I grew up in New Mexico and have lived most of my life here. Being a native, I grimace a little when I hear outsiders or recent move-ins rag on how "dry" and/or "ugly" the state is, but I suppose New Mexico is an acquired taste of sorts. Personally, I marvel at all it has going for it: mountains, forests, several stunning wilderness areas, beautiful state parks and lakes, Carlsbad Caverns (not to mention various other, wilder caves that are permitted for recreational caving), dozens of ghost towns and other sites of historical interest, picturesque mountain towns (e.g., Ruidoso, Silver City, Red River), the Philmont Scout Ranch, and the prettiest pastel sunsets I've ever seen.One place I've come to love over the years is White Sands National Monument, which is located west of Alamogordo and Holloman Air Force Base. At some point, someone hit on the idea of sledding on the fine-powder gypsum dunes there using masonite boards, and we've done that six or seven times in the last fifteen-or-so years. (See accompanying photo.) The sleds are very inexpensive to fabricate -- all it takes is a saw to section up a 4' x 8' (3/8"-thick) masonite sheet (preferably the kind that has one shiny side and one rough side) into 18"-20" widths, a drill to make a hole for a short section of rope to use as a handle, and some paraffin for waxing in between runs. And it's a real hoot to do! (Caveat: Some care needs to be taken in selecting a dune to sled down, as the jolt one gets at the bottom of the dune can cause injury.)
Combining a trip to White Sands with a stay at Oliver Lee Memorial State Park, a wonderful, desert camping spot a few miles south of Alamogordo, makes for an inexpensive but enjoyable weekend. (Oliver Lee is also a historical site: in addition to being an old homestead, it's located at the mouth of Dog Canyon, where several epic confrontations between the U.S. Cavalry and the Apaches took place in the 19th Century.) I wonder what it would take to get Dorine to go there again soon?
