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Bicycle Adventure #73
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Side Trips: Roswell, Lincoln (Lincoln County War), NM, Petroglyphs, White Sands Missile Range Museum, Valley of Fires, Two Ancient Pueblos

Pictures and Stories About Bicycle Adventures



A Tandem Tour and Visit to White Sands National Monument
New Mexico's (and Mexico's) Chihuahua Basin
February, 2019



Day 3
Tandem Bike Tour Through White Sands National Monument, New Mexico

Terry & Dennis Struck, and the Bee at the White Sands National Monument, New Mexico, Visitor's Center.

Above: Terry, Dennis (behind the camera), and the Bee at the White Sands National Monument, New Mexico, Visitor's Center. The Monument is Open but the Visitor's Center is closed, so we will tour the park first and visit the Center afterwards. It was about 58F/14C but later warming to 68F/19C, so for now we are wearing a Jacket and Flannel Shirt.

White Sands National Monument's Visitor Center sign. White Sands National Monument's Visitor Center building.

Above: White Sands National Monument's Visitor Center sign and building.

White Sands Entrance. Bike Friendly Entrance.

Above: White Sands Bike Friendly Entrance.

Water Warning. Entrance Kiosks ahead.

Above Left: Water Warning.

Above Right: Entrance Kiosks ahead - It was a Good News/Bad News story, our Entrance Cost was Free because we (Dennis) has a National Parks Senior Pass.

We were in the Chihuahua Desert looking at the Innerdunal Area. We were in the Chihuahua Desert looking at the Innerdunal Area.

Above: We were in the Chihuahua Desert looking at the 'Innerdunal Area'.

Innerdunal Area is White Sands term for sand dune(s) with visible vegetation (versus sand dune(s) with no or virtually no visible plant life).
In the Chihuahua Desert looking at the Innerdunal Area. In the Chihuahua Desert looking at the Innerdunal Area.
In the Chihuahua Desert looking at the Innerdunal Area. In the Chihuahua Desert looking at the Innerdunal Area.
White Sand Formation Information and You are Here.

Above: White Sand Formation Information and You are Here.

The 'white colored sand' comes from Gypsum Crystals being ground-up by strong winds over time (thousands of years). The primary strong winds, of dust storm caliber, come from the SSW. The length of the Chihuahua Desert Valley is geologically aligned SSW-NNE.
In the Chihuahua Desert looking at the Innerdunal Area. Cousin It, Dennis, and the Bee.

Above Left: In the Chihuahua Desert looking northwest at the Innerdunal Area, the San Andres Mountain Range in the background.

Above Right: 'Cousin It', Dennis, and the Bee. That is a big Yucca Plant.

Later we learned to identify two local plants that look like a Yucca Plant (all are members of the Lily Family):
  • Sotol Plant which has ribbon like leaves and a stalk with tiny flowers.
  • Soaptree Yucca which has big flowers from little pods. Different parts are used for medicine, construction rope (threads from the leaves), and food.
In the Chihuahua Desert looking at the Innerdunal Area. In the Chihuahua Desert looking at the Innerdunal Area.
About Chihuahuan Life and You are Here.

Above: About Chihuahuan Life and You are Here.

In the Chihuahua Desert looking at the Innerdunal Area. In the Chihuahua Desert looking at the Innerdunal Area.
In the Chihuahua Desert looking at the Innerdunal Area. In the Chihuahua Desert looking at the Innerdunal Area.
This front-bucket loader was moving sand from the previous days blow. This front-bucket loader was moving sand from the previous days blow.

Above: This front-bucket loader was moving sand from the previous days blow. Also, we were getting closer to the Heart of the Dunes.

In White Sands, NM, looking at the Innerdunal Area. In White Sands, NM, looking at the Innerdunal Area.
In White Sands, NM, looking at the Innerdunal Area. In White Sands, NM, looking at the Innerdunal Area.
In White Sands, NM, looking at the Innerdunal Area. In White Sands, NM, looking at the Innerdunal Area.
Nothing to be proud about for a bicycle. White Sand Yucca Art.

Above Left: Nothing to be proud about for a bicycle, the speed-check in at the top of a climbing incline.

Above Right: White Sand Yucca Art.

In White Sands, NM, Innerdunal Area. In White Sands, NM, Innerdunal Area.
In White Sands, NM, Innerdunal Area. In White Sands, NM, Innerdunal Area.
The Bee's view. Yucca Plant & Innerdunal Area.

Above Left: The Bee's view.

Above Right: Yucca Plant & Innerdunal Area.

Don't walk on plant life nor gypsum rocks.

Above: Don't walk on plant life nor gypsum rocks, also 'You are Here'.

Vegetation became visibly sparse. Tandem Selfie in White Sands, NM (the Captain's Flannel Shirt Shell is Open).

Above Left: Vegetation became visibly sparse.

Above Right: Tandem Selfie in White Sands, NM. The Captain's Flannel Shirt Shell is Open because the temperature is warming.

