We have had a good time during our stay in Elephant Butte, New Mexico. I have taken dozens of photos of the incredible skies. Not only are the sunrises and sunsets spectacular but the clouds promising rain were definitely photo worthy.
The play of the light between the clouds sometimes takes my breath away.
Our drives in the desert continue. Another pass by Ted Turner's Armendaris Ranch but still no sighting of any bison or pronghorns.
On of our drives took us by Spaceport America. Richard Branson’s Spaceport America claims to be the world’s first purpose-built commercial spaceport “designed to make space travel as accessible to everyone as air travel is today.”
Spaceport America is owned and operated by the State of New Mexico, via a state agency, the New Mexico Spaceport Authority. The main tenant is Virgin Galactic. In 2008 Virgin Galactic signed a 20 year lease and agreed that the building fit out was its responsibility. The work was just completed in August 2019. State taxpayers have been frustrated at the project because of delays and that they have been making up the deficit for the so far money losing proposition.
No test flights or operational flights have yet taken place. I wonder if the people that have signed up to fly into space are having second thoughts. Oops I guess there was a flight......On August 15th when Virgin Galactic showed off the building there was a flight by VMS Eve, the carrier aircraft that hauls the six-passenger VSS Unity space plane to an altitude of about 50,000 feet. At that point, Unity drops free and engages its rocket motor, powering itself upward. ("VMS" stands for "Virgin Mother Ship," and "VSS" for "Virgin Spaceship.") It looks like a double bodied cargo plane.
Tours now can be taken on Saturdays only with advance reservations to the tune of around $60 each. You must depart from their Visitor Center in Truth or Consequences and their website is emphatic that you should not visit in your own vehicle and you will not be let in. Maybe if there is ever a lift off for passengers heading out into space we'll book a tour.
Meanwhile we'll leave it up to the wildlife to monitor the progress.
We have been blessed while here to be surrounded by friends.
We have had bar-b-q's, picnics, dinners out and hours and hours of visiting. We are so blessed to be able to spend time with these friends. They may have challenges in their own lives but they never complain and always buoy up one another. A more caring and inspirational group would be impossible to find.
One morning a few of us went to have breakfast at the Sierra Del Rio Golf Course in Elephant Butte. It is a hidden gem in the arid desert with what seems like an endless expanse of manicured grasses, natural vegetation, and clearwater pools.
David and Walt made a new friend.
We posed for pictures. Sylvia, Nancy, Tresa, me and Joyce. We were sad that Charlotte was unable to join us on this day. Those ladies with me are beautiful inside and out.
Posed photos are nice but this is my favorite. It shows what it is like when we are together. Laughing, acting silly and grateful for our friendship. I love those ladies and our time together.
We enjoyed a few more rainbows before it was time to leave.
The sunsets continued.
We are excited to head to Arizona and see our family and put down some shallow roots for the winter. But, our friends will be missed. I know that Arizona shares those skies that will continue to unfold their beauty for us.