White Sands National Monument and Missile Range

We couldn't drive past this missile range because Bob loves space, and everything space related, so we parked our camper and headed out to see what they had to offer.

On our way to the missile range we stopped at White Sands National Monument.

It almost looks like snow when you see the white sands from a distance. It's actually a gypsum field, and it's the largest gypsum field in the world.

You can sled on snow, and you can sled on white sand too, so they sell and rent sleds at the visitor's center to use here. No, we didn't try it, but it did look like fun!

Bob hiked to the top of a dune and he had a great view of the San Andrea Mountains behind him. We were here a few years ago and saw many stealth bombers streaking across the sky, but this time we didn't see any.  Huge disappointment.

This is a very pretty area. The sands are so white, and the mountains in the distance look beautiful.

They plow the roads every day because the sand, like snow, drifts.

Our next stop was the White Sands Missile Range.

There were displays of rockets for Bob to study. He loves this stuff.

They also had displays of other interesting things, like a space shuttle made of cardboard tubes and styrafoam cups. The shuttle was made by reporters who were waiting for the shuttle to land and got a little bored.

This Darth Vader helmet was given to the Missile Range by Ben Burtt of Lucas Films. Ben visited the range twice in 1978 to record sounds of missiles being test fired, and he used some of these sounds in Star Wars, for which he won an Academy Award.

This Saturn V rocket had it's own building and we were in there a long time.  sigh

The outside exhibit was filled with good stuff, but there was a storm brewing, and we got out of there fast!

Next stop? Wait until you see it!

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