the 19 pueblo cultures that make this area their home were featured in their own space, in a series of tableaux that explained their history, customs, handicrafts (pottery, beadwork, jewellery etc), all of which were distinctively different. In the upper area were temporary exhibits. There was an interesting gallery on the Albuquerque Indian School, as well as Indian, state and federal government interactions.







I did sneak this pic though



Our car

 

[Aussie Wendy]

Part 2 Do you know the way to Santa Fe?

It was probably around 2pm when we left to drive the back road Turquoise Route to Santa Fe. Ideally two full days in Albuquerque would be good as the Biological Park (botanical garden), Aquarium and Zoo along the river sound excellent to visit and would chew up one day in themselves. Visiting during the annual Balloon Festival would also be something to see and there are lots of hikes in the nearby national forest and parks. The Science Centre and Children’s Museum rates number 1 for visitors if you have children though (and I know we would have liked it too!).

In this mini road trip of ours however, no time to waste. Like Bugs we had to skedaddle to our next spot, overnight in Santa Fe.

The Turquoise Route (HW 14) links Albuquerque with Santa Fe via a slower road than the main highway, following a route through the hills the turquoise miners used and goes past old mining towns. The area is a bit alternative now, Aussies think Nimbinish, and is a popular route with tourists. The area was a turquoise mining area from pre-history. In Mexico turquoise was sacred to the Aztec royal house and forbidden to commoners. It was believed to have an affinity to its owner and grow pale to prophesise coming misfortune or glow for good health. Spanish worked the mines in these hills using native American slave labour til 1680 when a rock fall killed 30 miners and led to a Pueblo revolt that year. The mines ceased in the early 1900’s.

Some of the scenery taken from the car window along the way (there will be a lot of this from now on).

Leaving Albuquerque looking up at Sandia Peak (you can cable car up there) and Sandia Crest where we will be shortly.



Our first detour was up to Sandia Crest, at 3,255 m (10,678 feet) overlooking Albuquerque and the plains. Of course DH with his problems walking or exerting himself at altitude found himself dizzy, faint and breathless here just climbing from the car park up to the lookout – oops. I hadn’t pre-checked just how high we were. So I ventured to the outermost spot alone. This whole detour also turned out to be much longer than I anticipated.

Driving up through Cibola National Forest



A panorama looking over Albuquerque, taken by DH’s camera – you can see the stitching in this shot but I have separate pics I can manually stitch together eventually.



Looking towards the Rio Grande (not very grand in fact)



Looking the opposite direction



We startled a little chipmunk creature



From here it was down the mountain and on through the hills.





We didn’t have time to stop now, because my detour to Sandia Crest had taken too much time, but Madrid looked attractive to browse. They filmed Wild Hogs here and still have the façade of the diner built for the show (inside now a souvie shop I gather-internet pic below), plus an old tavern and cutesy shops and cafes. Everywhere we drove today we passed children dressed up heading out for Halloween parties.





Thus we arrived in Sante Fe and tried to find our hotel in what turned out to be the 30 mins Santa Fe has peak hour traffic! We shot past the entrance (hotel was on opposite side of road) and had to do some complicated circles through one way narrow streets in traffic in the centre of town to eventually come back in the correct direction. In that 15 mins the traffic suddenly totally vanished leaving a sleepy town!

We stayed in the Old Santa Fe Inn and this was gorgeous.



Our lovely room.







And complimentary chocs



It was all decked out for Halloween.









Our day was not over though. The New Mexico History Museum was open tonight til 8pm for free and I had decided that DH needed some history lessons on the lands we were driving through, and me, I love history. So I soon had us out the door and heading into town. I think I was in love even driving through the traffic. For some reason since I was a young ‘un I have always wanted to visit Santa Fe. Someone asked me how did I know about the city and I don’t know except from my hobbyist interest in architecture, there is always a feature somewhere on the adobe houses in Santa Fe. The walk into town, over the pathetic trickle of the river but lined with pretty trees, past interesting adobe and timber shops and galleries was just how I imagined the old town to be like. We had a look at the plaza in the growing dusk and made our way over to the Museum.

 

[Aussie Wendy]

Part 3 History lessons

Entrance to the New Mexico History Museum



This deserved much longer than we had time for. The museum was a new addition to augment that of the former museum in the Palace of the Governor's, and had lots of interesting galleries. It gave a great explanation of the New Mexican pueblo peoples moving southwards, their Spanish encounters (the Spanish thought the area and people would be rich with gold like the Aztecs and Mayans and the pueblo people at first trusted them and then were betrayed), the impact of the missionaries who tried (and failed of course) to destroy their religious beliefs, which reminded me of Aborigine beliefs in many ways.

