Oct 3 Los Alamos, New Mexico - elevation 7,355 feet

This morning we took the 45 mile drive north to visit Los Alamos and went to their science museum. We were totally in the dark with regard to what to expect of this town which had been such a secret but monumental part of our country’s past.

The scenery was beautiful. The topography of this portion of New Mexico is a series of plateaus (mesas) and canyons like the fingers extending out from a hand. The narrow roads leading up to the town of Los Alamos wound round and across the plateaus as we approached. We could visualize how it would be easy to “sequester” or quarantine the community and control access from the “outside” world during the height of the Manhattan Project.

Some reading this may be too young to know a great deal about this top secret project which resulted in the development of the atomic bomb…other than knowing that it took place. It was in deed humbling to realize the importance of the events that took place in this location. We learned at the museum that the project was kept such a secret that they did not even have “Los Alamos” addresses. Anyone who lived there received their mail addressed to a post office box in Santa Fe. Any babies born there were listed as having been born at that same post office box in Santa Fe.

Prior to our arrival there, we were expecting a literal “ghost town” but instead found a thriving, community which is still strongly involved in research and defense of our country. Their total population is in excess of 18,000. The Los Alamos National Laboratory currently employs 9,000 “regular” employees with a total employment of 15,000 including contractors, maintenance and security.

The laboratory conducts leading-edge research in many areas of science and technology to help solve national problems related to energy, the environment, infrastructure and health. Their defense mission includes ensuring the safety and reliability of the U. S. nuclear deterrent “while reducing the global threat of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons”. Imagine the technology it takes to certify that our nuclear weapons are viable and able to be put into action…imagine doing that without firing off any nuclear weapons. Some of the informational movies we saw at the museum explained how they test each of the components and “theoretically” the whole process and now I can see why it would be an issue of great importance. We have to believe our system is viable for it to work as a deterrent to our potential enemies.

We enjoyed driving all around the actual community of Los Alamos. Due to its remoteness and concentration of “high protein”, think-tank people, there are all kinds of activities to keep everyone busy and apparently the funding to build quality facilities. These included: a large indoor aquatic center, an extensive network of walking/jogging trails, expansive golf courses, riding stables, quality schools, well developed roads, shopping facilities. Due to it’s location on a high plateau with all the beautiful canyons and viewpoints, there are plenty of very nice residences all with gorgeous views.

Our side trip to visit Los Alamos was definitely very enjoyable as well as educational.