The drive to Los Alamos revealed breathtaking scenery on the edge of town. The pictures don't begin to do it justice.
We met Catherine at the Bradbury Science Museum in downtown Los Alamos.
It was so great to see her!!! We had to take a "cousin selfie".
The Bradbury Museum had lots of hands-on science exhibits to explain the current science research and developments happening in Los Alamos. We watched a fascinating short film on the history of "The Town that Never Was". The museum also contains exhibits about the Manhattan Project. Here are the kids posing with replicas of Fat Man and Little Boy, the atomic bombs that ended WWII. Yes, this is a bizarre subject for a picture, but we couldn't resist.
Our visit was over entirely too quickly, and we weren't able to see Chris, as we needed to press on to Four Corners. Los Alamos is a beautiful town. We definitely want to go back for a longer visit in the future! It is very much worth the 40 minute trip, if you are ever in the Santa Fe area.
Now, for the journey to Four Corners. It is about a 4 hour drive from Los Alamos to Four Corners, with beautiful views around each bend. We drove through Abiquiu, which is the location of Georgia O'Keeffe's house, Ghost Ranch. It is the landscape that inspired so many of her paintings. Here are a few pictures of the view from Abiquiu Lake.
After hours of driving (including a short trek through Arizona (yay!), we finally arrived at Four Corners Monument, which is the point where New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado and Utah meet. Needless to say, we were all a little punchy by now. As we pulled into the parking lot, the car showed that the temperature outside was 107 degrees.
What!? 107 Degrees!!!! I know what "they" say about it being a dry heat, but let me tell you, it felt like our skin was baking in an oven. 107 degrees is hot, no matter how you slice it! Luckily, the line wasn't long to see the monument and take pictures. Ha! Sarcasm...
We endured, though. We had driven too far to give up now. They only allow you to take 3 pictures per family, so we didn't get pics of the kids getting their hands and feet in all 4 states at once. I assure you that they can check that one off the list. It was a quick process. Did I mention it was 107 degrees? Here are all 4 kids in 4 different states.
And...the obligatory family picture...
Amazingly, there was no line for the plaque that describes the purpose of the monument.
It was worth the drive, the line and the heat! This was an opportunity you just can't pass up if you are in the area.
We then began the hour-long drive to the entrance to Mesa Verde National Park, which is the home of Pueblo Cliff Dwellings. We stopped at the visitor center to purchase tickets for two tours the following day. Tip: Definitely get your tickets the day ahead, if you want to do any Mesa Verde ranger-led tours! They sell out very quickly in the summer months. You can only purchase tickets at the Visitor Center.
Dan, in his travel planning magic, was able to book two rooms at the Far View Lodge, the only hotel within the park. It is only about 15 miles from the front entrance, but it takes almost 45 minutes of driving, due to all of the switchbacks. Around each corner was a more incredible vista than the last. We stopped at the Park Point overlook, which is the highest point in the park. We were all huffing and puffing by the time we reached the top of the trail, due to the very high altitude and thin air. You can see for at least 100 miles in each direction.
At the Far View Lodge, each room has a small balcony with an amazing view. The hotel has no TVs because they don't want to distract from the views.
Tomorrow, we explore the Mesa Verde cliff dwellings!
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