Then there was the Pueblo revolts, Mexican rule, occupation by the American confederate army, Mexican rule again, US Spanish wars, US Mexican wars and finally control under the US (if I have the order right)- a very turbulent history. There was also lots of info on altercations with settlers and other Indian nations as they competed for resources and water. Reading about the famous fights it was easy to see where the wild west movie writers got their inspiration. Some assorted pics

A peace pipe smoked between an American agent and the Apache leader Cochise in 1859



Kit Carson’s beaver robe



A typical outfit of a Spanish colonial soldier in the late 1700’s.



Spanish armour



Covered wagon that played dioramas



Oppenheimer’s 1945 speech



A gallery featuring quotes from modern pueblo children



We had to whisk through everything far too quickly for my liking, but hunger pangs were gnawing.

On our way through town we stopped by St Francis Cathedral, lit up at night. This was built between 1869 and 1886 by Archbishop Lamy in the style of the great cathedrals of Europe.



Town was very busy, what with Halloween and all, and tired and over whelmed by the choice and crowdedness of eateries we just picked up take away Chinese from nearby Yin and Yang for dinner. It was way too much food though I only bought one main (pork in black bean sauce), fried rice and spring rolls, but unlike our local takeaways I didn’t realise plain rice (a huge carton full) came gratis with the main as well. It was all very good though and even included almond cookies as well as fortune cookies - all for $20. I had forgotten how cheap US food is. Tired we finally hit the sack but managed to fit in our choccies with a cuppa first.

As PIO says I have unfinished business with Santa Fe. There are all the amazing sounding museums, galleries and botanical garden on Museum Hill outside of town, and Canyon Rd, a long road lined with art galleries and sculptures and the like to wander, as well as time needed to just sit in the plaza with a coffee or browse the gazileon of galleries in town. We did have a quick look at the town the next morning, though before much had opened.

 

[PrincessInOz]

OMG!

I am totally envious. That left fork at Albuquerque has been on my bucket list for as long as I've been watching Bugs Bunny! I guess living vicariously through this TR is going to have to do for a while. The architecture looks fantastic.

I love the turquoise you bought for DD! Beautiful. Out of curiousity, along that turquoise route, did you see any others that you liked?

Great looking food and hotel room. I bet it was all value for money.

SWA is fun! Great looking scenery and museums so far. I'm going to be sitting at the edge of my seat for the next update!!!!!

 

[WanderlustNZ]

I'm feeling a sudden desire to go on a road trip. However, like PIO, I'm going to have to live vicariously through yours.

I haven't been on the Dis much lately, but have enjoyed catching up on the road trip proportion of your trip.

 

[Aussie Wendy]

Thanks guys. Sorry PIO but only one day of new territory for you then its back to places you know!

 

[Aussie Wendy]

Sat Nov 1 Atom bombs in the desert

Part 1 Early morn in Santa Fe

We had a lot of miles to cover today (over 210 miles or 340km) and a once secret location to visit, but first complimentary breakfast at the Old Santa Fe Inn.

Very attractive breakfast room



Fresh fruit and cereal and yoghurts



Burrito fixing bar-my diary notes we had the choice of burritos, chilli, salsa, bacon, scrambled egg, sausage (looked like hamburgers), breads, bagels (the cinnamon variety was very good), waffles, juice, etc.



Waffle maker and the like; I like the plates on display



A blurry pic but gives an idea of one of the guest lounge areas



Dried chillis above our door



Before leaving we decided we had time for a quick walk around town in daylight to see what we were missing.

Adobe and timber buildings line the narrow roads into the heart of town.






The plaza by daylight, they were installing fairy lights, I guess for Xmas.



The NM Museum of Art. I love the clocks around the plaza.



A walk along the river





Route 66 sign copied from internet as our copy of this ended up blurry (camera taking on macro setting in error I realised belatedly).



St Loretto Chapel, modelled on St Chapelle in Paris.



This Chapel is infamous for its spiral staircase that has no central or other visible means of support. Supposedly an unknown carpenter arrived and built it in 1878 when the sisters realised the stairs to the choir loft did not fit. We couldn’t go inside to see as it wasn’t open til after 10.30 but here is an internet pic to give you an idea.



A daylight picture of St Francis Cathedral. The carvings on the front doors represent the 38 Franciscan friars martyred during NM early history



Inside it contains the oldest representation of the Madonna in the US (unfortunately also too early for the cathedral to be open but looking at internet pics since, I am amused by the way they change her dress, like a doll, very frequently and she was made to allow this).

A statue of Kateri Tekakwitha (1600s), the first North American Indian to be beatified, canonized in October 2012.




East Palace Portal, contains shop 109 where scientists bound for the Manhattan Project were spirited away. People went in, they didn’t come back out, they were snuck out the back door up to the Los Alamos Laboratory.





At the back of this courtyard should be a plaque commemorating the period but of course, this early it wasn’t open. Pretty courtyard though!



