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.

Pistachios and White Sands

I stopped off at McGinn's Pistachio Tree Ranch in Alamagordo, N.M. to see the giant Pistachio Nut and fell in love. I've never been a huge fan of pistachios but, that giant green statue sucked my van right into their parking lot. Their country store offers samples of just about any flavor and variety of pistachios you can imagine. That's where I fell in love; with their pistachio brittle, that is. I'm not exaggerating when I say that it was the best of any nut brittle I've ever eaten. I sent shipments of it all over the country to friends and family and they all agree they've never tasted anything so good.

I was munching on the brittle as I pulled into White Sands National Monument. I'd heard a lot about White Sands from my parents who had once spent an afternoon flying kites off of the top of one of the sand dunes, but was still surprised when I saw them. I'm used to sand dunes, having spent summers playing and hiking on them in Oregon and Michigan as a kid, but the pure white color of these dunes was a shock to me.

I drove through the dunes and took several walks. What amazed me was how much the plowed roads reminded me of the snowplowed roads in northern Michigan in the winter. If I could have overlooked the warm weather and the shorts and sunhat I was wearing I would have thought it was a good place to haul out my snowshoes or cross-country skis.

A Wild Night

North of the Davis Mountains, on the Texas-New Mexico border, are the Guadalupe Mountains. More rugged and less domesticated than the Davis Mountains, the Guadalupe Mountains are probably best know for their neighbor, Carlsbad Caverns National Park. If you're looking for a park which you can explore without getting out of your car, this ain't the one. Guadalupe Mountains National Park has five times more miles of backcountry trails, than roads. More than half of the park, 46,850 acres, is designated as a protected wilderness area. I had hiking in mind when I pulled into the Pine Spring's campground, but the Mother Nature had other plans.

As I took a short walk around a nearby nature path, my eyes were drawn more to the skies than to the informational markers along the trail. The clouds, which were merely big, white and fluffy when I arrived, were quickly turning beautifully dark and menacing. The late afternoon light made the mountains glow and the contrasting clouds appear richer and more magnificent. The pictures I took do them no justice.

When I returned to Van, I made a chicken salad pita, which I ate outside watching the clouds. Soon the wind picked up and the rain began to fall. I lowered Van's top because it looked like this storm was going to be something special. I opened all my shades, popped some popcorn and sat back to watch the night's entertainment. I've always loved storms, thanks to my dad, who used to take me out on our front porch to watch them, in part to keep me from knowing my mom was cowering in the basement.

This storm was one of the best! It had wind, it had hail, it had overlapping lightning, vertical rain, rocking vehicles, you name it. It was better than fireworks on the 4th of July! In the morning I walked to the trailhead expecting the worst and I wasn't disappointed. The dry, rocky trail of yesterday was a slippery, muddy, gooey mess. I wasn't going ten feet on that trail, let alone the four mile roundtrip. I was sorry to be missing my hike but the storm was worth every minute of my stay.

Davis Mountains State Park

After my adventure at Lost Maples, I continued west towards one of my favorite areas of Texas, the Davis Mountains. I've always loved West Texas. I like the long views, the rugged terrain, the amazing light, the endless night skies, the sense of history and the tenacity of its inhabitants, human and otherwise. I spent the night at Davis Mountains State Park. They have a nice shady campground along a small creek. I stayed there once when my kids were little and it remains one of my favorites. The park is in bear and cougar country, so warnings to stay alert while hiking were mounted on the restroom doors.

Just a short walk from the campground is the historic Indian Lodge, a unique inn built in the 1930's by the Civilian Conservation Corp. The lodge was designed to resemble a multi-level pueblo village. When I'd stayed at the park before it had been closed for renovation. Since I love staying at historic hotels, I decided to check it out. I talked to the staff, enjoyed the peaceful patio fountains and swings, drooled over the restaurant menu and have to admit I was tempted to stay. In the end, I decided I'd rather stay in the campground and cook my own meals saving enough money for two tanks of gas.

I only camped for one night, but could easily have stayed for a week or more, there is so much to see. If you visit the Davis Mountains, these are some of the sights I would recommend:

Fort Davis-Texas' 2009 Official Best Small Town

Fort Davis National Historic Site-A restored Southwest Indian Wars' frontier military post.

McDonald Observatory-Considered one of the best places to stargaze in the world.

The Scenic Loop Drive-At 6700 feet, the highest and one of the best in Texas.

Balmorhea State Park-Home of the largest spring-fed pool in the world.

Where did I go when I left the park the next day? I had a picnic and went swimming at Balmorhea State Park. It was an unbelievable experience. The next time I'm in the Davis Mountains, I'll have to camp there for several days. Heck, I might have to move back to Texas just to see all the sights.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! I love the start of a new year, especially the countdown to a new year. Not the countdown you see on tv with the crowd at Times Square waiting for the ball to drop, but the countdown of the days in the holiday period between Thanksgiving and the end of the year. During this countdown I give myself permission to overindulge. I spend too much, I eat too much and I procrastinate too much. I do all of this with the knowledge that on January 1st everything changes.

On New Year's Day I activate the plan I hope to follow for the coming year. The previous month wasn't all frivolity, it was also about contemplation. I reviewed the previous year, thought about how I would spend 2010 and what I wanted to accomplish; not resolutions, but goals and a plan to achieve those goals.

By the end of the year I reach a point where I can hardly wait to initiate my plans. It's always a relief to be ending one year and starting another. I like taking down my old calendars and putting up new ones. It's the same fresh, exciting feeling of endless opportunities I get when I write the first words in a brand new notebook.

I hope you have an exciting 2010. May your year be purposeful, productive and fulfilling. May you find wonder, joy and love every day. And, at the end of 2010 may you be filled with excitement for the coming new year...Love, Julia