Family Tour '09

Our trek this year began in the Texas Coastal Bend, just outside of Corpus Christi.  We set out with two Sonars in the van and headed for Calvert, Texas.  Partner’s family had been harboring the middle Sonar for a week.  We scooped him up and headed off in earnest on our vacation.  

Somehow we managed not to take pictures of everything.  We completely forgot the camera for our visit with family in Amarillo.  We have to head back there again soon and stay a little longer.  We saw aunts and uncles and cousins, but not nearly all of them and not nearly long enough.  Next time we’ll take pictures.  

We spent a week in Albuquerque and behaved like tourists much of the time.  We visited the planetarium and botanical gardens, the tram and the Explora! museum.  We have to go back to that Explora! place again.  It’s a hands-on museum and everything is fun to play with.  Games, crafts, science experiments.  What an awesome place.  

X4 playing at ExploraDragon from Rio Grande Botanic Gardens. She needs a name.

This year the kids had to squish to fit in the giant carrot at the same time.  

Three kids in a carrrot, Rio Grande Botanic Gardens

We spent one morning riding the Tram up to Sandia Peak and had lunch at the High Finance restaurant.  Albuquerque’s elevation is about one mile above sea level.  Sandia Peak is another mile up.  Visitors can drive or hike up there, or if they’re feeling fancy, they can ‘fly’ up on the world’s longest aerial tramway.  

Sonars on the east side of Sandia Peak.Sandia Peak, east side view (down the ski lift)Sandia Peak, west side view (down the Tram)Of course, most of the time it was just as fun to hang out at Papa and Nana’s house.  They command a view of the entire valley and the west side of the Sandia Mountains.  Breathtaking is an understatement.  Sit out there for sunrise sometime.  There is no better place to clear one’s head.  

View of the Sandias from the back porch

On the Fourth of July, a lovely cool morning brought out many hot air balloons.  One landed across the street, to the delight of us all.  

Hot air balloons in the front yard

That night we toasted marshmallows and watched the many different fireworks displays throughout the city, all from the comfort of that amazing back porch.  

July 4th, toasting marshmallows in the chiminea with NanaA couple-thousand miles later, we returned home, ready to not be in the car, ready to sleep in our own beds, and filled with memories and ideas to fill our imaginations.  The vacation was Cliche American Family Road Trip at its best, and we can’t wait to do it again.  Next time we ride the Railrunner to Santa Fe!!