American RV Park

We left my nephews today. We had a great visit. It was good to see hm and his family after 26 years. I hope the next visit won't be 26 years, I'm affair neither of us will make it. :-) We moved up to the American RV Park. It's about 8 miles west of Albuquerque just off route 40. We will be here for 5 days. Peggy did the washing and I am trying to decide where we are going next. The weather has been so cold that we may head back south. We were thinking of going to The Petrified Forest National Park but it doesn't look like they have any camping any where near it. I guess we'll just wait and see what the weather does.

On our way Peg took this picture to show some of the beautiful homes they have here in New Mexico.

Book Day

Nothing exciting today, just went and picked up one of my prescriptions at Walgreens, then went to Barnes and Nobles. Peggy was looking for a book on how to build a house with adobe. Couldn't find it at Barnes and Nobles, unfortunately I found three books. Then went to Borders where Peggy found her book on building with adobe and again I found two books. One was the National Geographics Birds of the US and for only $4.00. Going to move to the American RV Park on the west side of Albuquerque tomorrow for 5 days hoping that the weather will warm up. Got an e-mail from a gentleman who is volunteering at the Petrified Forest National Park and he said they woke up to an inch of snow this morning. When is summer?

Bosque Bike Trail

We went bike riding today on the Bosque Bike trail in Albuquerque along the Rio Grand. It's a great trail, black topped and flat. It's as good as any Rail to Trail we've rode. It's on top of a levee. It would be nice if it was closer to the river but you can see the river occasionally. There was a good bit of traffice on it, ladies pushing their children in strollers, some running along with them, some roller blading. Many people wizzing by on the their bikes. We saw a family of five, with the mother having a seat on the back of her bike for the youngest. This is New Mexico's Spring Break so I'm sure that added to the traffic. There is even a horse trail along side the bike trail. We rode three miles down the trail and back. I hope to get to ride some more of it later. The weather could not have been better, not too hot, not too cold, nice and sunny with a light breeze.

Peggy and Norman on the Bosgue Bike Trail along the Rio Grand in Albuquerque.

The Bosque Bike Trail

That is not the Rio Grand on the left of the picture, it's called the Albuquerque main canal.

Santa Fe 3/26/2007

Went to Santa Fe today. It's about 60 miles north of Rio Rancho straight up interstate 25. It's different than we expected. It's mostly an artistes town, lots of art galleries and souvenir shops. Native American stands are all around the square. We visited two churches and the Georgia O'Keeffe's museum and a lot of souvenir shops. It's definitely a tourist town. When looking at Georgia O'Keeffe's paintings, I could see how an artist might get tired of all the green in the east and prefer the colors of the west. Her paintings certainly bring out the beauty of the browns and forms of the terrain in the west, but I'm not an artist, I prefer the green of the east, though it is nice to visit the west.

The Native Americans sit along the wall with their merchandise displayed on the floor. I know it's not a good picture but it's the only one I have.

The famous spiral staircase of the Loretto Church in Santa Fe. Two mysteries surround the spiral staircase in the Loretto Chapel; the identity of its builder and the physics of the staircase construction. Click on this web site to read the great story about the staircase http://www.lorettochapel.com/stair.html


Outdoor stand of Chile Ristra's in Santa Fe.

Sunday

Had a restful Sunday. Ted's family came over for dinner. Going to Santa Fe tomorrow.


Ted (My nephew), Kay (Ted's wife), Dawn (Ted & Kay's Daughter), Massimo ( Ted Jr. & Marie's son), Marie ( Ted Jr.'s wife), Ted Jr. (Ted & Kay's son)

National Atomic Museum

Didn't have to put the date on this one because the post date is the same date I'm talking about. Unfortnately we didn't get to go to Tinker Town, it doesn't open until April first. Went to the National Atomic Museum in Albuquerque. Saw a movie on the Manhattan Project. I've seen other programs about it on TV, but this one was really good with a lot of original pictures. Another thing that was great is that one of the guides was a PHD that had worked on the project.

Peg and me at the entrance to the museum.

Big Boy the plutonium atomic bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima August 6, 1945. At least this bomb had been tested before they dropped it on Hiroshima. It was tested at the Missile Range in White Sands, which is the site you can visit only once a year.

This is Little Boy the U-235 atomic bomb that they dropped on Nagasaki. This bomb was dropped with out ever being tested. They couldn't test it because they used all the U-235 Oak Ridge had produce up to that time to produce this bomb, so they didn't have any for a test. They were that sure that this would work. Fortunately or Not, it did work.

It rained off and on today. Desert?

Rio Rancho 3/23/2007

I just noticed that the date the system puts at the top of each entry is the date I enter the post, but that may not be the date I'm talking about so I have added the date I am referring to in the title.

We left Rockhound State Park at about 8:15. Drove through Deming and took route 26 to Hatch. Hatch is a chili pepper and onion growing area. Peggy bough one of those long strings of chili, called Chili Ristra's. Now it's dropping seeds all over the place. We may have some chili growing in out motorhome before we get back.:-) At Hatch took Interstate 25 to Albuquerque. Got to Albuquerque about 2:00 o'clock. Was really surprised at the traffic for that time of day. It was bumper to bumper but moving on. I guess I'm spoiled by living in Northwest Alabama. Arrived at Ted and Kate's (my nephew) at 2:30. They have a beautiful adobe house with a great view here in Rio Rancho about 15 miles north of Albuquerque. Spent the night listening to the rain. I thought we were in the desert? Planing to go to Tinker Town Saturday.

The red morning glow on the mountain at Rockhound State Park

My nephew's adobe house in Rio Rancho, NM. I didn't include the garage because our motorhome is sitting in the drive way in front of it but you can see a corner of it.