Gypsum Dunes Guadalupe National Park to El Paso

April 28, 2008
We got up and hiked a few miles down to the overview of the gypsum salt dunes. It was a good walk, but not much as far as the dunes are concerned. White Sands Dunes are gypsum dunes and they can be seen from an airplane. Will played a little guitar and we sang some songs. We were just getting ready to head out when Law Enforcement Ranger John came along. He chatted a bit and gave us a verbal warning for parking the night here; the park likes to help out the little RV Park by not permitting parking or camping. He told us that a German artist just bought land here and is setting up a studio in the old movie theater in town; his cabin is about half a mile back on this dirt road. Orange Systems just bought up lots of ranches south of here and are testing their rockets to become a private company bringing cargo into space. Guess Ranger John wasn’t in a hurry or maybe he just doesn’t see many people; he kept Will talking for about an hour.

We headed back down the dirt road and continued around the loop to the little town of Dell. Coming in to town it looks like a ghost town with abandoned homes and toppled over grain and barn buildings. They have a nice school and some very nice ranch style suburban homes, lots of trailers, a few restaurants and several churches. Signs direct for the Agricultural Loop back to the highway. We got gas in town for $3.47. Irrigation and bright green fields stand out against the tans and dullness of the desert all around.

Back on US62. Watched a pronghorn running along the never-ending fence line; he just could get up enough run to jump the barbwire fence. We left him not wanting to see him get whacked. Lots of soaptree yucca, creosote and grass, then came chollo cactus and prickly pear cactus with grass.

El Paso is a spread out military town. Coming in you see huge salvage yards with junked cars. We decided to skip the city so skirted around to the northern Wal-Mart for some groceries and gas. Took the Woodrow Bean Transmountain Drive to the top of the mountain where we settle in to watch the sunset looking down over the Rio Grande River and the city of El Paso. The sun set behind a layer of smog that covers the distant horizon, the sky filled with a glowing gold and jet trails spiraled, lights came on, the sky got dark, and stars twinkled. Kathy went to bed.