The National Museum of Nuclear Science and History

Last week during the three-day weekend, dad wanted to take an overnight trip to Albuquerque to see his friend, Joe, and go to a museum.  I decided to go with him, but unfortunately, he chose Monday as the day to go.  This meant travelling back home on Tuesday and going to work in the evening for me which made for a very long day.  Dad is also, let us say, not a sound sleeper.  (Or perhaps, too much sound.)  I did not get a pleasant night's rest.  Also, he slept in that morning and got up "late" at 5:30am.  

It was a beautiful day for a trip.  We stopped at San Antonio (New Mexico) and had lunch at the famous Owl Café there.  Pulling into the Albuquerque, the first place we stopped was a convenience store for gas.  There was a homeless person pushing a full cart at the drive in and two police cars with their lights flashing.  Ah, the Welcome Wagon.  There was a large homeless encampment down the street from our hotel and homeless in general everywhere.  Albuquerque's poor reputation did not prepare me for reality.     

We met up with Joe.  Dad wanted to go to the Natural History Museum (he'd been before), but Joe suggested the Nuclear Museum. I was bit surprised by this.  I had a co-worker, who'd also suggested it when I told him about the trip.  Dad hadn't gone to the Nuclear Museum before, so there we went.   

First, the museum is a bit pricey.  There are discounts, like my dad was veteran, but I didn't get any except for being a New Mexico resident.  Joe had some kind of pass for all the museums.  I should have asked what that cost.  Second, I didn't take any pictures, but I grabbed some pics off their website.

This place is pretty big and detailed.  There are rotating exhibits, so you can go back and see new stuff.  There are several exhibits and demonstrations that are kid-oriented.  There's staff around that can give more detail on some of the exhibits.  You could really spend quite a bit of time here.  We were there for at least two hours and were there when it closed down.  That wasn't nearly enough time to really see everything.  Too many exhibits got skimmed over.

The Manhattan Project and the WWII atomic bombing flight exhibits are permanent and very interesting.  There are many relics on display.

Here's a pic from the Dark Cube exhibit.

Yes, there's DeLorean on display.

 

Okay, I admit I liked the Little Albert animated puppet display.  I was the only one there at the time.  Joe and dad were too cool to listen to the puppet.

Outside are a bunch of plane and rocket displays.  It was kind of cold.  It had snowed recently and melted, so the ground was a muddy slush.

B-29.

B-52.  Very impressive close up.

The sail from a nuclear sub.  Unfortunately, you can't go inside any of these displays.  Having been inside a B-17 once, I can tell you that nothing really brings these craft to life more than being inside one.  They should consider trying to figure out how to open these up.

Afterward, we went to a Mexican food restaurant in Old Town.  It was pretty good.  (I didn't have any of the Mexican food.  I had chicken strips.)  Then we were watching an NFL game at Joe's apartment.  We all got together for breakfast at Denny's in the morning before we left to return to Las Cruces.  (And that was the most expensive meal of the two days.)  It was also well below freezing when we left.  Thankfully, it warmed up a bit as we travelled south. 

Overall, I'd say it wasn't worth the sore lower back I got from travelling, but if you're in Albuquerque anyway with no other plans, the Nuclear Museum is well worth your time.  I only plan on going back to the Duke City for an Isotopes game someday and probably the Natural History Museum.  (Joe had given me an Isotopes t-shirt a couple of years ago.  I wore it for the trip.)    

Fort Selden 50-th Anniversay Celebration Part 2

Part 1

There was a small museum for the fort, but very nice.  They were selling chunks of the Fort Selden walls up front, which gives you an idea of what condition they're in.  Here's a display with some cute sheep.

They had a couple of uniforms on display.  I question those spiky helmets, especially out in the desert.  General Douglas MacArthur was here as a child when his father was the commander here.   

Here's a small canon.

Outside, the staff had started a cookout with burgers and hot dogs.  (Yes, it was hot out, over 100 degrees.)  There were probably over a 100 people there for the celebration.  My hot dog was excellent.  Dad and Gerald enjoyed their burgers.  There were several displays outside, including this buck wagon.

I was wearing the Fort Union shirt that dad had bought me last year on his trip around the state.  (It's at the northern end of the state.  It's in somewhat better shape than Fort Selden.)  A guy stopped me and told me he'd been there.  He'd served in the Cavalry.  Gerald had as well.      

