Day 26: Sandia Peak

Jan invited Vera and I to go jewelry shopping at her favorite place The Utility Shack (which is a terribly misleading name for a native american jewelry store). The prices for the smaller pieces was actually pretty reasonable but the showier stuff was quite expensive. We all ended up taking something home. The store was celebrating the owner's mother's 96th(!) birthday with lots of free food so we stayed there for lunch. I had some tasty tamales and pasole.

Next I took the Sandia Tramway up the mountains to Sandia Peak (elevation approx. 10,300 feet). I would not recommend it for those afraid of heights. All of my tram pictures are sepia tinted because of the coated windows.


I think I heard somewhere you can see out 60 miles in every direction from the top but I couldn't find a good spot to look north. Although I wasn't willing to hike very far because the elevation made my legs feel like lead.
The hike I did take was surprisingly narrow and precipitous. But the views were worth it. I wish I had thought to bring a city map with me so I could match up what I was looking at. You could see the entire city of Albuquerque from up there.



After heading back to the ranch Vera and I went out to Papa Filipe's Mexican Restaurant for Navajo Tacos. Don't tell Vera I posted this photo, she didn't want me to take any pictures of her. The meal was great and came with sopes (fried dough pillows with honey) for dessert which I had actually never seen before. Can't go wrong with fried dough...

Tomorrow: Santa Fe!

Post Script for Jessica:

"I ain't getting any younger
and before my dying day
I want space not just air
Let them laugh in my face
I don't care
Sante Fe
I'll be there"