Commuting out of Las Cruces, NM?
07-04-2023, 04:37 PM
#11
Perennial Reserve
Joined APC: Jan 2018
Posts: 12,068
Unless the White Sands Missile Range has their gates closed for a shot (happens, but not too frequently) going to White Sands National Park would be a great motorcycle ride if the day isn’t too warm.
It’s in the Tularosa Basin which actually has no outlet to the sea, so the very occasional rains carry gypsum down from the mountains that ring the basin and it winds up in a sort of gypsum brine shallow lake. The dry winds superconcentrate it and blow gypsum crystals off the surface which settle in the park. The “sand” there has an interesting texture. Great place for a picnic and to let kids or grandkids play. Because of the fine gypsum dust in the air, the sunsets in the tularosa basin tend to be awesome.
Farther north you can see the malpais - literally the badlands - which is a fairly recent (by continental US standards) lava flow, which would be a longer ride.
It’s in the Tularosa Basin which actually has no outlet to the sea, so the very occasional rains carry gypsum down from the mountains that ring the basin and it winds up in a sort of gypsum brine shallow lake. The dry winds superconcentrate it and blow gypsum crystals off the surface which settle in the park. The “sand” there has an interesting texture. Great place for a picnic and to let kids or grandkids play. Because of the fine gypsum dust in the air, the sunsets in the tularosa basin tend to be awesome.
Farther north you can see the malpais - literally the badlands - which is a fairly recent (by continental US standards) lava flow, which would be a longer ride.
07-04-2023, 05:51 PM
#12
Retired.
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Mar 2010
Posts: 420
Wow, nice photos.
We did visit the White Sands missile range and a museum with an old German V-2 rocket, interesting for sure.
Never saw those girls on the white sand dunes however, now I really want to move out there, get a big ass bike and go riding
in the sunset.
Anyways, this is all good info, maybe I am tired of boating and Florida.
Go West Young Man, smell the roses out there and try something new, wife would love to be with her sister
in Las Cruces and I can focus on cars, boats, airplanes and beer.
(No kids or grandkids, only a lazy dog and she will come with us anywhere)
We did visit the White Sands missile range and a museum with an old German V-2 rocket, interesting for sure.
Never saw those girls on the white sand dunes however, now I really want to move out there, get a big ass bike and go riding
in the sunset.
Anyways, this is all good info, maybe I am tired of boating and Florida.
Go West Young Man, smell the roses out there and try something new, wife would love to be with her sister
in Las Cruces and I can focus on cars, boats, airplanes and beer.
(No kids or grandkids, only a lazy dog and she will come with us anywhere)
12-10-2023, 09:38 AM
#13
Retired.
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Mar 2010
Posts: 420
Back in Las Cruces and we started looking at Real Estate, very reasonable compared to Florida for sure.
Also found good restaurants and visited the local airport to see about airplane rental in the future.
Question:
How crazy does traffic get into El Paso a Monday morning?
We have a 9:49am flight, and Las Cruces to ELP is normally a :50 minute drive without gassing up and returning the rental car.
How bad can it get a Monday morning? A 2 hour drive?
Also found good restaurants and visited the local airport to see about airplane rental in the future.
Question:
How crazy does traffic get into El Paso a Monday morning?
We have a 9:49am flight, and Las Cruces to ELP is normally a :50 minute drive without gassing up and returning the rental car.
How bad can it get a Monday morning? A 2 hour drive?
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