In White Sands, NM, Innerdunal Area. In White Sands, NM, Innerdunal Area.
In White Sands, NM, Innerdunal Area. In White Sands, NM, Innerdunal Area.
In White Sands, NM, Innerdunal Area. It is the plant roots that are holding these sand clumps together.

Above Left: In White Sands, NM, Innerdunal Area.

Above Right: The sand has been driven away from plants by the wind, and it is the plant roots that are holding these sand clumps together. The rocks in the foreground are gypsum crystals.

Yucca Rootball. Yucca Rootball.
Yucca that has continued truck growth for the rising dune. Yucca that has collaped for lack of ground support.
Yucca Plants have a special positive attribute from nature that makes them rise up (grow) with a piling sand mound that is becoming a sand-hill or sand dune. It is not usual for a Yucca to add another 10 to 15 feet to its main trunk. A negative attribute is that over time, when the sand blows away from an extended trunk the upper portion of the trunk will go limp from a lack of support and eventually die. However, in another positive attribute, the base may grow a side sprout.
White Sands, NM: End of paved road. Off-Pavement Driving Rules, we liked #2.

Above Left: This was the end of the paved road.

Above Right: Off-Pavement Driving Rules, we liked #2.

Looking northwest at the San Andres Mountains. Looking east Sierra Blanco, highest peak of the Sacramento Mountains.

Above Left: Looking northwest at the San Andres Mountains.

Above Right: Looking east Sierra Blanco, highest peak of the Sacramento Mountains.

White Sands, NM: Cycling on the sand. White Sands, NM: Cycling on the sand.
White Sands, NM: Cycling on the sand. White Sands, NM: Cycling on the sand.
White Sands, NM: Cycling on the sand. White Sands, NM: Cycling on the sand.
The Dunes move over time from wind.

Above: The Dunes move over time from wind, sometimes in 6 hours in a strog Blow, and there is nothing that the Park Officials can do about it, therefore the roads and parking areas also move over time.

White Sands National Monument, New Mexico
In the Heart of the Dunes

In the Heart of the Dunes. White Sands, NM: In the Heart of the Dunes.
White Sands, NM: In the Heart of the Dunes. White Sands, NM: In the Heart of the Dunes.
White Sands, NM: In the Heart of the Dunes. White Sands, NM: In the Heart of the Dunes.
Dennis & Terry Struck along with the Bee in White Sands National Monument, New Mexico, in the Heart of the Dunes.

Above: Dennis & Terry along with the Bee in White Sands National Monument, New Mexico, in the Heart of the Dunes.

Dennis & Terry Struck along with the Bee in White Sands National Monument, New Mexico, in the Heart of the Dunes. Dennis & Terry Struck along with the Bee in White Sands National Monument, New Mexico, in the Heart of the Dunes.

Above: Dennis & Terry along with the Bee in White Sands National Monument, New Mexico, in the Heart of the Dunes.

White Sands, NM: In the Heart of the Dunes. White Sands, NM: In the Heart of the Dunes.
White Sands, NM: In the Heart of the Dunes. White Sands, NM: In the Heart of the Dunes.
White Sands, NM: In the Heart of the Dunes. White Sands, NM: In the Heart of the Dunes.

Heading Out of the Heart of the Dunes

White Sands, NM: Cycling out on the sand. White Sands, NM: Cycling out on the sand.
White Sands, NM: Cycling out on the sand. White Sands, NM: Cycling out on the sand.
White Sands, NM: Cycling out on the sand. White Sands, NM: Cycling out on the sand.
Our Tandem had reached the paved road surface. Our view to the southeast, Sacramento Mountains in the far background.

Above Left: Our Tandem had reached the paved road surface. The paved road is sort of an indicator of a transition to the Outer-Dune Area (from the Heart of the Dunes).

Above Right: Our view to the southeast, Sacramento Mountains in the far background.

This short stretch of road in White Sands National Monument was eastbound and it faced Sierra Blanca in the Sacramento Mountains.

Above: This short stretch of road in White Sands National Monument was eastbound and it faced Sierra Blanca in the Sacramento Mountains.

The last vespers of yesterdays big blow. The last vespers of yesterdays big blow.
A bit of sand on the road. Last Photo from the bike ride in White Sands NM.

Above Left: A bit of sand on the road.

Above Right: Last Photo from the bike ride in White Sands NM.

White Sands National Monument, New Mexico: Visitors Center

White Sands National Monument, New Mexico, Visitors Center.

Above: White Sands National Monument, New Mexico, Visitors Center.

Santa Fe Trail Map. US Army Forts of the old west.

Above Left: Santa Fe Trail Map.

Above Right: US Army Forts of the old west.

The Jornada Mogollon People. The early Jornada Mogollon's Pit House.

Above Left: The Jornada Mogollon People.

Above Right: The early Jornada Mogollon's Pit House.


Summary

It was sort of exciting to ride our tandem amongst the White Sand Dunes.
Most of the displays in the Visitor’s Center were repeats of the trail signs
and the items that are posted here, just above, were new to us.
We had a great time together!
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