The drive today was from Las Cruces to Alamogordo, New Mexico, about a two hour drive. We went to the La Quinta Inn breakfast buffet, which was a good selection of cereal, bagels, muffins, waffles, hard boiled eggs, fruit, juices, coffee, and yogurt. We checked out around 9:30 AM and headed to Alamogordo. The drive was very pretty.
Breakfast was okay. Nice selection of good breakfast offerings.I liked their sign.Standing in line at the courthouse is almost never a good sign.Lots of nice parks in Las Cruces.Outside of town, the most jagged peaks we have seen in awhile.Trying to dress up their on ramps and overpasses.Water tank paying homage to the space program.On the way to Alamogordo, you crest a hill and you think you can see forever.
We were starting to see sand dunes.In California we have agricultural inspection stations.When we saw the cameras, we figured Homeland security.
Yep, Customs and Border patrol activities.
We stopped at the White Sands National Park. So very beautiful. We went into the visitor center and read all about how the white sands came to be. Fascinating. After that we drove into the park (used our old people National Park Pass to get in free). It’s something you need to see to imagine just how much sand and how fine and heavy it is. We climbed to the top of one hill and looked around and saw nothing but miles of white sand. There were people flying a kite on one hill, and several other hills had people on snow type sleds going down the hills. Too fun.
We made it to White Sands.Wonderful southwestern adobe construction at the park HQ.Nice touch on the sign, imitating the white sand.Liking the curves on the corners of the buildings.Earth tones, logs for support, nice feel.Excellent graphics that explains how the sand came to be and why it hasn’t left.It is these crystals that eventually break down into the incredible fine sand that makes up the miles of dunes.Nice quote. Edie and I find that the nature walks really charge our batteries.The vast ocean of time is such a wondrous thing to ponder.
Gypsum rich stone from the surrounding mountains.Fun cactus as we exited the Visitors Center and headed out to the dunes..Driving out to the dunes.
Edie on the phone with Lex while I walk a bit.They have a sunset stroll led by a park ranger.Standing at the base of a dune, the wind patterns are neat. The color contrast with the sky is like being in snow country and forces you to see a brighter blue.They plow the roads and it eerily feels like you are in snow.Edie on the phone with Aaron while I walk a bit.I really like the symmetry of the pineapple looking plant.Sledders, adding again to the feeling of snow.Really thought it was beautiful.Pretty woman following me to the top of a dune.The wind on the edge of the top is so creative.Looking back.It’s a wonder they don’t make a movie here.Really liking the edges.Goes for miles.Where did we leave the car?
Aghhhh, litter!Edges….
Interesting wind, sun, sand shelters at the picnic tables.Avalanche sands.The plant life is interesting and has to grow fast, or tall, or spread out on top to keep up with the shifting sands.This plant holds on to it’s own sand base.There is a high moisture content that keeps it all from just blowing way away.
Looks kind of like a lava flow that temporarily stopped.
We left and headed into Alamogordo. We got there around 12:00 PM and just drove around for awhile. We had been wanting a hair cut and saw a place near K-Mart and decided to get ours done. Nice people work there. It’s called Cuttin Up and we would definitely go there again if in the area.
Edie wanted it and I said, “No.”Rough road runner.Finally, we got hair cuts.
We got to sister-in-law Stacey’s home around 1:00 PM. So good to see her. We had told her we wanted to take her out to dinner but she quite insisted she wanted to cook for us. She’s a great cook and I think misses cooking for someone. She used to love cooking for my brother before he died, and boy did he love her cooking too. Anyway, good to see her and her cute little dog, Angel. Her place is much bigger than it looks and she’s fixing it up.
Stacy’s home.
She told us about a couple of places and we decided to all go and see them. The first place was called Cloudcroft, about twenty miles up a huge hill outside of Alamogordo. A very quaint and cute little Western type town up in the hills. There was snow on the ground. It looked like it would be a fun place to visit and explore (if warmer). We didn’t get out of the car but just drove around.
On the drive up and up to Cloudcroft.Dusting of snow at eight thousand plus feet.The quaint village of Cloudcroft.Very woodsie and rustic.
Headed back down the hill we can see the white sands in the distance.
After that we went back down the hill (charged up over ten miles on the batteries going down) and went to the McGinn’s Pistachio Ranch. It has the world’s largest pistachio in the yard. Fun. When we went inside, there were so many samples of so many different types of pistachios. All very yummy. They also had a wine tasting area. Really nice store with lots of different things. Enjoyed seeing it and trying all the different pistachios.
World’s largest pistachio.
Entrance.
Edie embarrassed herself here. Great samples in every container, free, delicious, and you better stay out of Edie’s way.Fun store.They have displayed a gorgeous Ford that is completely restored.The detail was perfect, everywhere. Looked better than new to me.
Inside and out.
I think this was a deluxe model, complete with side view mirrors, wind wings and windshield wipers!
Grumpy and sister in law Stacy.
We got back to Stacey’s around 4:00 PM. Stacey made us the most delicious fajita dinner with salad. To top it off she had made some banana pudding. Too good. We had a good visit and then waddled out of her house around 6:00 PM. We made plans to meet for breakfast tomorrow morning. We left and found our room for the night.
We are at a Super 8 tonight.Comfortable bed and we really liked the white sand photo on the wall.First time, a really comfortable recliner.Usual flat screen, fridge, micro, table.Okay bath.
