Day 10 ~ Wide Open Spaces Tour 2012 ~ Albuquerque

What an amazing evening! 

We had the best experience so far this tour!  We rode the evening Tram up the scenic Sandia Mountains.  We got into this tram that held up to 50 people with/without skis and snowboards; and soared up to 10,678 feet to the top of the world (well in NW anyways)  :-)  Enjoy the beautiful pictures.  I can't believe Dan got me in that tram!

Vintage campers from the 50's

Camping in the 2010's

View of Sandia mountain range from west of Albuquerque

Wouldn't ya know Pam found a craft store that had pots & flowers...

and more flowers which I wanted to get for my girls

but .....guess how much for this one?

Beautiful cloudless sky in NM = 70* F

Lunch Menu

at old towns oldest building dating back to the 1600's

Lotza mountains ~ there was a sign that said Michigan State Alumni adopted a mile along this road

Going up Sandia mountain in a gondola

At one point we were 1,000' above grade below us, see the hikers and our shadow?

We had some good views

From the window, crazy how close to the mountain we were

Amazing how the trees can grow in rock

our shadow again and tower 2 at the top of picture (tower 2 was built entirely by helicopter)

Over Tower 2 and now no more towers until the top

Approaching tram on opposite cable going down

There was a 40* change in temp from base of hill to its peak

West side of the hill had almost no snow

While the east side was being used by skiers

It was very dry snow, as it melted it evaporated

The tram ran every 25 mins

That same chick was on this ride too

That is Dan

Sunny but cold...

Setting sun... snow melting off the roof of the "High Finance" Restaurant where we had hot coco and cheesecake, yum!

Going . . .

Going . . .

Going . . .

East side lite up at sunset

Gone ... breathtaking

View of the glowing lights of Albuquerque from Sandia Mountain top