August 1-4 - Albuquerque

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The National Atomic Museum (on Kirtland Air Force Base, Albuquerque) has an eerie display of bombs, missiles, and the history of nuclear weapons.

National Atomic Museum (8/01 3:32 PM)National Atomic Museum (8/01 3:37 PM)

Two hours southwest of Albuquerque is the VLA, a collection of 27 not-so-small radio antennas. A self-guided tour lets you walk up to one of these antennas to get a feel for its size, and there's a little museum, complete with a bit on the filming of the movie Contact (and its embellishments). See in Google Maps See on a USGS topographic map See in Google Earth 34.08, -107.62 

VLA - Tour - Watch For Snakes - Signradio telescopes (8/03 1:15 PM)control center (8/03 1:26 PM)VLA - Radio Frequency Sensitive Area - Signconstruction & repair building (8/03 3:02 PM)

My college friend Nico behind the bar at his brewpub (Turtle Mountain Brewing Company), and his son, Porter.

Nico behind bar at Turtle Mountain Brewing Company (8/02 6:21 PM)Porter (8/02 6:40 PM)

Nico, Liz, and Porter with beer at a tasting at the nearby Anasazi Fields Winery, where they make dry fruit wines.

Anasazi Fields tasting - Nico, Liz, Porter (8/04 1:36 PM)Anasazi Fields tasting - Liz, Porter (8/04 2:02 PM)Anasazi Fields - fruit fermentation tanks (8/04 2:29 PM)