Posted on by dennis

Eastern New Mexico

Departed Las Cruces (adios, amigos!). Up and over the Organ Mountains, through White Sands Missile Range and White Sands National Monument. I learned that the name “White Sands” is an early example of government misinformation…the dunes are actually gypsum.

In this part of the country, the government has established a series of checkpoints called White Checks. The whiter you are, the easier it is to pass through.

At the risk of inciting unending envy in all, I will report that I visited Pistashioland, near Alamogordo, NM. One under-appreciated aspect of nuclear weapons testing is the enormous size of agricultural products that are now realized. This particular pistachio is about 3 times the size of my van-house and can supply the average American family with 2.7 years of pistachio nut meats. Imagine what would be possible with additional thermonuclear explosions!

Beautiful mountains lay to the east of Alamogordo. The mountains are the ancestral homelands of the Mescalero Apache. What a fine place to live in harmony with the land! Lincoln National Forest participates in dispersed camping, so I settled into a secluded site nestled in a valley. Patchy snow remained from a recent storm. Outside temp was 17 degrees in the morning, 60 in the van.

 

Xena, the Warrior Princess, got to experience her first snow! She loved it. (I don’t know how to embed a video, so you have to click on the link to see her cavorting)

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Evenings in my tiny van-house are comfy. I’ve been watching The Expanse.

And enjoying clear blue skies in the day.

Many of you have left comments, which I appreciate enormously. However, because of some technical weirdness, most comments come from Anonymous. There is a way for me to fix it by re-subscribing you in a different way. Email me if you want me to do that.

8 Replies to “Eastern New Mexico”

  1. I’m living vicariously through your posts, especially with 18-24″ of snow expected today in New England. Have fun and keep the posts coming! Tom G.

  2. I love seeing the day-to-day and the night-by-night views of life on the move. The photography is excellent. I’m seeing places that I would not have other ways of seeing. The landscape of our great country is more appealing without people with their snarlyness in view.

  4. Is that your van in the photo—a light gray? Gennaro.
    Love the photos……be careful driving!!! Love to the Princess!!!

  5. Hi Dennis, We are enjoying your photo posts. Maybe we in the U.K. should have a nueclear event. We could be self sustaining in food instead of importing so much from the E.U. CHUCKLING. The scenery looks so peaceful. and beautiful. Rod and Ian.

  7. On the road again! Great pictures, they offer a vicarious road trip. Makes me feel like I’m no the road with you. You had an easy time of it with the “white checks” but what about the Princess–she’s black!! Keep us posted, we’re enjoying the trip!

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