Wednesday, January 11, 2012

From Tucson NM to White Sands National Monument to Artesia NM = 459 miles today

Your Ad Here After enduring the worst nights sleep yet during this whole trip (in Tucson) we moved on at 7:30am and vowed to get out of Arizona. There are trains that run through most parts of the city at all hours of the day and night. More at night it seemed. I was parked on a residential street and was awoken over and over by blaringly loud train horns. It was really annoying. I had gone out to a couple local bars and had a few drinks so I decided not to move the RV to a quieter location.

Click here for a video. Turn up your volume. The train horns sound really faint but in person they were loud enough to wake the dead.

Tucson is really nice except for the damned trains.
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I really like the unusual colors they use on buildings.
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About 350 miles later, we arrived at the WHITE SANDS in New Mexico today. It was definitely worth the $3 to drive the 8 miles in and have a look around. We saw a lot of neat things and did a little hiking.

The sand was COLD! And yes, I know that I missed my calling as a foot model. >;-)

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I wonder what was in these holes? I didn’t stick my finger too far in. I thought maybe a big spider would take a chunk out of it.
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A view of the sand and a View
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We saw some cool vehicles. This syncro had license plates on it from many countries and a huge map of the world. I didn’t get a chance to talk to the owner.
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In an effort to stay off the highways sometimes, we found ourselves ignoring the GPS and travelling rte. 82 up over the mountains through Lincoln National Forest. It was beautiful and I am glad we got to drive this route instead of another boring highway.
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This guy was riding from Texas to Colorado. It was in the 40’s in the mountains but he had heated grips, seat and clothing. He was all set.
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Nearing the top we started seeing the other white stuff… not sand but SNOW. It was chilly. There were deer everywhere eating grass and stuff.
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We are chilling (pun intended) in a walmart parking lot in Artesia NM for the night.

Tigger Says… “What’s that white stuff all over the ground?”
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3 comments:

  1. I'm seeing that white stuff out my window today! YUK!!...rene

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  2. Dude! I mean, Don! Thanks for sharing some great pictures and I'm glad you got to see some wonderful sites but you missed some beautiful parts of NM. Where are you headed? It looks like you're about to swing through TX (?). Please promise me you'll let me give you a pretty route. West Texas can be pretty boring without some guidance. OK? HugZ!

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  3. I wasn't in NM long and knew I'd missed a lot but that's ok. I'll catch some more of it next time I come. What parts I have seen have been spectacular though.

    And please do email me some route info through texas. I'll be heading south and west tomorrow. I'd like to meander along the gulf coast eventually.

    thanks!

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