ajray

Today was a day trip up north to Bandelier National Monument, with its ruins of cliff-side Indian dwellings and some great hiking. Then, on to Los Alamos, where there is the famous U.S. Government nuclear research lab with origins from the Manhattan Project and mysterious things about the U.S. nuclear weapons program going on. Naturally, not much to see of a secret government weapons facility, but we did go to the National Museum of Nuclear Science and History and there is some great scenery along the way, including a great view of the Rio Grande from a high plateau in a nearby town.... read more

On our second day, we are headed for Santa Fe, our main destination on this trip. But before we leave, we check out Old Town Albuquerque, including a Rattlesnake Museum (only in the West!) and the Petroglyph National Monument on the edge of town.... read more

The next day is much better weather for sightseeing. In fact, it is perfect: sunny, clear, and cool. We trek out again on our drive around the lake. 24-hours later, the difference is astounding! We revisit the scenic overlook that was previously covered in snow. The snow is gone without a trace; the forest smells of pine. We stop several times around the lake to take in the sights, traveling clockwise from South Lake Tahoe. We stop at some mountain waterfalls, the spectacular Emerald Bay, along the shoreline, and head up to Mount Rose on the north side of the lake, which is above the snow line. We then return down the east side of the lake in the afternoon, getting some amazing photos along the lake shore. Finally, we hike along one of the summit ... read more

This trip to Lake Tahoe started in Reno, a rustic city surrounded by spectacular desert. After landing in Reno, we picked up the rental car and headed south. Our first stop was a scenic overlook with some great desert views. Next, we stopped in Virginia City, an old mining town up in the hills. Virginia City is basically one main drag with many 19th century boom-day buildings, like you see in the movies. There are shops, a mining museum that takes you down the old mine shafts, and some casinos and restaurants. We stroll through the downtown and stop for lunch. Next, we head down to Carson City, the capitol of Nevada. We visit the Capitol Building, a Victorian structure with a nice, relaxed western flair, before moving on to our destination of South Lake Tahoe, ... read more