Hiking La Luz

Sunday, Dave (my father-in-law) and myself hiked the La Luz Trail. It is a trail from the foothills of the Sandia Mountains to the crest. We hiked up and over to the High Finance restaurant and tram. Jae and Priscilla (wife and mother-in-law) rode the tram up to meet us for dinner. Then we all rode the tram back down.

It was an incredible day, from small things, like how the fallen Aspen leaves look against the pink granite path, to big things, like the storm blowing in across the desert.

That was probably the coolest part. There is a particular difficult part of the trail, steep switchbacks, that is the last hard fight, and when you get to the top it opens up to this this amazing vista. We would usually stop there to rest and enjoy the incredible view. This time, though, the incredible view motivated us on. This storm racing towards us out of the West, over the plains of the desert. It was awesome, in the profound use of that word. A little scary, too. We kept moving. Got a little windy, but not insane. We got snowed on. Watching the snow blow in perpendicular to the mountains was Wow.

Dinner with Jae and Priscilla was a great way to top off the day, and the tram ride down also something I recommend.

Physically, I'm still paying for that day, though, I can tell you.