The Palace of the Governors built in 1610 as the original capital of New Mexico and the oldest public building in continuous use in the US. The palace is where the only successful native American uprising took place in 1680. Native Indians set up wares for sale under the porticos, this early they were just getting arriving and getting organised.

 

[Aussie Wendy]

Part 2 Shops

Lots of galleries in town





My DD would love these carvings of wolves



I liked this one



But this would be fitting for Aus



Interesting things for sale



More Day of the Dead window displays



Flavoured oils, bring your own container or buy one of their bottles; flavours included island coconut, roasted butternut squash and peach.



Very expensive, but wonderful art pieces



One jewellery store was open as we walked out of town and its window displays attracted us. So here are my further turquoise purchases

A necklace for DD



My Hopi Kachina doll necklace (sorry another blurry one)



Owls that we intend to change from earrings as they are very heavy, to charms to hang on necklaces, one for me (or to give away as a gift) and one for DD



Ready to leave

 

[lffam]

Your road trip is really interesting. Loving following and the pictures are fantastic, thanks.

 

[Aussie Wendy]

Part 3 Secret squirrel business

It was now time to head up into the hills to Los Alamos, the site of the Manhattan Project during the war and the Bradbury Science Museum that records the history of the project and modern work being undertaken at the Los Alamos Labs today.

Some scenery on route. I think we are headed into them there hills.





A blurry pic showing the town spread across the top of the plateau.



Los Alamos sits on a 7,300 ft high plateau. Pueblo tribes lived here for over 1000 years and there was an exclusive boys school here, the Ranch School, when the land was resumed for the lab. It seems Albert Einstein was one of the scientists who warned President Roosevelt that the Germans had progressed in the development of a nuclear device and America needed to do the same (see letter below). As well as the bombs dropped on Japan, the Trident and the Minuteman strategic warheads were also designed here.

Now its focus is on nuclear safeguards, supercomputing, and theoretical physics. DH and I disagreed over several aspects of the lab, from the film justifying the bombings in Japan, to the need to maintain nuclear capabilities. Thorny moral issues.

The entrance to the museum



DH and a bust of the centre director for 25 years, Norris Bradbury, who was director throughout the cold war years. He succeeded Oppenheimer who was scientific director for the Manhattan project during the war years.



First up we watched the film, The Town that Never Was, which told the story of the Manhattan Project and Los Alamos from 1942 to 1945. Fascinating but I think it made some controversial claims (such as by stopping the Japanese through the bombing, more lives were saved than those that were lost).

In the History Gallery



The letter from Einstein to Roosevelt in 1939 warning of the threat of nuclear arms.



The President’s reply and the letter to the Ranch School in 1942 advising resumption of the facilities. Bit hard on those who had financed it and built its reputation up. Famous alumni from the years it operated included William S Burroughs and Gore Vidal. Supposedly the resumption was not resented as it was for important war activities.




Graphite used in the first experiments



A letter from July 1945 recording the success of the first trial bombs.



A letter from the President in August 1945 advising successful deployment of the bombs. Also the letter from Bradbury to staff in December 1945 lifting some of the extreme security measures. What was clearly brought out in the film and displays was how untested the bombs were. They did their first and only trial in July and the President deployed the nuclear devices one month later on Japan, if I remember rightly sooner than the scientists would have liked, but luckily from the American point of view nothing went wrong. They clearly also had no idea of how deadly radiation was at this time.



In the Defence Gallery. A lot of the focus now is on stewardship of stockpiles of nuclear weapons (around the world, there are a lot getting very old) and also "to maintain the safety, security and reliability of the US nuclear deterrent while reducing the global threat of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons" (I am still not sure how you do both).

The Gadget, the first bomb tested, non-weaponised.



A replica of Little Boy, the bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima on Aug 6 1945. This was a uranium explosion style bomb (I have a pic of the plaque explaining all about the differences between this and Fat Boy below, if anyone is interested!) I never realised they were both very different types of bombs. It was named from an earlier gun type bomb called Thin Man, after President Roosevelt, but that bomb which used plutonium was discontinued because plutonium’s high rate of spontaneous fission made it unsuitable for this gun type configuration.



A replica of the Fat Man bomb dropped on Nagasaki on Aug 9 1945. This was a different type to Little Boy, it was an implosion plutonium bomb. It was named for Winston Churchill.



Lot of info on radiation and how to calculate how much you would have been exposed to so far in your life.



Nuclear torpedos



Early computers used in the experiments here.



Science Serving Society gallery. Info on some of the labs current projects like nanotechnology and algae to biofuels.



Predicting wide-scale forest death – very sobering.



It was a fascinating museum and worthy of a visit if anyone is passing to get an insight into that period of our history (and its free). For now we decided to get along the road a bit before lunch so headed out of town.

A pic of the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center, part of the labs across the plateau. This has one of the world’s most powerful linear accelerators and provides scientists with intense sources of neutrons for experiments supporting national security, academic and industrial research.

