April 24

We left Alamogordo around 7:15 a.m. Drove out the the White Sands National Monument and drove the road through the dunes, stopping at all the signs and

a boardwalk. The signs told about the various plants and animals that live in the

desert environment. There were so kids sliding down the dunes on discs just as

if it were snow. Really the sand is so white, it almost looks like snow.

Stopped at the Visitors’ Center and watched a movie on how the area was form-

ed. Bought some replicas of antique postcards and of course, another pin for my

hat.

Drove on to the Valley of Fire State Recreation Area. It is known as Mal Pais

(badlands) and is volcanic in origin, black lava rock for miles. We didn’t walk the

trail because by this time it was very windy, gusting to more than 25 miles an

hour.

Headed for Socorro and checked into the Comfort Inn. Then we drove west to

the National Radio Astronomy Observatory Very Large Array Telescope. 30 huge

dishes relaying images from space. They are on the Plains of San Augustin, a

sunken, flat area between mountains.

Came back into town, neither of us very hungry. John got a yogurt parfait and

a wrap at McD’s. I grabbed a PB Granola bar from our stash, but haven’t eaten

it.

Did laundry tonight. What excitement.

Tomorrow we will go to Bosque Del Apache Wildlife Area, a premier birding spot

in New Mexico. John will probably read or take a nap after we drive the wildlife

drive, while I bird around the Visitors’ Center. We were here last fall, and I loved

it.

Then we’ll head to Santa Fe…..

John and Elaine