Author: Easin' Along

Leaving White Sands was a tad bit difficult because the setting was incredibly beautiful. We would have loved another day there to pause and enjoy, but Kirtland AFB in Albuquerque was the next stop and we wanted to spend some time in the area. We had no reservation.  Helen (adorable wife) had been told that space was tight so we pointed Sherman (our Cruise America RV) northward and took off. The drive was only four hours and we had plenty of time before check-in. This would be our first stop of more than one night and we eagerly were looking forward to a slower pace.

At the campground, we claimed the last space available. By now, we were experienced campers and had learned that it was best to get shopping and gas out of the way before connecting Sherman to the utilities, so we made our way to the commissary for a few items then returned to the campground.  When we returned we found a huge motor home in our assigned space with the owner just wrapping up with his connections. When we informed him that he was in our spot, he tried to dispute this, but we showed him our paid receipt and he relented.  It turned out that he had pulled in after the office was closed and decided the space was his. He left somewhat disgruntled.

After that brief encounter, we settled in nicely.  Although our view was not as striking as what we experienced in White Sands, we did have the Sandia Mountains to our front and considered ourselves fortunate once again. The camp shower facility was clean and well maintained and we never experienced a wait for them during our three days there. We were able to purchase propane there as well. So, for our Military Living readers, we recommend Kirtland RV Camp highly. Note: Received a comment from a reader informing us about great golfing in the Albuquerque area and that Kirtland has a great golf course. Glad to pass that along.

The next morning we decided to give Sherman a little down time too and made a reservation for a rental car in order to do some extended exploring of the area. Although Sherman had given us little to no trouble, he sometimes presented a challenge when parallel parking on city streets, and we were going to check out Old Town Albuquerque.

It was a perfect day for sightseeing when we parked in Old Town.  The square which served as the center of activity was busy but not so much that it could be called crowded. We explored a few shops and marveled at the pottery that had been created by Native American artists from several of the Pueblo tribes in the area. Helen is a budding potter and loves to check out the works of others.

San Felipe De Neri is the oldest church in Albuquerque and since we were parking right in front of it, we decided to go in.  This church was built in 1706 and had been prepared for the Lenten season with many of the Christian symbols in the chapel draped in purple cloth. The sanctuary was void of any noise. We passed several worshippers seated in pews and deep into prayer. We paid our respects and left.

Next…we eat. A short walk away was the Church Street café, and Trip advisor said it was a great place to dine in Old Town. The restaurant appeared small, but it was larger than it looked from outside.  We were seated on the patio and given menus. After some deliberation, we did something we do rarely and chose the same thing…Navajo Tacos, a dish composed of beans, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and fresh avocado on something new to me–Indian fry bread.  I added beef to mine. This dish was divine.  The avocado was so good, and the Indian fry bread had an incredible flavor and the texture of a firm pound cake. I loved it and ate every bite.

By now it was early afternoon.  For our next adventure, we drove out of town and bought tickets for the Sandia Peak Aerial Tramway, the second longest aerial tramway in the world. We had been told by a camper at Kirtland that the views from the top of the mountain were extraordinary and we thought it would be something that old retired folks like us would enjoy.  After all, it was too early to hit the casino.  This was another good move.

The tram was busy. This was somewhat surprising on a Monday afternoon. I asked around and learned that most of the passengers were tourists with a lot of families on spring break vacations. I also learned that the Tramway was voted the “Best Family Attraction” in New Mexico. We stood in line and caught the second tram available.  Once we began the ascent, the city of Albuquerque became visible to the rear of the tram and flattened out toward the horizon. To the front of the tram, the rock formations on the Sandia Peak came into view and our tram operator described each in detail.  The journey up was both fun and informative.

At the top, we spent considerable time walking out to the observation decks and taking pictures.  There was still plenty of snow on the mountain, but the ski slope had closed for the season.  One patron, an Army captain, pointed out Kirtland AFB in the distance. I was able to make it out, including our campground, but didn’t spot Sherman.  I hoped he was making friends with some fellow RVs…he’s quite the social animal.

As we stood in line for the return trip down, our tram soon came into view and it had a tram operator standing on top of it. This brave soul had ridden the entire 2.7 miles to the 10,378-foot peak out in the open.  I don’t think I could do that at gunpoint. On the way down, I took a short video to capture some of the views, and it can be found on the Easin’ Along YouTube page.  (Click here and scroll to the video.)  

We returned to Kirtland and caught Sherman blowing kisses to the cute little fifth wheel camper next door. I threatened to throw some cold water on him if he got out of hand but she didn’t seem to mind. It seems as if everyone was having a great day.  Helen and I took a stroll around the park to let them get better acquainted while being partially chaperoned. 

Albuquerque was indeed a high–light of Sherman’s march to the sea. Please visit the Picture Gallery that follows this post (click here).

We’re eagerly looking forward to Easin’ Along toward Santa Fe tomorrow—details next week.  Please come back and Ease Along with us.

