Well, we didn’t have anything planned today.
So, of course, we ended up at Frontier for breakfast.
After breakfast, we were at a loss about what to do.
But before we left, mom did discover a new love for Frontier’s unsweet tea.
To give you two girls time to rest in the car, we decided to drive to the top of Sandia Crest.
To get there:
You take I-40 back east towards Texas.
And get off at the Tijeras exit, that will take you north on Highway-14.
About 10 miles down Highway-14, you take a left on 536, Sandia Crest Road.
536 will take you all the way to the top.
Now that you have the directions, you are golden.
We, of course, forgot the correct exit and argued about where we should have turned.
It was 55 degrees or so when we stopped for gas at the corner of Highway-14 and 536.
But as we started the climb up the mountain, I noticed something.
The temperature was falling fast.
About three-quarters of the way up, mom also mentioned that she forgot your winter coats back in our hotel room.
All any of us had were our fleeces…
There was snow still lining the roads and by the time we got to the top of the mountain, the car was reading that it was 25 degrees outside.
Before we could get out, it started snowing.
We took a cute video of all of us acting ridiculous in the front seat.
It was so cold, so we left the car running when we got out to see if either the gift shop or cafe were open.
Naturally, H insisted on going to the edge of the parking lot to touch the accumulated snow.
They both were open, but the lookout point on top of the ridge was closed.
We asked why when we got into the cafe and the woman behind the counter told us that people kept falling down on the ice.
While we were looking out of the big bay windows, we noticed a group of about 5 or 6 people working together catching birds.
It was the most curious thing.
They had some type of net strung up outside to catch them and they were transferring them into soft little mesh bags attached to a long stick.
On the way back to the car, one of the ladies in the group was explaining the bird’s background to a small group of onlookers.
On the way back to the Tamaya, we stopped to try Blake’s Lotaburger and got takeout.
We parked and mom went inside to get the food right as a sandstorm hit.
As is our natural right on vacation, we did S’mores again later that evening.
Mom and I opened the doors up and sat on the balcony as you kids ran back and forth.
I reheated Buca spaghetti for K with the help of a lady front desk.
And we watched The Karate Kid (2010 version) as we fell asleep.
I love you.
-Dad