Tuesday, March 25, 2014

WHITE SANDS NATIONAL MONUMENT

   March 25th--15 miles southwest of Alamogordo, N. Mex.--
   White Sands gypsum dunefield is unique in the world. It consists of several square miles of gypsum, the same stuff sheetrock is made of---a very fine material almost like powdered sugar. It was deposited at the bottom of the shallow sea covering this area 250 million yrs. ago. and uplifted into a giant dome 70 million yrs. ago when the Rocky Mountains formed. Ten million yrs. ago the dome started to collapse, creating the Tularosa Basin. The remaining sides of the orig. dome form the San Andres & Sacramento mountain ranges that now ring The Tularosa Basin. This seemingly hostile environment teems with wildlife. Tracks of rodents, rabbits, foxes, coyotes, porcupines, and other nocturnal animals are seen in the sand in the morning. Lizards, beetles, and birds active in daylight can be seen in vegetated areas.  A few animals--a pocket mouse, two lizards, and several insects--have evolved white colorations to blend with the sand.  In the blinding, intense sunlight, one can hardly stand to look at this white, white gypsum "sand," even with sunglasses. Off in the distance I spotted a herd of frolicking lap dancers,
but it proved to only be a mirage. Check out the photos. No lap dancers.
Later..... 
   

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