Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Weekend Doing NM Tourist Stuff

With my sister and her husband in town, we ended up doing all the tourist things that we almost never do ourselves. On Saturday we drove through the Jemez Mountains.

This was the scene of a forest fire just a few years ago. Already, there is new growth filling in.
We really lucked out that we caught the leaves changing just about at their peak.

Next we went to the Valle Grande Caldera




This is the remains of a gigantic volcano that blew up over a million years ago

It started to rain and we ended up in the town of Jemez Springs looking for art work. When we came out we were greeted by this great rainbow.



On Sunday Wife and Sis went on a hot air balloon ride. But the Bro-in-law and I went hiking. In the afternoon we took the tram up the to the Sandia Mountain crest. I've hardly ever taken the tram up. I've mostly hiked up the mountain and taking the tram down. It's a different experience going up which I captured photographically

Leaving the lower terminus


Going past the first tower

Starting to slide by the upper slopes



Past the second tower

At this point we are over a thousand feet over the ground and you can see the other tram going down.



There has already been snow at the top of the mountain. It was 58 degrees when we left the terminus and it was 27 when we arrived at the top.


Upper terminal in sight.

My Brother-in-law was actually terrified during the whole ride up.

Looking East from the top.

And West.

7 comments:

alexis said...

oh no, poor uncle M! Did he enjoy the crest once you had arrived?

Rest of the weekend looks like it was wonderful. I need to call and get the full deets!

Lakeview Coffee Joe said...

27 degrees?!? Holy crap. Did you hang around up there or just take the tram back down immediately?

terri said...

I know I would be terrified on that tram ride too, but based on the pictures you took, I do think I would risk it. What a gorgeous view!!! You are so lucky to live where you do.

de-I said...

Alexis/Joe - No Uncle M and Aunt J were pretty anxious to get going because of the height and the cold. Wife and I would have been fine staying up a lot longer - she taking pictures, me following her around :)

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful weekend! Despite the terrifying moments for brother-in-law M! Great pics! So glad all of you could share great NM Fall days together!

Anonymous said...

I would be terrified too! I'm scared of heights- I would have been clinging to the floor of the tram.

Mike said...

Holy cow! What an amazing view. I would've been terrified on the tram as well, but it appears to have been worth it. We might have to visit that area one of these days. Jules and I love stuff like that.