Nice day for a walk

[Bill in Oregon]

Finally had a "serious" hike at White Sands National Monument today. We hiked the Alkali Flat Trail -- at five miles, the longest in the park. The going is pretty tough where the dunes are steep and the sand is really soft, but much of the surface is nicely firm. Our weather was perfect -- low 70s, with almost no wind. Once temps warm into the 80s and or the wind is up, a hike here can be miserable and even life-threatening if you fail to hydrate. The gypsum sand is coarser and sharper than beach sand and can actually abrade skin when being blown hard enough -- which happens regularly.
Conditions were so nice that we ended up doing the hike barefoot. I have never, ever hiked five miles in bare feet, but this was a total pleasure.

[AJMD429]

Wow. Bare feet that far would do me in....

[crs]

Glad you had nice weather.

[Bill in Oregon]

For some reason the photo was too big to post, so trying this. My feet are feeling a little abused this morning, but not bad considering.

https://flic.kr/p/24pQeiz

[earlmck]

Now that looks like some fine walking there Bill -- glad the old back is letting you walk through that stuff.

We have similar around your old stomping grounds in Central Oregon right now. But you'd sink knee deep in the this white ash and you sure wouldn't want to be barefoot. I'm hoping our "sand" does some melting soon 'cause I have a batch of loads to test out and I'll need to be able to see some dust when trying for the long gongs.

[Pete44ru]

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Nice !

I woulda had to take a camel with waterbags along with me...…..


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[Bill in Oregon]

Earl, have to stop every mile or so and decompress the "old back," as I am getting a second opinion right now on a third fusion, dang it.
Sorry your frozen sand is getting in the way of your shooting, my friend. But those snowpack/water year figures bode well for Oregon's river basins!