Texas is big, really big. Sherman, our Cruise America RV, only wants to travel in daylight so it required two days to make it across the state. Our route took us south and westward away from San Angelo on Interstate 10 through some pretty barren countryside.  This made for interesting views.  We were able to see vast stretches of desert punctuated by a few oil rigs, and small herds of cattle. We went for miles without seeing a human soul except for those in passing vehicles. The scenery was fascinating in so many ways.

Ultimately we turned north and west as we neared El Paso. I have never been to Mexico and was struck by the difference in the appearance of the structures on either side of the border as we drove beside the “wall”. The huge, modern buildings in El Paso were in sharp contrast to the small, well-worn homes that were etched into the hillsides of Juarez just several hundred yards away from us.

Our destination on this leg of our RV road trip was White Sands Missile Range, NM. We ventured through Las Cruces then turned east over St. Augustine Pass through the Organ Mountains. It was hard to contain my excitement at this point.  Prior to this trip, I had been in every state in the lower 48 except for three and New Mexico was one of those three. I had always pictured New Mexico in my mind as being beautiful, and this first glimpse did much to reinforce that image.  The view to our front was stunning. The mountains were framed by a clear blue sky with the earth tones of the sand at the bottom of our view through Sherman’s windshield. I remember saying to myself “This is why I made this trip”.

White Sands Mille Range is the largest military installation in the country, covering some 3,200 square miles. Testing missiles requires lots of land, and testing missiles happens here. We went through the gate to the base and drove straight to the campground because it was getting late in the day. We had a reservation but we were a bit apprehensive because there are only eight sites for RVs and we wanted a good one. We worried needlessly. There were only two sites occupied. We placed some towels and a few boxes on the picnic table at the end of the row. Helen (adorable wife) gave me a high five because this was definitely the best site available (and Helen is pretty picky about where she sleeps).  The next task was to go pay for our stay.  At $10 it was a bargain!

After a quick trip to the commissary for some dinner items, we connected Sherman to all of the utilities and settled in. The setting sun gave us a striking view to our front. My only thoughts were “Man, I’m so glad to be here!”  My next thought was why were we here for only one night? I sat at the picnic table, eyes fixed on the mountains until I was driven in by the chill that fell on the desert.

The next morning we were up early and bounced out of Sherman to take some pictures of the sunrise and the morning sun on the mountains. Once again, a clear day greeted us.  A skilled photographer I’m not, but a few pictures were taken that morning came out well. I was able to get Helen to pose for this picture as she headed off for the shower.  I always said she looks good anytime, even early in the morning.

The showers at the campground were extremely clean with no one waiting to use them. Our Military Living readers need to know that everything about this campground is first class. It truly is a gem in the military inventory and I would recommend it highly. Hopefully, we will return someday for a longer visit.

All too soon the time came for us to leave. We pointed Sherman toward the White Sands National Monument. As we were leaving the main base of Missile Range, we spotted endless field of bright yellow flowers that extended far into the desert. We stopped to photograph this dazzling color display and walked through them for several hundred feet. Later, a friend told us they were California poppies and the rainfall had brought them out in volume this year.

The White Sands National Monument, a National Park, is located completely within the Missile Range reservation.  As such, it can be closed occasionally for missile testing, but this day was not one of them. We stopped at the Park Headquarters to have our Park Passports stamped and to pick up a souvenir or two before we drove eight-mile loop through the Monument. What a sight to see.

The white sand is composed of gypsum that is washed from the surface of the surrounding mountains and becomes trapped on the floor of the desert. There is no way for the water to flow from the area, so the light gypsum sand remains and is moved around by the wind. Large dunes are thus formed. We drove by many of them on the loop road. A Park brochure informed us that this is the largest gypsum dune field in the world and the monument can be seen by astronauts from space.

We also drove by young people who were surfing and sledding down the sand dunes.  It looked like a lot of fun.  We stopped to watch the surfers at one of the points of interest and decided to walk out to a viewing area past several dunes. It was quite remarkable to see how far the white sand extended. It was also quite beautiful. Once we reached the end of the viewing area we met a nice couple named John and Mary from Wisconsin. They came to White Sands in a large RV that made Sherman very self-conscious.  We took turns getting pictures of ourselves to preserve our visits. See our Picture Gallery next Tuesday.

We also met an energetic young student from Creighton University who had just completed a project with the border patrol in El Paso during her spring break.  She had come to White Sands to enjoy a day of sand surfing with a few of her classmates. I found myself envious of both her youth and her energy.  She was to graduate soon. We wished her well as she walked back to join her friends.

Sherman was waiting somewhat impatiently as we returned to the parking lot.  He was anxious to move on to Albuquerque where we would finally be staying somewhere for more than one night. Perhaps the sand under his saddle was making him a bit cranky. We dusted him off and fired him up.  We were sorry to leave White Sands, a place I’ll store in the memory bank for a long time. Sherman however, blew a few grains of white sand out of his radiator…and muttered something like “it’s time to be Easin’ Along”. Cranky!