Friday, May 29, 2009

Bradbury Science Museum

This museum is located in Los Alamos, NM. It is a history of the atom bomb. Lots of hands-on-activities. Lots of videos also. If you are interested in the atom bomb, this would be a great museum for you to visit. Free entrance. You can spend a couple of hours here. More photos by clicking on the travel photo link.


First bomb dropped was called Little Boy.


This is Fat Man.


This is a model of the gadget, the first test of the atom bomb.


This is the rack. This was used to test the atom bomb underground.
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Bandelier National Monument

Beautiful, just beautiful. The anasasi lived in this area. They used tools to enlarge some of the openings in the cliff dwellings so they could live in them. We took the easy walking trail to view the dwellings.

Path leads up to here and you can climb the ladder for a closer look.


This is the best of the petroglyphs. It is supposed to be a macaw.


This coyote visited the pueblo.


You can see the remains of dwellings in front of the cliff. The Anasazi used the cliffs as the back of their dwellings. You can see the holes where poles were placed to make a floor. It looks like there were 3 to 4 stories in some of their dwellings. More photos can be seen by clicking on our travel photo link.
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Thursday, May 28, 2009

Loretto Chapel, Santa Fe, NM

Our first site-seeing stop was the Loretto Chapel in Santa Fe. It is a small church built in the 1870 with a miraculous spiral staircase. When the chapel was built, the builder did not build a staircase to the choir loft. The church was too small to build a normal staircase. The sisters prayed that somehow, someone would be able to design and build a staircase. Their prayers were answered when a man stopped by and built the staircase. The staircase does not have any nails in it. This is a beautiful church. Cost was $3 to view the inside of the chapel and staircase.

Loretto Chapel.


Spiral staircase leading to the choir loft.


The staircase was originally built without bannisters. No nails were used in building the staircase.

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Blue Hole, Santa Rosa, NM

The Blue Hole is 81 feet deep, 3000 gal. of water per minute flow here. Many divers use this hole to practice and hone their diving skills.
Water is 61 degrees. No charge to visit the hole.






Divers coming up from their dive.
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66 Car museum, Santa Rosa, NM

We arrived in Santa Rosa, NM and saw this car museum close to our campground so Gary and I decided to tour it. We were able to see 30 different cars and other stuff. Cost for the museum was $5 per person.


1947 Chevy


1929 Mercedes gazele kit car


1031 Auburn. This car had the service manual sitting on the front seat.


1931 Chevy coupe. Loved the blue tinted windows.
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Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum

Jim and Sherri introduced us to this museum located in Canyon, Texas. This was a great museum. Lots of different artifacts from weapons, cars, windmills, oil drilling equipment, and lots of other stuff. Cost was $10 per person.


Jim and Gary admiring a 1925 Model T. Jim was explaining how the car worked. Very interesting stuff. Love to visit museums with Jim. He is always able to add lots more info about the exhibits.


1910 John Deere manure spreader.


Lots of weapons to see.


This is a 1916 Detroit Electric Brougham, and we thought that electric cars were something new.
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Palo Duro Canyon

We are beginning our journey to Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah by first stopping off in Palo Duro Canyon near Canyon, Texas. We spent 2 nights in the last campground in the Canyon. The canyon is beautiful. I could have taken hundreds of pictures. We experienced thunder, lightning, rain, wind, and a hail storm. Lots of places to hike in the canyon. The canyon was home to various Indian tribes. We viewed a dvd up in the visitor center which told how the calvary went about "displacing the Indian tribes". If you find yourself close to the area, be sure to visit the canyon.

Lighthouse formation.


Can you send the Indian head in this rock formation?



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Plants in Palo Duro Canyon




Prickly Pear Cactus


Prickly Pear Cactus


Prickly Pear Cactus
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These guys came out to feed every evening.


Lots of rabbits in the campground.


Loved listening to this cardinal.
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These guys sure were busy.


Couldn't pass up a red bug on a white flower.


This bee is finding his breakfast.
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Friday, May 22, 2009

Visiting Springfield

We stopped in Springfield, Mo to visit with Gary's sister and husband. They have a beautiful backyard filled with lots of flowers. We love to sit and watch the birds, bees, and snakes. Had a great visit.







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