 

[Aussie Wendy]

Part 4 North to Colorado

Now it was back on the road through deserted country north on highway 84. Reminded me a lot like driving in the western parts of Qld and NSW. The dry country was the stunning contrasts of red and yellow rock and sage-green salt bush. Occasional adobe villages or houses but no cattle to be seen. We passed Santa Clara Pueblo with mostly modern housing. Visiting the pueblos is a major tourist attraction in this area particularly ones in dramatic settings like up on top of mesas.



Santa Clara Pueblo



Lots of rocks to look at, reds and yellows. Just north of Abiqui we passed an area near where Georgia O’Keeffe did her white canyon paintings but its complicated to get to.










Getting very hungry by now, we stopped in the small town of Chama. There seemed to be few stores or cafés, and none grabbed our attention, so we ended up buying supplies from an IGA type supermarket. We got accosted by the local loon/drunk – you know the type, outside here but DH shook him off.

We moved on and sat by the terminus of the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic railroad to eat. This is a narrow gauge line on which a heritage steam train runs in summer months over the Cumbres Pass to Antonito in Colorado and back through the Rio Grande and Carson National Forests. It only operates for obvious reasons in summer but I expect it would be a very pretty trip.



Back underway, more rocks




But as we neared the Colorado border the scenery became greener and more gentle farmlands.



You can see snow capped mountains in the far distance. Somewhere around here DH is convinced he saw a groundhog. I of course, was looking the other way.



We entered PIOs stomping ground of Pagosa Springs and minutes later, though it doesn’t look it in this picture at all, it teemed with rain (and continued to storm all the way to Durango). Hence we did not get out and stretch our legs and look around the town briefly as I had intended.



We finally on dusk arrived at our hotel, a Comfort Inn and Suites (thanks Internet).



The next morning I did think these bins were cool.



We got in just after dark when we were both getting quite tired, especially the driver. The Comfort Inn was a nice comfort to arrive at, with friendly front desk staff. As we really needed to do some washing we nipped in while it was quiet and used their laundry before heading out for dinner.

Durango looked like an interesting place to visit. It has a reputation as being a typical ‘western’ town and is the centre of a big outdoors adventure tourist market (Aussies think Queenstown in NZ). It was certainly still crowded with tourists.

In town the main street is lined with restored Victorian buildings, like this one, the Strater Hotel, renown for its night time entertainment like ragtime piano players.



As we were so tired we got take-outs except I decided I wanted Asian noodles from the well recommended Rice Monkeys and DH wanted pizza from also recommended Fired Up pizzaria so we separated and each queued for around 30 mins. Both places were packed out with queues of people waiting to get a seat, though Rice Monkeys did only have a small eating-in area. With pouring rain outside it wasn’t a night to stay outside.

Finally, racing the rain back to the car (parking was also exceedingly difficult) we got back to the peace of our room. I discovered my Pho was a bit spicy for my tastes though. My DD tells me it’s obviously a southern-style Pho rather than northern which I like.

A check on the weather for the morning visit to Mesa Verde National Park reported a major cold front crossing the coast from the east bringing rain and snow to Florida and up into Colorado and beyond but no snow predicted to hit our area til the following evening. So we went to sleep hoping we would get to Mesa Verde before the snow arrived (and enjoying the bracing cold air!)

One last point from the road trip – we noticed that New Mexico at least, is appallingly bad with their road signs. No indication how far to the next town. They have a mile sign like 24 miles but 24 miles from or to where? Are they counting down or up between towns? We tried to fathom it out against the odometer but failed. It seemed to make no rhyme or reason; one minute it would be 120 miles, then suddenly 60. Give me our nice regular 60km to x, 100km to y signs along any road, our initial of the next town and km indicators counting down, and always at a road junction the distance to the major towns in each direction, any day!

 

[PrincessInOz]

Santa Fe looks amazing! So glad I can see it from your camera.
You totally scored with breakfast.
Your turquoise jewellery is beautiful. I love the owls; and the kachina doll necklace.
I don't think I would have stopped at Los Alamos; but good on you for doing so.
Shame it rained in Pagosa but you probably didn't miss too much.
We didn't make it to Durango except to get to the airport. The town looks cute!

Looking forward to Mesa Verde.

 

[Aussie Wendy]

Los Alamos was DH interest but I did find it fascinating too and the whole secrecy of the project has always piqued by interest. It was also quite a nice little town. I wish I had taken more pics of Santa Fe looking up the street towards the cathedral for example which makes a great shot, and other areas. I kept thinking I had already taken some when we hadn't. I only realised how few I took when I came to look at the pics the next night. As I said I will get back there one day, with luck. The folk museum out of town for example, sounds really interesting. I'll probably combine it with a trip to Carlsbad Canyon and Roswell.