White Sands National Monument

So I assure you all that I am still alive and well.  Roadtripping just has a knack for dictating your schedule a little bit... It's like having a job you love, but just don't get paid for (well, monetarily at least...).  You're staying so busy with everything you're trying to do that before you realize it, you've got things setting up camp on that "to do" list like it's Black Friday.  Then you finally sit down with a free moment and the difficulty of eating those groceries you meant to pick up earlier, but so conveniently didn't, rears its annoying little noggin...  Never mind that, though, because I have food this time.  So we're good.

Having left Tucson refreshed and ready for more adventure, my first stop was to be at White Sands National Monument in southern New Mexico.  This is only the second time I've ever been to legit sand dunes, the first of which being The Great Sand Dunes in southwestern Colorado.  These weren't as tall, but they are the biggest gypsum dunes in the world if I remember correctly.  Gypsum dunes are actually pretty rare, due to the fact that gypsum dissolves in water and is usually just carried out to sea.  But at White Sands, there is no outlet to the ocean, so the gypsum crystals carried by the rainwater from the surrounding mountains collects in the Tularosa Basin valley area.  And unlike most types of sand, gypsum doesn't readily convert solar radiation into heat, so it's passable by barefoot even on the hottest summer days.  There weren't too many people there when I went, so it made for some decent photo ops.  Though it was a bit windy...  Anyways, enjoy the pics.  Stay shiny.

Looking somewhat North