Albuquerque, NM has to be one of the best kept secrets as a place to visit in the country. I would have never discovered it but I stayed there one time during one of my many trips back and forth on I-40. I stopped at a motel and looked out at the near distance and saw one of the most beautiful mountains I ever saw.

The sun, as usual was setting in the west and it set the mountain aglow, almost as if on fire. It seemed an impossible picture. If I had a couple million in my back pocket, I would love to buy a home near that mountain. I would love to see the vision of that mountain almost on a daily afternoon.

Unfortunately, between one thing and the other, I was never able to move there and likely never will.

By the way, later, I found out that the mountain, Sandia Peak, has a tram going to the top. So it is, you can enter the tram at about 5000 feet above sea level and get out about 10,000 feet above sea level (not exact numbers but pretty close.)

Indeed, most people don’t think of Albuquerque as being so high but it is. Fewer people think of it being at the base of such a huge mountain, but it is.

It is also somewhat odd. The west side of the mountain is just almost vertical while the east side is something of a gentle slope, where some folks actually ski. That’s right. You can ski in central New Mexico and the land there is magnificent.

Oddly, there are hiking trails on the west side that are marked out. As you can well imagine, some of the trails are more difficult than others. Moreover, if I could have, when I was younger, I would have loved to explore some of them. Of course, the problem was that, whenever I went through Albuquerque, I was always on my way through. I could never take the time to explore the mountain or the city.

Many times, I wished I had spent a week or two there. I regret I didn’t. However, I did take the tram to the top and back twice. Both times I had a sandwich and soda in the restaurant at the top. After, I hiked a little of the trail that goes along the ridge.

As I said, if I, could I would make that trip at least once a week. I would never tire of it one bit.

However, I must admit, if I moved there, I would likely have learn how to spell it. Quite frankly, I don’t know if I could ever manage that.