Golden, CO: Buffalo Bill, Coors and DJ!

Golden, Colorado - home of Coors! All the Coors in the US is brewed right here. Downtown Golden is super cute!

Love this sign! Sleepy bear sculpture.

After my long drive from Los Alamos, I needed a beer...or two...

DJ, an old friend from the Hardward Support days at UC Davis, took me up to see Buffalo Bill's grave site. There was a nice view from the top. Behind me you can see a valley between two mesas (or whatever they're called). The Coors Brewery is located in the valley (right above where my head is). The two mesas are called North Table (left) and South Table (right). Later in the day, we hiked up to the top of South Table. Oh, and there's me being a gun slinging Indian.

Buffalo Bill's grave. I asked DJ to climb on the rock after he had passed the sign. He, he. He doesn't know the sign is there...

We went down to the creek to watch kayakers do tricks.

View of Coors Brewery from the top of South Table.

DJ looking over Golden. You can just barely see downtown Denver above my palm.


Thanks for hosting Deej! It was so nice to catch up! See you sometime back in California!

San Luis, CO: Little Church on the Hilltop

Welcome to Colorado! The first town I hit was called San Luis, supposedly the oldest town in the state of Colorado.

Coming around a bend, I spotted a cute little church on a hilltop. I decided it was time to get out of the car and go for a walk. Across this bridge was a path that winded up the hillside towards the church. All along the path were bronze sculptures of Jesus carrying the cross.

At the top was this amazing view. What a clear day!

Another sculpture and the front of the church.

The back of the church. The domes remind me of churches in
the Greek Islands.

I hopped in this old fashioned soda fountain and ice cream store hoping to get some ice cream but they were out! What kind of ice cream store doesn't have ice cream?!

Taos, NM: St. Francis Church, Rio Grande Gorge Bridge

Beautiful scenery driving through New Mexico. Look! Giant crack in the horizon...the Rio Grande river.

Entering, Taos, New Mexico

I saw a sign for another St. Francis of Assisi church and stopped to find this beautiful adobe structure.

There were beautiful gardens in front and a couple large trees with picture perfect benches beneath.

St. Francis carved into a door of a nearby structure (left). The backside of the church (right).

Jacqueline suggested that I visit the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge. It was only a 7 mile detour so I had to check it out.

Did I mention fear of heights? Omg, omg, omg, the bridge is moving, fear of heights, fear of heights, fear of heights. I made it about halfway across (walking) and then my legs turned to jelly. Focused concentration and sheer will power brought me back to the car. OK! On to the next adventure...

Los Alamos, NM: One way in, one way out

Driving into Los Alamos, I realized there was only one road in and the same one road out. Everyone who lives in the town either works for Los Alamos National Lab or supports the local community that exists for the lab. I think it's a bit creepy. But, the drive in is really pretty. Jacqueline didn't warn me that I'd be driving on the edge of something similar to the Grand Canyon. Omg, omg, fear of heights, fear of heights, fear of heights.... That big rock is some sacred Indian mesa, I think.

Jacqueline with the Hockaday's pooch, Brody.

The Church and Black Hole of Ed Grothus. Not sure what the church is all about but the Black Hole sells scraps from the lab - even old missiles! I would have bought one and strapped it to the roof rack on my car but it might get me in trouble in Vegas.

Unfortunately, my timing in Los Alamos was horrible and I didn't get to go to the Bradbury Science Museum where you learn about how Los Alamos and the lab started as well as information about the atom bombs that were developed here. A reason to come back!

Many thanks to the Hockaday family for letting me stay at your home. Thanks to Mary for a wonderful homemade beef stew, Jacqueline for yummy cornbread, Robert for breakfast waffles, and everything else in the universe. Amen!

Santa Fe: World Cup Finals, Downtown Santa Fe

Jacqueline and I met up with another Los Alamos Lab intern, Ian, and headed to Santa Fe for the day. It was the 2010 FIFA World Cup Final - Netherlands vs. Spain. I hadn't decided who to root for.

A strange alien sign on the side of the highway. Apparently, there is a solar panel somewhere behind it and it glows at night. I guess this is what happens in the Ph.D. capital of the US.

Me and Jacqueline, Me and Ian. By this time, I had decided that I was rooting for Spain after the Dutch guy planted his cleats into a Spainard's chest. Ouch. He deserved a red card for that one.

Truly New Mexico

The El Dorado Hotel and some of downtown Santa Fe

After the game (congrats Espana!), I desperately needed some frozen yogurt. Not quite Yogurtland but a pretty good substitute.

At the end of one street was this beautiful church. I don't know why, but I was drawn to it. At the moment we decided to bypass the church, a tourist tram drove by and I heard the tour guide saying that this was the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi. That was it. I had to go in. I just spent an entire week in Assisi, Italy in May. Basilica of St. Francis - Santa Fe (left), Assisi (right)

Me and some sculptures from a local art store
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This weekend happened to be the International Folk Art Market. It only happens once a year. Unfortunately, we only caught the last ten minutes of it. Lots of different folk artists selling their wares.

Ian drinking something strange he bought at Whole Foods. An "Obamonos!" sticker! Love it!

Camel rock. Looks something like a sitting camel - I guess. Compare to my camel in Morocco...

Finally, we ended the day with dinner at Gabriel's. Ian had water (no fun). Jacqueline had a margarita and I had a sangria.

Fish tacos with red snapper (left), seafood fajita with shrimp, scallops, and red snapper (right)

Fajita toppings, cheese enchiladas with guac taco and bean burrito

Us with our food! (hehe, buttons! sorry, inside joke)

Jacqueline with a Spanish flag sticker on her back. For the rest of the day, people kept stopping her and saying, "Do you know you have a sticker on your back?" And she would reply, "Viva Espana!"