# Well it's about time...White Sands National Monument



## KendleFox (Sep 5, 2005)

Well I've lived 4 years in Alamogordo, NM and this is the first time I went to this park. I really need to get out more.

With all the sand, I lost count with how many times I almost crashed.


----------



## KendleFox (Sep 5, 2005)

More sand. I'm gonna have to do an MB1 style cleaning tonight


----------



## jh_on_the_cape (Apr 14, 2004)

KendleFox said:


> More sand. I'm gonna have to do an MB1 style cleaning tonight


wow. looks just like snow in that last pic.
thanks for sharing.


----------



## zeytin (May 15, 2004)

*Nice report*

Great pictures! I like the headlight shots as well as the one of your bike standing in the sand.


----------



## KenB (Jul 28, 2004)

REALLY nice shots! 

That sand has to play havoc on your drive train.


----------



## Mr. Versatile (Nov 24, 2005)

Nice pics. Several of those look like they could have been taken in the arctic.


----------



## terry b (Jan 29, 2004)

It's such a weird place, it can be 100F but your brain sez "winter" because of the whiteness of the sand.

Here's my favorite shot from my last trip down there:


----------



## YuriB (Mar 24, 2005)

*about time indeed*

very cool. dig the patterns.


----------



## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

*Damn right; it is about time!*

You been holding your photography skill out on us for way too long.

Great stuff (I was going to write "hot stuff," but well you know.....)


----------



## Jayhawk (Feb 8, 2005)

*Awesome*

White sands is definitely on the list of places in the SouthWest US I want to visit to photograph. After seeing your pics I think it just moved up in priority a few notches. Great images!


----------



## theBreeze (Jan 7, 2002)

*moonlight ride*

Check out the bike only full moon night they do twice a year. The last one was just a few weeks ago. I think the next one is in Oct. Most folks use their mtn bikes.


----------



## KendleFox (Sep 5, 2005)

Double post


----------



## KendleFox (Sep 5, 2005)

theBreeze said:


> Check out the bike only full moon night they do twice a year. The last one was just a few weeks ago. I think the next one is in Oct. Most folks use their mtn bikes.


Thanks

I plan on goin back during the next full moon. It was too hard to get any decent night shots. My camera will only do a 15 second exposer, and with out some additional light, I risk burning pixils. i did do some half-moon shots with the bike, but the moon came out blurry. I took over 700 pictures (I can take 5 pictures continiously) and only liked about 25 of them, so I consider it a good day.

The road bike did pretty good considering all the sand. I did not crash, but came close a few times. Most of the sand on the road is packed down pretty hard. 

This was my first time taking pictures while riding. I must admit it was fun to see how stupid I could get without crashing. I did recieve some weird glances from people. I was almost attacked by a chow dog, but I didnt get it on film untill I had passed him up. That would have been a great shot


----------



## rule (Dec 2, 2004)

Cool. Thanks!


----------



## bigrider (Jun 27, 2002)

Did you ride down or drive down in a car?

I spent many days eating lunch in Orogrande. Have you ever seen the Orogrande National Forest?

Whites Sands is simple cool looking. You almost get an eery feeling when you are there.
Great pictures.


----------



## KendleFox (Sep 5, 2005)

bigrider said:


> Did you ride down or drive down in a car?
> 
> I spent many days eating lunch in Orogrande. Have you ever seen the Orogrande National Forest?
> 
> ...


I drove because my wife is out of town and I wanted to put down some training miles. I was worried about getting gassed too far from home, so it was a good choice for a ride. The road is 8 miles, 5.5 are paved and the rest is packed sand (I Think).

3.00 per person for a 6 day pass isnt a bad deal. I only did 22 miles though. I spent too much time taking pictures. Once it's dark, riding is more difficult because you can't see a thing and is like freaky weird out there. 

I plan on doing some trips up to the forest as my fitness gets better and time permits.


----------



## gotmilk? (Nov 28, 2004)

*Silence*

Great Shots KFox! I was there about seven years ago and experienced something I've never experienced before. A buddy and I were taking some photos and he was standing about fifty yards away and I noticed I could hear his camera shutter. (before digital). I said " Do you hear that?"
He said "Hear what?"
I said "That."
He said " I don't hear anything."
I said " Exactly!"
There was total silence. It was late November, we were way back in the park, no bugs, no birds, no wind, and absolutely no noise. We were able to carry on a conversation in normal tones fifty yards from each other. Weird! Anyway, thanks for the pictures.


----------



## KendleFox (Sep 5, 2005)

gotmilk? said:


> Great Shots KFox! I was there about seven years ago and experienced something I've never experienced before. A buddy and I were taking some photos and he was standing about fifty yards away and I noticed I could hear his camera shutter. (before digital). I said " Do you hear that?"
> He said "Hear what?"
> I said "That."
> He said " I don't hear anything."
> ...


Funny you should mention that. I heard someone ask their wife what time it was, and realized they were 200 yards away from me, but they were sitting right next to each other. She did not have her watch, and I found myself wanting to answer them. 

When It got dark, it was kind of creepy. I was on the road, but couldnt tell where it ended or began and the silence just added to the creepyness. Although I was in no danger of getting lost, I did keep in mind tourist have gotton lost out there. Some military friends of mine helped to look for a guy that got lost. He was a tourist from Japan. I dont think they ever found him.


----------



## Mr. Peabody (Dec 8, 2005)

Very cool shots of a very cool place. Thanks for posting them. 

I too am in the process of experimenting with the world of digital camera wonder. Regarding night or low-light shots, an inexpensive tripod will do wonders to improve your good shots; before I started using a tripod for long exposures, I got lots of blurry pictures as well. I find that shooting with one has not only improved my individual photos, but it has encouraged me to think about my shots in a different way. Taking the time to compose a shot (obviously, not while on the bike  ) and using the tripod has allowed me to shoot some pictures (new angles, etc.) which I otherwise wouldn't have considered. 

Best of luck with future rides and photography.


----------

