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| Hiking | 1.00 Miles |
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| no partners | | This was my second visit to New Mexico, and only the sixth time I have driven through it. I have never seen an emptier place, not even when I was in the first Gulf War. But all places have their own beauty, and my wife & I enjoyed our early morning drive north on US-54, through Tularosa, Three Rivers and Oscuro to Carrizozo. There actually is a small three plot cemetery in the right of way just north of Oscuro.
Our previous visit to New Mexico came during a cross country trip in 2008. Ostensibly, the purpose of the trip was a return home to visit Wisconsin and Road America, but really it was to have one of America's best burgers at the Meers Store in Oklahoma. On the way back, we spent a day visiting the alien museums in Roswell, before heading west on US-380, through Lincoln -- where they were filming a Billy the Kid movie -- and Carrizozo to San Antonio. Just east of San Antonio, I pulled over for a historic sign, discovering it marked the nearby Trinity Site, location of the world’s first nuclear explosion.
we came to a complete halt three miles from Stallion Gate. That's over three hundred vehicles, including several buses. Being retired Army, I understand security, and was grateful for the rare chance to visit a historic site on a still highly classified post, but it took 90 minutes until we got through Stallion Gate.
The MPs directing traffic into theTrinity Site parking area looked so young: It made me nostalgic.
Unfortunately, the snack stand was out of coffee by 10:30 a.m., which was a real issue because it was so cold & cloudy. (We had actually got snowed on driving the 6,400 ft. pass over Chupadera Mesa on US-380, west of Carrizozo.)
At the souvenir stand, I bought a t-shirt -- my collection is approaching 150 -- a fridge magnet, and postcard to send our grandaughter. 
The thing I found most fascinating about the Fat Man display were the contact fuzes, that were a fail-safe in case the altimeter fuse failed to detonate at 500 meters.
The Ground Zero obelisk was the most crowded of all the attractions: Everybody took pictures. Getting a closeup photo of the plaque, or even a chance to read it, was pointless.
Finally, we checked out the information & photo signs along the far perimeter fence. One was actually amusing, the military police unit had put up a sign announcing their barn as "Lazy MP Ranch". (A play on words, since "lazy" is a ranching term for a brand letter on it's side.)
McDonald Ranch is where Fat Man was assembled. The adobe barn and windmill have collapsed, and were taped off as a "danger area". Thankfully old adobe buildings are not no-go zones on my hikes. The ranch building had a couple more historical signs, including one with photos of the McDonald family.
Trinity Site Video: [ youtube video ] |
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| http://prestonm.com : Everyone's enjoyment of the outdoors is different and should be equally honored. |
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