The first event on Friday was a stop at the Old Otowi Bridge, just south of the modern day bridge, that was the only access to Los Alamos when it was first built. In a book written about Elizabeth Warner, “The House at Otowi Bridge”, by Peggy Pond Church, describes Warner’s life and her relationship with the residents of San Ildefonso Pueblo and the Manhattan Project scientists who used to congregate at the Warner diner.
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16After the visit to the Otowi Bridge, we took the short drive to the San Ildefonso Pueblo. The San Ildefonso people have lived in their current site since the 1200’s. This pueblo is famous for its distinctive black pottery, a style revived in recent times by Maria Martinez. Carrying on the Pueblo’s pottery tradition is Adelphia Martinez. Adelphia was very interested in our Model Ts and Mark gave her a ride in his 1924 Model T coupe around the pueblo complex.
The Tin Lizzies checked out the local trading post and were given special permission to take photos in front of the church. Roberta, a pueblo resident, was thrilled to both ride in the Azevedo’s 1912 Model T touring car and to drive it!
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21After leaving the pueblo, we took a beautiful drive through some rural back roads to get to the Santa Fe Opera. Hedy Dunn is a volunteer at the Santa Fe Opera and she has assisted by creating sets. After an excellent lunch at the Opera’s outdoor pavilion, the Tin Lizzies were divided into two groups for the backstage tour. Hedy led one of the groups and a docent, David Rile, led the second. The tour included a peek at the stage area, set storage, costuming, costume storage, and wig making. One of the highlights of the tour was looking at the stretch 7-door Model T touring car that Skip had been collecting parts for. The modified Model T was a visual gag for the current production of “Grand Duchess of Gerolstein”, an Offenbach operetta that premiered in Paris in 1867.
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22The drive back to our hotel was challenging as the roads returning to Los Alamos are steep. Luckily, multiple lanes and a wide shoulder allowed us to low-band our way back without holding up local traffic.
Joining us in the afternoon were Melody and Orlando Ortega, our Tin Lizzie members who live in Portales, NM and the couple that organized our last club tour. After returning from the Santa Fe Opera, most tour members decided to return to the Dixie Girl Restaurant as everyone had enjoyed dining there the previous evening.
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10Click on the links below:
- Thursday: Home page, Dixie Girl Restaurant, Genevieve movie
- Friday: Old Otowi Bridge, San Ildefonso Pueblo, Santa Fe Opera tour, dinner at Dixie Girl Restaurant
- Saturday: Los Alamos parade, tour of solar demonstration house, dinner at the Sheriff’s Posse Lodge
- Sunday: Overlook Park – White Rock Canyon, Jim Stine’s vintage Texaco Station and soda bar, Bandelier National Monument