Lunch Atop a Watermelon

On Thursday, I visited the Sandia (Spanish for watermelon) Mountains, east of Albuquerque. I took a tram up to the top, which the operators claimed was the longest tram in the world. The ride lasted about 15 minutes and rose 4000 feet above the surrounding desert, so I wouldn't be surprised if that's true. A partial view from the top, including the tram, is shown below.


As a result of the elevation, the mountain crest is about 20 degrees F cooler than Albuquerque, and a heck of a lot windier. The cooler temperatures, coupled with the comparatively large amount of rainfall (21 vs. 8 inches annually), means that the mountain peaks are largely tree-covered. When the sun sets in Albuquerque, those looking east see the red-colored granite of the Sandias looking especially red in that light. With the rind of green cover on top, it's easy to see why the Spanish called them watermelon mountains.

The cool temperatures were quite welcome to this hiker, who had the fortune of eating his sandwich on the peak in the right of this picture. There's a little structure on the top called the Kiwanis Cabin - you can barely see it here. It was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps for some inscrutable purpose.


And on the top, I ran into this woman who was moving to Dallas from California, who agreed to take my picture. Too bad my eyes were closed :( , but the view is impressive.


After an afternoon of hiking, my feet were quite dirty. I think I did well.


Next stop, San Jose. But first, I have the pleasure of training through New Mexico, Arizona, and California. No doubt I'll see some imposing mountains and stark desert beauty along the way.

Hasta luego,