Best Western Desert Aire Motor Inn Alamogordo

... Junior Ranger packet.

We ate a Golden Corral. At 7pm, we went on a sunset stroll with Ranger Mike. He had me answer some of the questions, because he knew that I would get the answers right. We saw footprints from animals. Some I could identify, but some I couldn't.

We drove home with the top down and it started to rain. Mamaw didn't want to put the top up!

We drove down to the White Sands National Park, which is miles of pure white sand dunes. It is really hot and blinding white, and so its quite hard to take photos and not squint when smiling!

We have now driven up to Albuquerque and will explore tomorrow.

PS we are still picking good motels, one night we were kept ...

Surprise Mogollon Petroglyphs... I stumbled upon these in an area called Three Rivers in Eastern New Mexico. The red petroglyphs were in Gila National Park near the cliff dwellings.

More on my trip website

I got an early start today because the temp didn't fall too badly last night. It was 60 at 8:30, so I headed out for the White Sands Missile Range Museum which is about 50 miles away. It didn't take long to get there, the speed limit is 75mph almost all the way between here and there! My MC didn't get it's usual 50mpg on the trip there and back. I didn't take any pictures, because I had to actually go into the Missile Range through a checkpoint. I figured if I was going through a ...

And now, from overseas, the stunning conclusion to my short trip through America ending in Cloudcroft. I've done a really terrible job as usual of following through on the last few pieces of the trip. Although there's not too much more to this one.

I took a day trip to the VLA (Very Large Array) on my way to El Paso. This was actually a really cool ...

... by American Indians, to Alamogordo and checked into a motel, things were starting to clear up. So, at the end of the afternoon, we headed back out in the car again and make our way a little further along the road to White Sands National Monument. At White Sands, we joined a guided ranger tour and spent an hour strolling ("hiking"?) around and over some of the bleached-white, gypsum sand dunes. She (yes ...

... during the next expo. P.S. While driving through Alamogordo, I saw a sign for a Deutsche Schule (German School). At first I thought it was a curousity, but after further thought, I realized that Alamogordo/Las Cruces/El Paso would have a heavy German population because of all the German scientist transplated/smuggled into the US after WW2 to work on the rocket program. Next time I am in the area, I will look for a Biergarten.

... get the chance to make it out here then you have to take a detour to White Sands. We are staying in the small town of Alamogordo, NM. Here are the pictures of the shady hotel again we are staying at. At least the price is right, but hopefully our stuff is still here in the morning. Hope you all are doing well! Chris and Kara

... to sled on the dunes, visit the gift shop and play some more with my camera - I'm officially in love with the sound of the shutter. Probably heading to Tucson after that - and visiting Tombstone and Bisbee along the way. Should be a nice, short day of driving after a few very long days of very little but driving. Today was the first of many incredible days to come. Stay tuned - these photos will be coming soon, and that's a promise. Love you all! Miss you, Kristen & Megan

... Ft. S. I husseled my rear in to everyones favorite store and bought boots and a more serious sleeping bag.. Then I had a really wonderful ride up state route 54 from Van Horn to Carlsbad.. There was a sign when I left I 10 that the next gas station was 62 miles... I drove 52 miles before I saw a car coming or going!! I felt alone in this big country.. Gotta go.. Staying in a Motel 6 tonight.. I need a news fix. Take care.. DLD