To White Sands and...back.

Hhad a most interesting a drive... right through the White Sands Missile testing range. Hardly any signs at one or two of the miltary complexes complexes. we were on the public a public road and I kept my eyes straight in front of me and eyes on the road. The road is straight and very good and seemingly well cared for by the Army. the rest was fascinating. The might of the military in this country scares me.
At White Sands National Monument, we wondered up a white sand dune all made out of gypsum and we're wandered down another one and up another one and down another one it was quite fascinating. Connie pointed out the fact that there were a few cottonwoods near the summit of one of these dunes. that was rather mustifying until later in the walk along the Nature Trail I realized that cottonwoods grow near water but this dune where the green of the leaves were popping out was at least 50 to 60 ft above any water of which they didn't appear to be very much and the astounding fact is that the cottonwoods all growing on water 60 ft. down the sand dune has all the gypsum dune has just covered 80% of the tree so that all that remains is the top of the cottonwood. and the same thing has happened for the yucca and other vegetation absolutely amazing and all white egyptian. as was explained in the public information the video the rivers or the rain and therefore the rivers will wash down the gypsum crystals out of the rock higher up in the mountains those crystals land up on the plateau where the wind erodes them into very very very fine particles of gypsum sand..
A fascinatingly interesting morning and well worth the trip and the discomfort of getting and walking around in the heat and the glare of the White Sands but I mean if your name the National monument the White Sands National monument than what on Earth are you going to expect but... White Sands. Enough.
all is well we leave tomorrow for the north hopefully someplace near Alburqueque on Thursda.y For now all is wel.l
Jack and Connie.
Jack OUT.Read more