Day 13: Sandia Peak Tramway

SUNDAY. Happy Father's Day from the Land of Enchantment. Today's highlights: yummy brunch (thank you M & G!), reading the Sunday paper, naps, exploring the North Valley and Northeast Albuquerque, and an early evening trip to the Sandia Tramway to look at the city from the base of the mountain.

The Sandia Peak Tramway, the world's longest tram, was built in 1966. The 15 minute trip to the summit, ascending 4,000 feet from a base elevation of 6,559 feet, gives riders a spectacular view of the mountain's terrain, wildlife, and even pieces of aircraft debris from a 1955 TWA crash. I guess we are finally getting used to the altitude, because I was only slightly winded climbing the stairs to the tram gift shop at 6,559 feet. I recall feeling lightheaded after a drive up the Autoroad on New Hampshire's Mount Washington, a 6,288 foot peak, several years ago. I guess my red blood cells have kicked into high gear. We looked forward to riding the tram to the summit one of these days.



The setting sun cast some very interesting light on the mountain and the tram. We stayed until the orb dropped below the horizon and watched the city lights begin to flicker in the valley 1,500 feet below.




I don't know what it is about being above the city and looking down, but it leaves me feeling very peaceful. The sight of the vast desert beyond the western edge of the city is calming and makes me smile.

High points of the day:

• Finally being able to communicate with the housekeeping staff in Spanish
• Rediscovering the durability and value of old friendships
• Gazing at the entire city below from the Sandia foothills
• Realizing I'm beginning to find my way around Albuquerque without a map
• Discovering there are lots of drainage canals where Murphy can swim

All is well. Now if only we could make it rain...but that's another story.

Nota Bene: For those family members who are printing out my daily blogs, in order to print out ONLY one day's blog, and not 4 or 5 entries all at once, click the blog entries individually in the righthand column (under "Previous Posts"). That will bring up the daily blogs, and not the unabridged collected works.