5in29: Day 14-15
2024-12-24 ~ 12-25. Albuquerque, NM
Attraction #1: Sandia Peak Tramway
This aerial tramway is the longest in the U.S.
Its top has an elevation of 10,378 feet. This is the third 10K+ feet peak I have reached (one by foot, one by car, and this by tram).
A tram car carries about 50 people and takes 15 minutes from the bottom to the top.
A driver or conductor is inside the tram car, who is also a tour guide.
According to our driver, the construction of the tramway took 5000+ helicopter trips to airlift people and materials.
The top is a ski resort with a restaurant (too bad it closed at 4 PM and we didn’t make it to dine there). People take the tram to the top, then ski on the other side of the mountain.
The views are spectacular. I particularly loved the view in the leading photo of this post and may use it in some of my future work.
The temperature at the top is roughly 20 degrees lower than that at the bottom. When we were up there, it was 29 degrees. With the wind and frozen snow on the ground, it felt a lot colder than 29. It was COLD! I felt sympathy for those in shorts, skirts, and high heels.
There are hiking trails at the top. We attempted to hike some of them. But the coldness, the slippery ground with frozen snow, and our regular walking shoes, all made the hiking not attractive at all.
We hoped to see the sunset, only to realize there was little to see. The city is on the west side of the mountain, making any special effect less effective. But on the way down, well after the sunset, the lights in the city were quite impressive.
The tramway is open on Christmas day too. It was a good thing we did it on the eve because Christmas day was cloudy, then rainy. It was windier and colder.
Attraction #2: The Old Town
Multiple people at KOA sites told us to visit the Old Town.
To me, it was more like a new town—the buildings were carefully designed and constructed, showing strategic planning. They were well-maintained and cared for. The streets were neat and clean. People have done a fabulous job to keep the town up.
Too bad we missed the Christmas Eve luminaria display!
Attraction #3: Route 66
Ahh! I wish I brought my Route 66 Passport! It never occurred to me before the trip that I should consider the possibility of encountering Route 66.
Once we saw the first sign, we started chasing the signs along the old Route 66.
At several points, we rushed the van into parking lots, only to find the signs were for certain stores, not the road!
Attraction #4: National Museum of Nuclear Science & History
We thought we’d have a quick tour at this museum then get on with our next stop. But we spent way more than we planned. The rich science and history were fascinating. Several tour guides who seemed to be volunteers gave lots of stories throughout the building. I found myself constantly stopping and listening, occasionally asking questions.
One aspect of the nuclear history was about Madam Marie Curie, one of my idols in my youth. My next book has a section about her influence on a young teenage girl.
The rich collections include lots of World War 2 related materials and artifacts. Somehow, I got depressed, even though some stories and aircrafts were interesting.
The science part of the museum points to the future, which was very promising to me. I was amazed I learned things I didn’t know before.
What an excellent place for education!
Van Life:
The night temperature had been between 27 and 34 degrees. To be safe from freezing at night, just in case the battery is in trouble again, we decided to stay at a campsite. And of course, we’d stay in a KOA. But, not all KOAs are the same!
We stayed at a KOA site on the south side of Albuquerque for two nights. It was an okay place. No freebies, which is fair. No community rooms, which meant I got stuck with sitting on the hard step/stool to work on my computer for lengthy times. Bathrooms were small but clean and fulfilled their function. Price? $60 per night, $5 higher than our first KOA in Las Cruces.
For the last night in town, which was Christmas, we decided to experience the KOA on the north side of the city. It would allow us to have an early start the next day to drive to our next stop.
We immediately noticed the many empty lots in a much smaller yard. Not a good sign, but we have booked it already. We must stay here tonight to cope with the 27-degree temperature.
It was the worst among all three KOA sites. Only one bathroom with multiple toilets and showers—each had a small room with limited surface for sitting or placing items. The worst was that there was no ventilation in the bathroom. Once someone took a shower, all the surfaces were wet. Among my 4 trips to the bathroom, the surface (including the floor) was wet every time. You’d have to wipe the toilet seat before sitting on it! And you could not put anything on the counter unless you didn’t care to get it wet. Price? $5 more expensive than the south KOA!