24/01/2010 - Saguaro National Park (AZ)
In thinking about the good times and the many interesting meetings in Mesa, we rolled on Interstate 10 in Tucson . Something we had been missing in recent weeks and now we knew exactly what it was - we are on the road! We want to travel and see the many scenic delights to offer on this continent.
just before Tucson was our first objective, the Saguaro National Park West. Here is The Saguaro Cactus (German candelabra cactus), the ruler of the desert and statistics of many western movies, protected in its natural habitat. Up to 15 meters high, 8 tons and 150 years old this cactus can be. Only after 75 years begin to form side shoots. Like all National Parks and the Saguaro has a range of well-marked hiking trails. In the Visitor Information we have come a great round trip advise on which we the park with his desert flora and fauna could explore. Several species of rattlesnakes, the highly poisonous coral snake and Arizona scorpions and tarantulas are here at home - we have not shown.
After our three hour hike Basko had a new habit. If a small spike or one of those spiky balls stuck to his feet, then went a step further and lifted the paw away until we had everything. That made him such a fun but that he always raised his paw once, even if nothing eingespießt. A short stroking the paw reached him, and he ran off again. Petra was convinced that the Basko has copied from the football players. Well, I do not know!
26/01/2010 - Snow White sand in the middle of Rakentestgelände (NM)
Soon We had arrived at the border with New Mexico and the landscape had not changed. We drove through barren and seemingly endless grassy plains that are part of the Chihuahuan desert.
side of the road were increasingly warning and prohibition signs. On a close reading of the notes, we realized that we are in the middle of New Mexico's largest rocket range, the White Sands Missile Range, were located. Gained notoriety the test site on 16 July 1945, when the first atomic bomb was detonated in preparation for the shedding of Hiroshima here. Even today, the remote area an important military base and an alternate landing site for the Space Shuttle.
Right in the military zone is the White Sands National Monument. The Highway 70 as the only access road is strictly monitored, and after two vehicle and passenger checkpoints, we had reached the exceptional and unique dune landscape.
from gypsum deposits in the Lake Lucero caused snow-white sand crystals that form up to 15 meters high dunes. These dunes change from the sometimes strong wind their shape and position. Visitors road was blown so strong that it had to be kept free of snow plowing.
When driving on the white road we felt like in a winter landscape. Intuitively, we drove slowly and carefully - as in fresh snow. In some places we could climb the dunes and in this solitude and silence some hiking.
The few plants weather the storms and sand, with their roots and it held peculiar sand hills. Even the animals who live here have adapted to the environment. To better camouflage, they have adopted a white color.
We were not adjusted, because after half a day in the dunes our eyes ached from the intense light.
01/27/2010 - The UFO myth lives in Roswell (NM)
We drove to Roswell. The few places along the route still live exclusively by the aerospace and nuclear research center of Alamogordo. Perhaps this research was the reason for the events that took place more than 60 years in this area.
Was it a UFO, a spy or a weather balloon that on 14 June 1947 near Roswell at the farm of Mac Brazel crash? The question is still unanswered and leaves room for all sorts of speculation. The so-called Roswell incident was the rather unremarkable town world famous overnight.
UFO Museum in Roswell, we were able to visit to understand the details of this event and the concealment by the U.S. military and. The museum also has the world's largest UFO research library. Meanwhile, Roswell is the center of worldwide UFO movement, which meets here every year to conferences and workshops.
Sun Roswell today benefits from this spectacular event and the local tourism industry holds the UFO myth alive.
28.01.2010 - A walk 250 meters below the earth (NM)
In Carlsbad, the small town in the far southeastern New Mexico, you can smile at the Roswell tourism activities only. In the environment of the city is a real world attraction - the Carlsbad Caverns.
The world's largest publicly accessible cave system was discovered in the twenties of the last century by Jim White and researched. Since 1930, the Carlsbad Caverns National Park, one whose mission is there are the caves for visitors to access and maintain, especially the delicate and easily damaged structures of the caves.
In addition, it is the responsibility of the national park, the whole, more than 100 existing caves to explore to 190 sq km area in the Guadalupe Mountains and continue to manage as a World Heritage Site. Cavers from all over the world will be offered opportunity to participate in the in exploring the pristine caves.
The large, individually accessible main cave is superbly developed. On a 3.2 mile walk, we marveled at the bizarre shapes and intricate patterns of millions of years shaped stalagmites and stalactites. Everything is very impressive with the appropriate and most economical lighting scene set.
The dimension of the cave is huge. 600 by 180 meters area and 60 meters of the Big Room is the largest room in the main cave. Some areas are thematically Chinese theater or designated as a zoo, and with a little imagination we saw really Chinese sculptures and the various animals in the harsh deposits.
With the lift we drove the 250 yards back to the surface and were greeted with heavy rain. In the night from the rain and snow and then ice the next morning, we find a surprise.
29.01.2010 - Escape to Florida Now I had the second time to correct my previous thoughts about the weather in North America. In Alaska, I was expecting snow, ice and cold, but never so nice and warm weather, as we have seen it then. Here, in the extreme south of the United States, however, I could not believe my eyes when the thermometer shows -12 degrees Celsius in the morning. Then we were unprepared.
We had not heated the hobby in the night and so we had frozen the water and the water heater had emptied automatically. From the outside, was the whole motor home with a Ice covered, so we first had to be tuning up to get everything back to get going. Fortunately, the water system had taken no harm.
Around noon we ventured into driving slowly on the mirror-smooth roads. Via Fort Worth and Dallas, it went without a break across Texas. The trip through the southern United States, we had presented something different - now we just wanted to quickly escape the winter.
did in Louisiana after the frost, but it was raining in torrents. Only in Mississippi, we had left the bad weather behind us and felt at last well. The reason was not just the sunny weather, but also the lovely small city of Vicksburg, which welcomed us with its southern flair and much history.
Vicksburg had by their direct location on the Mississippi an important strategic role in the American Civil War. Here, of 18 May to 04th July 1863 a decisive battle of the Union (northern states) against the confederation (South) won. With the subsequent surrender of Port Hudson, the entire Mississippi Valley was under control of the Union. In commemoration of this battle and the victims of the Vicksburg National Military Park was established on the historic property close to City is located. Also our battle against the unexpected onset of winter had almost won. We went straight over Alabama and the shortest way to sunny Florida. The large welcome center at the I 10, welcomed us with lots of information and a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice. We had finally arrived in the Sunshine State.
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