USA

Road#17 to Platoro

On Monday, August 10 I left Olivia & Fred after four days stay in their pleasant company. My target was to traverse the road #17 until Platoro. From Salida to Hot Mineral Springs the road goes up on a plate at 2320 m of altitude. Then until Antonito it is quasi rectilinear during around 120 km. After Antonito it skirts a river in a forest of fir trees bordering the road which curves between 2600 and 2654 m of altitude at the bivouac at the edge of the road overhanging the river.

En route

Road #17 to Platoro

Bivouac over a river

Road #68, Rio Grande Gorge

Taos

The target of Tuesday 11th /08 was to go to Los Alamos. Alas the gauge of the diesel tank was again blocked and I did not find diesel on the way. The GPS indicated that the petrol station, Shell, nearest was in Taos. Consequently I made the detour towards Taos already visited before in 11/2012. To fill the three tanks is always a test according to the station. No chance the pump of the station required the zip code of bank card used, I do not have any, not being resident the USA. It is thus necessary to go to discuss with the cashier by giving the bank card, which she keeps, and which she outputs of an amount higher than that estimated. This operation is done for each side, right side tank of "G" then left side the two additional tanks by Azalaï. Often there is a maximum amount which requires a new intervention of the cashier and an additional ticket. Then it should be checked the tickets that the too perceived is well refunded. And later the bank account will have to be pointed. It is also that travelled round the world. At this time the content of the three tanks was of 47.23 gallons i.e. 178.77 liters; the operation lasted more than a half an hour! Then I sought Visitor Center to take road maps and booklets. Of course nobody knows where it is… at the southern exit of the city without road sign. Mow I stopped on a quay level above the Rio Grande Gorge. Hardly decree a biker came to discuss with me about my strange vehicle and to require to visit it. Phew I was alone.

Bivouac

A lover of the Azalaï	At the edge of the river

Los Alamos, NM

Bivouac at sunset

En route to Los Alamos

On the way towards the south on Wednesday, August 12 I made a detour in the mountains to visit the two museums recalling the epopee of the Manhattan project, code name Project Y, design of an atomic bomb before the Nazi regime has it. After a first conclusive test, Trinity Test on July 16th, 1945, two bombs were released on Hiroshima on August 6th, 1945 then on Nagasaki on August 8th, 1945 involving the surrendering of Japan on August 15th, 1945. I bivouacked on the spot at 2200 m high. To click on the photograph to visualize the gallery

Manhattan Project

Dr. J. Robert Oppenheimer & General Leslie R. Groves

En route road #70

After having spent peaceful and fresh night I left for a length run to reach Lincoln, NM, and the epopee of Billy The Kid. I passed Santa Fe without to stop. I had visited the city and its innumerable museums the 11/25/2012. Then I traversed a plate between 1900 and 2100 meters high entirely privatized and enclosed for about 300 km.

Paysage

Plate between 1900 et 2100 m high

Lincoln, NM

The Capitan village, road #380, is not of any interest. at about 21 km the village of Lincoln made up of a single street, road #380, was the theater of the bloody exploits of Billy The Kid, finally shot down by the Sheriff Pat Garett. Six houses and a structure are registered in New Mexico State Monuments. Then I decided to carry on my way towards the village of Cloudcroft to find a bivouac with a fresh night at 2335 m high.
To click on the photograph to visualize the gallery

Sheriff Pat Garett

Alamogordo, NM

Cloudcroft

On Friday, August 14 I visited the Cloudcroft village at about 2645 m high GPS. Houses date back from the end of the 19th century. In the street I noticed a building in construction according to the technique of the timber structure and the plates of agglomerated.

Museum of Space History

Then I went to Alamogordo to see the nième+1 museum devoted to the space conquest by the USA. Each museum adds its contribution to the knowledge of this human adventure which remains to become about it. In the afternoon I made purchases in local Walmart. Due to the still suffocating temperature at 16:00 and 1451 m high I returned in the mountains to find freshness at 2447 m high. But alas it will be necessary well that I tolerate the high temperatures as from tomorrow. To click on the photograph to visualize the gallery

Las Cruces, NM

After a good night in the mountains on Saturday, August 15th I went down in the desert plain at 1300 m high GPS from Alamogordo to Las Cruces during about 110 km of a Hwy on straight line to arrive at White Sands Missile Range

White Sands Missile Range

The site is a military base since 1945 for the tests of the missiles of any nature of which those conceived by Wernher von Braun, defector of the Nazi Germany. It is also used as an alternative landing site for the space shuttle. In this Saturday, August 15 the small museum was closed only the park of missiles was visible. To click on the photograph to visualize the gallery

Mesilla

In this day of the Assumption I was going to lunch at the restaurant La Posta in Mesilla recommended by Lonely Planet where I lunched a very tasting Beef Fajitas accompanied by glass of Chardonnay. Then I visited Old Mesilla made up of a plaza with shops for tourists. Architecture is standard Hispanic style of the middle 19th century. I noticed once again that the tradesmen used the bloody adventures of Billy The Kid to make business. To click on the photograph to visualize the gallery. Then I was on the road again the road to hope to find freshness in the Rock Hound State Park at 1440 m high. Que nenni, my weather station showed 39°C outside and 42°C in the body at 4 p.m.

Lordsburg, NM

KOA Campground

On Sunday, August 17 hardly two hours to reach the KOA Campground in Lordsburg to bivouac, publish the pages of my website and to send emails.