What's Out There?

Most of the time, when I travel, I'm drawn to the natural world. I find peace and beauty away from the cities and highways. I'm impressed by mountains, lakes, forests and, oddly enough... giant radio telescopes.

As I plan my trips I usually look at state and local maps, highlighting places that look interesting . These are usually tiny roads, natural areas, historical sites and places with unusual names. Sometimes though, the name on the map makes no sense to me. VLA? I had to check it out.

I discovered that the VLA, or Very Large Array is a series of 27, ten-story tall dish antennas working together as a single instrument. Part of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, these radio telescopes help scientists study celestial objects that emit radio waves. By using these radio waves they can learn more about regions that cannot be seen in visible light.

Do you remember the movie, Contact, with Jodie Foster? Scenes from that movie were filmed here. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed my visit. I'm sure part of it was the magnificent setting in the middle of the Plains of San Agustin, surrounded by distant mountains. About 50 miles west of Socorro, New Mexico, you aren't going to pass the VLA casually on the way to someplace else. It's not near anywhere else. That's part of the reason for it's location, to be away from the interference of radio signals and city lights.

Even ignoring the gorgeous setting , I found the antennas themselves to be beautiful. From a distance they are picturesque, but to really see their beauty you need to stand beneath them on the self-guided walk. Their size, form and structure are breathtaking. Only a few other man-made structures, usually bridges have impressed me in such a way.

A Proud Mother's Shout-Out

I just wanted to do a little bragging and let everyone know how proud I am of my kids. Both Dan and Kate, and her husband Dale, have been training for months for major competitions.

On February 3rd, Dan, a culinary arts student at New York City's Institute of Culinary Education, competed in the San Pellegrino Almost Famous Chef Competition. His signature dish was Slow-Roasted Rabbit With Tasso and Leek Stuffing. He practiced it so many times I'm sure a lot of rabbits out there gave a great sigh of relief when the competition was over. Dan didn't win, but he did a great job and came away with ideas and skills for future competitions. I can't wait until he cooks for me!

On February 14th, Kate and Dale ran a marathon in Austin, Texas. They trained in all kinds of weather, in Texas, Michigan and California. In the marathon they ran for four hours and twenty-five minutes. Kate finished in the top third for women and Dale finished in the top half for men, out of a total of 3000 runners. Dale and Kate ran at the same pace during the race, to encourage each other---what better example of true love on Valentine's Day! Dale swore he'd never run in another marathon, but they're already considering running in the Detroit marathon in October.

Congratulations Dan, Kate and Dale! I'm proud of you and can't wait to see what your futures hold. Love you!

Fields and Flocks

There's something about New Mexico's state park system I really love. Each park I've stayed at has surprised and enchanted me. The parks seem humble and unassuming, but each one contains some magic or treasure. Percha Dam State Park, near Arrey, was no exception.

After I left White Sands National Park, I headed north on I-25, unsure of where I would spend the night. I had a couple of parks highlighted on my map and luckily for me Percha Dam State Park was one of them. I drove down a tiny road through a farmer's field, found a likely looking campsite in the park and began setting up my site for the night. The sun was setting as I hooked up my electricity when suddenly in the rosy-orange sky, dozens and dozens of birds flew overhead, landing out of sight. I'm used to migrating Canada geese, but these birds were huge, probably herons or cranes. I stood transfixed, never even thinking about my camera until it was too late.

I was up before sunrise the next morning, this time with my camera, hoping to see the birds again. I never did see them, but I did talk to a camper who said he and his wife stay there for several weeks, every spring and fall, to see the birds. It seem Percha Dam State Park is one of the top birding locations in the state. I'm definitely coming back.

The second surprising memory of my stay was after I left the park. Remember that tiny road through the farmer's field? As I drove down it on my way out, the morning sun made the field glow and I realized it was a field of shiny red peppers. Maybe an ordinary sight for someone from New Mexico, but for a gal from Michigan it was a first and another amazing memory of a state I've grown to love.