White Sands Missile Base and Museum

After leaving Roswell we continued to the White Sands National Monument. Then we continued 30 miles west on US 70 to White Sands Missile Base.

Entry requires a quick background check and a photograph. This took about 10 minutes. We had decided to park the Roadtrek in a parking area outside the base and then we walked the short distance to the security office. The museum is only a few yards from the entry so we walked that, too.

The displays are really interesting. A scale model of the first nuclear device, all sorts of rocketry, a really interesting full scale cut-away of a V2 rocket and even some drones, including a Soviet are Hind helicopter drone. It was well worth the stop. At the end of the post is a link to a larger photo collection.

Click to go to Photo Album

Roswell NM -Alien Encounter

What a difference two weeks makes! In 2015 we attempted to stop in Roswell NM but a sudden winter storm created a temperature drop of about 50F during the day. That storm with icy snow in North Texas delayed us several hours, too late to see the sights of Roswell.

This year the weather was cooperative and so we stopped at Roswell about noon and walked the downtown area. We were able to visit the UFO Museum. The museum was fascinating, with the expected extraterrestrial exhibits and a definitive chronological display of the great Roswell UFO "coverup." There are also fascinating exhibits of crop circles and ancient alien lore, as well as some movie related exhibits. We enjoyed it.

Inside the UFO Museum

Roswell - Area 51 map

From the original movie -"The Day the Earth Stood Still"

Headed Southwest to escape the winter

It's time to leave the north and head south for the winter. Not quite endless summer, but it is to be an infrequent winter. This year we left earlier than usual and the weather was wonderful. This allowed us to stop in Roswell, NM, the Sand Dunes National Monument and the White Sand Missile Base. The total distance was 1837 miles.
Here was the length of each day.  This included travel, sight-seeing and meal time:

• Day 1, 1:15pm-9:30pm, 471 miles 
• Day 2, 9:00am-5:30pm, 460 miles
• Day 3, 8:00am-5:30pm, 416 miles.
• Day 4, 8:30am-5:45pm, 342 miles
• Day 5, 8:00am-10:30am, 148 miles

Here's a data table for 6 days. The first was local miles with average speed 15 MPH. The actual trek was over 5 days. Mileage (MPG) at 55-65 MPH is about 15. Speed limits were generally 70 - 75 MPH. We travel at the speed limits. Our average speed including local miles over the 5 days was 64 MPH.

Some road photos:

Dinner in West  Tulsa

Dusk in Foss, OK

Walking Roswell, NM

G behind the wheel

Driving through the Sand Dunes National Monument

White Sands National Monument

White Sands Missile Base

White Sands Missile Base

White Sands Missile Base

V2 Rocket -White Sands Missile Base

New Mexico sunset

After a few days, it all becomes a blur!

Approaching the Rincon Mountains

Winter approaches and it is time to close down the summer RV

We have shifted from near drought conditions to daily rain. At the travel trailer which we call "our cabin in Michigan" the high recently was 49F and the low that night was 41F. Meanwhile, to the west in Illinois the low was 34F.

The MI campground closes for the season as of November 1 and so we are planning and preparing for our winter escape to the southwest.

I winterized the Roadtrek so if temperatures should drop below freezing, or if our delay southward is delayed, we'll be fine.

We'll spend a few more days in MI, will then winterize and vacate the TT for the season. I expect at least one more good campfire before we move on.

A cool night campfire

We had a wonderful summer.

Resting at sunset

Sharing the beach

A piney squirrel neighbor

Cormorants headed south for the winter

Tossing stones at sunset

A rescued snail

a sunset, one of many 

Dogs at the Beach bucket. Yum!

The travel trailer, our "cabin" in Michigan

A glorious sunset, Chicago skyscrapers on the horizon 

G after a bike ride to the Dunes

A "simple" lunch in Bridgman MI at the Lake Street Eats

Another day in Bridgman, in our "life at the beach"

Preparing an association newsletter article in the Roadtrek

Class B meets Travel Trailer

Our green heron neighbor, at the pond

Just a typical beach day

Wine, anyone?

The snail we retrived

a sunny afternoon

Our blue heron neighbor at the pond

Our Roadtrek 210P at the Warren Dunes

Here's to living a full life, and making a difference, discovering new horizons and enjoying our limitless life.