White Black

How do you like the color of your sand: white, black, or reddish?

How do you like the color of your sand: white, black, or reddish? You can find all three within sixty miles. From White Sands National Monument just South of Alamogordo, New Mexico to the Valley of Fires just West of Carrizozo, and Tularosa in between, you can have it all in one day.

White Sands National Monument, about fifteen miles Southwest of Alamogordo, New Mexico on route 70, is a sight worth seeing. The sand is white because of the gypsum found in the San Andreas Mountains. The rain washes the gypsum down to Lake Lucero, which is, located on the White Sands Missile Range. This is off limits to civilians and the park rangers give guided tours periodically. The heat of the day evaporates the water leaving the dry gypsum. The wind blows the sand and forms the different types of dunes. Wildlife survives the in this harsh environment. Most of it is nocturnal, choosing to remain underground during the heat of the day. You can see evidence of their moving about with the footprints in the sand.

Sixty miles to the North are the black lava deposits at The Valley of the Fires Recreation Area. The lava flowed up through as fissure in the earth at Little Black Peak and flowed South between 1,500 and 5,000 years ago. A nature trail winds through the lava fields. For the more adventurous you can hike on the lava flow and even hike to Little Black Peak. Wear sturdy hiking boots and bring plenty of water. You are still in the Chihuahua Desert. The lava covers over 125 square miles and reaches a depth of 160 feet. Flora and fauna abound in the now cooled lava. Day fees are collected at the gate along with RV and tent camping fees. The fees help the Bureau of Land Management improve the facilities at the recreation area.

The area around Carrizozo is Billy the Kid territory and the Lincoln County Range Wars in the 1870s. Before that ancient peoples carved petroglyphs in the lava. They gave way to the Mescalero Apaches.

Forty miles to the South of Carrizozo and seventeen miles North of Tularosa stand fifty-foot mounds strewn with many rocks. This site must have had special religious significance to the ancient people who lived in the Tularosa Basin. They carved over 21,000 drawings onto these rocks. Mask sunbursts, circles, animal depictions, shaman designs, handprints, and geometric designs. A one-mile round trip takes you to the cluster of petroglyphs. A trail guide describes the location of eleven different stops along the way. The trail rises fifty feet and has numerous stairs of rock and earth. The Bureau of Land Management operates the Three Rivers petroglyphs Site. The daily fees and camping fees help support this unique site.

These rock carvings were made by a group of prehistoric Natives whom archeologists call Jornada Mogollon. The petroglyphs were made in different ways. Some were just scratched into the patina of the rocks. Using two rocks as a hammer and chisel formed others. The petroglyphs are very fragile and need to be respected. We do not know why they were made. But they do sum up a way of life among the people. They were very religious and had a close connection with nature. This is left behind in their stunning artwork.

Back to Alamogordo. Because of all of the missile work done at White Sands and Holloman AFB, Alamogordo has its own space museum. Not as elaborate as the Space Museum in Hutchinson, Kansas, this one does stand on its own. It delves into the space station, the shuttle, and early space exploration honoring many men and women who have contributed to the program. The best exhibit is outside the museum. It is the Daisy track decelerator, which tested to G force of sudden deceleration. Fascinating!

About the Author

John and Maggie Pelley are Geriatric Gypsies. Both of us are retired from the rat race of working. We are full-time RVers, who ran away from home. We began our travels on the East Coast and, like the migrating birds, seek the warmth of the seasons. No more shoveling snow in Chicago. We have discovered volunteering with the National Park System. During our travels we have found that each town has a story to tell: some are more interesting than others. Both of us enjoy good listening music as we go. John has a CD he has recorded of Native American flure music. We have learned that RVing has a learning curve. We want to pass on some advice the help others avoid this trecherous curve. Life is an adventure. We are living it to the utmost.

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