White Sands National Monument is near Alamogordo NM. It is part of the national park system and encompasses an area of desert and gypsum dunes, the result of a dried-up lake around 10,000 years ago. Never having been in a desert until I arrived in the Southwest, this is what I presumed it would look … More White Sands National Monument

As noted in my previous posting, I was at the Shroud of Turin Museum yesterday. The Museum is run by Peter Schumacher, who has been a researcher on the Shroud since the 70’s, and is a truest if the true believers in it. Me, I accept science, not mythology . There have been several scientific … More A Conversation With Peter Schumacher

OK, so everyone on the planet has heard of the Shroud of Turin, which some claim is the actual burial cloth of Jesus Christ, but which carbon-dating has shown to be medieval in age. The Shroud of Turin Museum in Alamogordo NM makes no pretense to be neutral on the matter—it is unabashedly in the … More Shroud of Turin Museum

The Alamogordo History Museum is a small city-run display housed in a former hotel. Like most local history museums, it has a small collection of local memorabilia. Here are some photos from a visit. The museum Inside the museum Fossil ferns from the Permian period Mescalero Apache basket Seashell beads, obtained through trade WAC Corporal … More Alamogordo History Museum

Alameda Park in downtown Alamagordo, although a small zoo in a small city (with a small budget), has a nice little zoo with a geographically diverse collection of animals. Alas like so many other small zoos it uses chain-link fencing for its enclosures, which provide cheap and easy to maintain facilities, but also makes it … More Alameda Park Zoo

The New Mexico Museum of Space History is a gem found in Alamogordo NM, near the White Sands Missile Range. White Sands played an early role in the space program that has been mostly forgotten elsewhere, but is remembered here at the museum. From early tests of captured German V2 rockets, to the flight of … More Space History Museum

It’s a blast.  😉 The Trinity Test Site, where the first atomic bomb test was carried out, is only open to the public two days a year–and one of those is the first Saturday in October. So if all goes well I should be there. (I don’t have the faintest clue where it is or … More Greetings From Alamogordo NM

When I arrived in Vegas I knew the Walmart I’m staying at was a risk: technically it does not allow overnight parking, but on the various websites it was reported that many people were doing it anyway, taking advantage of the fact that it’s pretty busy so the security folks can’t keep track of everyone. … More Tap Tap Tap–It’s the Cops

The Springs Preserve is a wildlife area right in the middle of Las Vegas. Owned and managed by the Las Vegas Valley Water District, the Springs provided water for the original town of Las Vegas back in 1905. Today it is a wildlife refuge, protecting 180 acres of the Mojave Desert and preserving several historic structures. … More Springs Preserve

Yes, like virtually everyone else who comes here, I ended up losing money by gambling in Vegas. Inside the Excalibur Casino When I first arrived in Vegas about two weeks ago, I promised myself that I would not spend any time or money inside any of the casinos. Gambling is, after all, a tax on … More OK, I Lost at Vegas….