New Mexico - Westward

We stayed at Brantley Lake State Park on the Pecos River for one night and then headed west.  The route took us into the mountains.  Within two hours we went from desert landscape and cactus to high mountains, tall trees and SNOW.



Snow on the road



 
The temperature dropped from 72 degrees down to close to freezing.  We reached an altitude of 8000 ft.  We drove through ski country!  The downward road out of the mountains was a 6% grade for 15 miles-all brakes and runaway truck ramps.  Once over the mountains we toured the White Sands National Monument.  These gypsum sand dunes are vast-they cover 275 square miles.  They are soft drifting sand but sort of hard packed so people can walk on or slide down the dunes.  Lots of fun and very picturesque.

White Sands National Monument

We left the Whites Sands area and took hwy 70 south through the military base where missiles are tested.  The military closes that highway when they are firing.  They have a museum and gift shop-we didn't stop.

Continuing on hwy 70 towards Las Cruces we bought a new video camera. We will be posting video soon!

We're spending the night at Elephant Butte State Park along the Rio Grande.  On the way in to the park we did notice there was a WalMart on the edge of town.  Good to have a backup plan if the campground is full.