Los Alamos to Colorado Springs

Los Alamos is a pretty cool little town. We came to town to learn even more about the atomic bombs dropped during World War II. We had to wait until the Bradbury Science Museum (technically still part of the Los Alamos National Laboratory) opened at 10.

Dual temperature controls for the win

Another spicy meal for Jackson...a green chile bagel!

We grabbed breakfast at a local bagel joint, Ruby K's. Jackson had their atomic bagel. They really love puns on nuclear stuff up here.

Pretending to be nuclear scientists 

"These gloves feel gross"

A great quote from the leader of the Manhattan Project

Preparing to watch a film about the atomic bombs

Einstein's letter to FDR that started the USA's march toward nuclear weapons

Learning Jackson

Looking at the inside of a bomb

High security joint!

We stayed at the museum for hours. We watched their movies, interacted with the exhibits and just soaked in whatever knowledge we could.

Finally, we hit the road to head to Colorado. We started making such good time that we decided to push through all the way to Colorado Springs. It took us about 5.5 hours and the hours started dragging, but we made it! We stopped for dinner at the Colorado Mountain Brewery. It was SO good. I had Brussel sprouts that were NOT SPICY! It was amazing to have "normal" food again.

Jackson trying bison

We plan to do some hiking here in the Springs before heading to Denver. Hooray!

ABQ to Santa Fe to Los Alamos

Albuquerque did not have a ton going on so we weren't super bummed to be headed for Santa Fe and Los Alamos. We made it to Santa Fe in the morning and stopped at a renowned local spot, The Pantry.

More green chiles for breakfast 

We loved this adobe style hotel

The inside of the Catholic church

This stained glass window was amazing

Thinking of his momma

Listen, Santa Fe is pretty cute, but it wasn't for us. We aren't big art people so all the galleries were kind of lost on us. We walked around for about two hours (some of which we spent hanging in a warm hotel lobby because it was chilly out) and then headed up the road to Los Alamos. 

We stopped on the way at a place called White Rock where there was a lookout to the Rio Grande. (Jackson had a big thing about seeing the Rio Grande.) There was a bunch of folks around painting the scene and even their talent didn't get close to God's paintbrush. It was amazing.

The view of the Rio Grande from White Rock

Views

Petefish

We finally got to Los Alamos and went to Bandelier National Monument. It was called an "open book of human history" by the National Park Service. Petroglyphs and dwellings carved into the soft rock cliffs were just amazing.

A little home replica in the parking lot

Jackson climbing into one of the homes carved in the cliff

Check out that rugged landscape

The homes built in the rock

Inside the caves

Looking up

Climbing around

A little tiny staricase

Petefish

"Jenn, let's hike up there."
"Uhh, ok?"

Jackson: "GO"
Me: "UGHHHHH"

Climbing up...

Along the way

Looking across the valley

We made it!

Looking over creation

Finally some flat trail!!!!

A 14 floor walkup! 

Heading up...

"on my way!"

The view from the 14th floor ;)

Pleased to have made it up

Happier with being on the way down

Look up at the ladders!!

It was a gorgeous day

We finally left the park after hiking all day and had to drive through the campus of the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). Around 12,000 people work on their massive campus developing nuclear weapons among many other things. We had to show ID just to drive through. Wild!

SPICY DINNER

Since the town is basically full of folks from LANL, it is a very wealthy town. The little downtown area they've created for all of the lab employees is adorable. We went to a nice restaurant, Blue Window Bistro, for a really nice dinner. Mine was, naturally, too spicy so they had to bring me out sour cream. Even then it was too hot to get through so Jackson finished it and took me to McDonald's to get ice cream to cool my mouth down. :) I'm anxious to get back to the land of something other than green chiles! 

Albuquerque

We wanted to eat at a local establishment so we headed for the Range Cafe. It was, again, SPICY! It was pretty darned good, though! 

Breakfast burrito

Huevos Rancheros 

Then we headed for old town Albuquerque to do a little exploring.

We loved this old church

The inside of the church 

An old adobe building

Petefish

We headed down to walk along the river as it was actually a really nice day!

The Rio Grande

Then we headed for the National Museum of Nuclear Science & History. It was FASCINATING. I've been kind of obsessed with reading about World War II for a couple of years now so this museum was pretty much the reason for the visit. We spent hours walking around reading all of the information posted.

"Fat Man" and "Little Boy" replicas 

Old education pieces used during the war

Another bomb replica 

They even have a whole fleet of old planes that were used during the war. It was amazing.

Jackson intently listening to the docent

A plane like the Enola Gay

Showing how the bomb fit into the plane