Show and Tell: Grady's Big Adventure

[GradyPhilpott]

Every Tuesday, I get together with a group of guys for breakfast. Over the years, we've had big crowds and sometimes there's only just a few of us.

Currently, we're down to just three, so a few weeks ago one member suggested that we have breakfast in Old Town and go see the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Technology.

The other guy and me looked at each other, shrugged and said, "Why not?"

So, today we met at the Church Street Cafe in Old Town, had breakfast, then we headed over to the museum for a walk around.

They let us all get in free today because Bob and I are veterans and they let Mark, the non-veteran, in free, too, just because, I guess. I wasn't arguing.

So here's some pictures of three old men's trip to the museum.

Warning: These are smartphone pictures.

It's off the breakfast with the obligatory steering wheel and wrist shot. Honda and Rolex--a match made in heaven.

Inside the Church Street Cafe. The building has been dated to the early 19th century. The windows are artwork. They actually look pretty good in the picture--almost real.

Keepers of the gate at the museum entrance.

I think this was the first hard drive and held something like 2MB. In front of it is a 2GB thumb drive, which is small by today's standards. I have a 128GB micro SD card in my phone.

The Altair 8800--the affordable computer that couldn't do much, but got the nerds excited enough to get started on the PC era, or something like that.

This is a replica of first mouse. Isn't it a beauty? Surely someone out there must be making walnut mice today.

I went back in time to get a picture of the Microsoft gang back in the 1970s. It's a cutout in the middle of one of the rooms. There are videos on both large screens and small screens throughout the exhibit. You can see one in the background.

A business card from one of Bill Gates early companies.

Animated dinosaurs

In this room you can look into a camera and see yourself and your friends in devices on the wall. Look closely, and you can see all three of us in this picture.

There are also three stations where you can take a video of yourself saying something and it will record your video and show on a large screen in front of you and then it plays in a loop, until someone comes along and puts theirs over yours, I think. I recited some lines from the poem, "High Flight."

On the way home, as I was exiting I-40, I wound up behind a real Mini Cooper. It's the first one I've ever seen.

And that my fellow WISes, was Grady and his friend's big adventure for the day. Next week we decided to do something different, but I have to figure out what it will be.

[The Joker]

Thanks for the pics Grady, good to get together with friends. Was thinking of going to our natural history museum in London with nephews this week. Cool Mini too.

[FTX I]

Very nice. Thanks for sharing.

[Kingair]

Thanks for sharing ;)

[Danny83]

Wow, look fun

[cop414]

Looks like a great adventure Grady, thanks for sharing!

[joe100]

Sat in many a traffic jam at that light.

[T. Ferguson]

Only thing missing are the obligatory food shots. Oh, wait a minute. Maybe that's someone else.

[Rockrolex]

Great pictorial review, Grady. Thanks for posting them.

[nickb732]

Thanks for sharing!

[tkerrmd]

Grady what an awesome day!! Really enjoyed that! Thanks for sharing it with us!

[Scot_3]

Great share , I could use a day like that

[nick c]

Awesome Grady thx for sharing

[GB-man]

Cool pics Grady, love these sorts of threads. Thanks for sharing.

[GradyPhilpott]

Originally Posted by joe100

Sat in many a traffic jam at that light.

I know what you're talking about, but when those jams happen, I'm far, far away.

And thanks to everyone for the good words.

[mfer]

I enjoyed it. Thanks.

[Bangel]

What an entertaining journey. Thanks Grady.

[SUBversive]

Very cool

[viper9669]

Wow, very nice adventure, thanks for taking us along, Grady!👍

[wantonebad]

[antbkny]

very nice, thanks for sharing your day!

[james1787]

Great pics! Thanks for sharing!

At my first computer job as a tech at a mom & pop store, the owner had an altair 8800 on display out in the showroom.. he had a little museum of computing history in a corner of the store.

[Gaijin]

Thanks Grady.

[77T]

I do remember some of those things like traffic tapes and toggle switch programming. Now that makes me officially history

Nice trip. And pics too. I

[joe100]

Originally Posted by GradyPhilpott

I know what you're talking about, but when those jams happen, I'm far, far away.

And thanks to everyone for the good words.

Back before they lengthened the right lane on i25 past the Big I, those were some legendary traffic jams.

[Keith1]

What a great day Grady. There are some really cool things there! Thank you for sharing!

[The Joker]

Just a few pics for ya Grady, from my trip to our natural history museum yesterday. Guess the creatures.

[vitalsignsrn]

Great pics Grady...:-)

I think you should make this a weekly post. :-)

[Johny]

thanks for sharing grady.