My parents and I rode the Sandia Peak Aerial Tram back in 2007, but I must have experienced Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder because I totally forgot how freakin’ scary it was! I convinced Tony to take the tram up to the top of the 10,378-foot mountain on June 21 for a little hike followed by dinner at High Finance Restaurant.

The 2.7-mile tram ride took 14 minutes at a speed of about 20 feet per second. High winds shook the trees below and rocked the gondola a bit. Soaring above the rocky slopes, I tried not to hold my breath.

Tony, pretending he’s not scared.

At the top, we hiked in and out of the woods for about an hour in cool temperatures, fresh crisp air and achingly bright sunshine.

The other side of the mountain gets all the rain, so it’s lush and wooded and apparently a hot-spot for winter skiiers.

Can’t. Open. My. Eyes.

I took about a thousand pictures of trees. Oh, nature, how I’ve missed you!

Tony was a big chicken about standing near the edge. Probably a good thing.

The tram heads down the mountain.

Little did we know it wasn’t coming back any time soon.

We enjoyed a nice dinner while watching a storm brewing in the distance. Dark clouds rolled in, lightning slashed across the sky, and we could see a curtain of rain at the horizon.

Unfortunately, the storm moved toward the mountain and ultimately cut power to the tram. Quite a few people were stranded, including several with young children. Finally, the tram got moving again and several relieved passengers started downhill to Albuquerque. About halfway, the tram stopped and swayed for 30 minutes. Unable to finish its journey down, it somehow managed to travel back up. Discouraged and worried, the people disembarked and joined the rest of us in the waiting area of the tower.

Around 9:30 p.m., the power was restored and we watched the tram operator receive a call and signal thumbs-up to a co-worker. A tentative cheer went up from the crowd. We piled into the tram, some muttering prayers, some cracking anxious jokes, some silently staring out at the glittering city lights in the otherwise inky valley. At the bottom, we all laughed and shared a moment of genuine relief.