This is a statue of a Buffalo Solder out on the former parade grounds called, The Sentinel.    

 

Here's a couple of views of the fort ruins.  I was honestly a bit too embarrassed to take better pictures of the site.  It is not in good shape.  The adobe walls were originally 10' tall and 2' thick.  Time and the elements have worn them down to nothing.  Some of the walls were only standing because they're being propped up.  There is a rock-built stockade, but it's in the same shape.

There was a tent set up outside with chairs.  We sat for a couple of speeches that were not about the fort, but rather the Historical Society and their efforts to preserve what's left.  There was a guided tour afterward that dad and Gerald, surprisingly, didn't want to stay for.  (The guide was going to detail the preservation efforts.)  We wandered around the ruins by ourselves for a little bit, before going back into the museum.  They had cake inside, which we enjoyed before leaving.    

The helpful staff at the site were positively giddy.  They were the best parts of the experience.  I liked the museum, but honestly, the ruins probably aren't worth saving in the condition they're in and given what they're made of.  I would recommend taking a trip out there, especially if they're having an event.  Leasburg Dam State Park is right next door.  I'd probably recommend going when it's a bit cooler or bringing plenty of water.  I may have gotten a little heat exhaustion on the trip.  

Fort Selden 50-th Anniversay Celebration Part 1

 

Dad invited myself and his friend, Gerald, out to the Fort Selden site 50-th anniversary celebration Saturday night.  Admittedly, I had nothing better to do, so I was okay with going.  There was also supposed to be some free food. 

The historic site is just outside of Las Cruces, New Mexico, just off I-25.  The parking lot was full when we got there.  

This is a view of the nearby Robledo Mountains.

We passed this car in the parking lot.  It's a green Jaguar.  We think it probably belonged to a state senator who was in attendance.  

This was a little bench area outside of the museum.

This event and the site are maintained by the Dona Ana County Historical Society.  You can see some of the ruins of the fort walls on the brochure.  

More pictures in Part 2.

Sunspot and Apache Point Observatory

Dad also took a short trip here in New Mexico recently to Sunspot and the Apache Point Observatory.  No photographs this time, but dad did bring back the brochures.

This is Sunspot, the solar observatory.  I vaguely remember going there as a kid. 

And this is the Apache Peak Observatory. Both of these sites are run by NMSU.  Sorry, I don't have more information.  I wasn't on the trip.

Dad's Epic Road Trip 2023 Part 5 Royal Gorge and Albuquerque

Part 4

 

Dad drove by Royal Gorge in Colorado.  It is not open to car traffic, only foot traffic.

You can just barely see the tramway cars travelling over the gorge.  There's also a zipline.  Dad has been to this place before when he was younger.

Dad came back through Albuquerque to visit his friend, Joe.  They went to Petroglyph National Monument.  For some reason, he took pictures of the housing development right next to the park.  (And for some reason, the city allowed new construction right next to the monument.)

Here's Joe.

And here's dad.

Dad's Epic Road Trip 2023 Part 4 Badlands and Colorado

Part 3

A view from the road in the Badlands, South Dakota.

Dad took a few pictures from the road in Colorado.  The top and bottom pictures are of Pike's Peak in Colorado Springs.  He was frustrated that it was covered in clouds the whole time.

Dad at a traffic light somewhere in Colorado.  (The pictures can't all be scenic.)

Part 5

Dad's Epic Road Trip 2023 Part 3 Buffaloes and Rushmore

Part 2

This is a tunnel built into the mountain in the Black Hills.  

Here's another view from the road.

Here's a herd of buffalo at Custer State Park, South Dakota.

 

A close up of a buffalo.

Mount Rushmore in South Dakota.  Dad has been to this area before when he was younger.

Part 4

Dad's Epic Road Trip 2023 Part 2 Custer and Crazy Horse

Part 1

Dad rented a cabin at Custer State Park in South Dakota. 

There's a view outside the cabin.

This is the Crazy Horse Memorial in the Black Hills of South Dakota.  They started working on it in 1948.  

 

Here's a couple of views from the road in the hills.  Dad said it was a really winding road.  

Part 3