Tom in NM
New member
If you are looking for a New Mexico ride destination, here is one. ( I have cut & pasted the following from several different sources. )
Trinity Site
On July 16, 1945 the world changed with the explosion of the first atomic bomb. The explosion took place at Trinity Site which is on the White Sands Missile Range. Trinity is a National Historic Landmark which is currently open to the public once a year.
White Sands Missile Range, NM http://www.wsmr.army.mil/PAO/Trinity/Pages/default.aspx
Google Maps: https://www.google.com/maps/@33.677293,-106.475287,3236m/data=!3m1!1e3
Trinity Site closes at 3:30 p.m.
Visitors are allowed to enter and exit through this gate unescorted anytime during Open House.
You will get a handout that explains the site as you enter at the gate/checkpoint.
Trinity Site is clearly marked below U.S. Highway 380 on the State of New Mexico highway map.
There is a map of the Trinity Site attached below.
The ride to Trinity is around 120 miles from the Albuquerque Sunport and takes around 2 and a half hours riding at posted speeds.
As far as Spyders are concerned, the roads are good. The parking lot is dirt and can be bumpy. Given the number of people visiting, traffic for the last 22 miles can be 'leisurely'.
I know there is one, but there may be two Rest Stops on the way - for sure before Socorro. Socorro is also the last major fueling stop. There is a small two pump store in San Antonio, but with 2,000 or more people visiting, expect to wait.
You will be riding on an active Military Base. No guns, explosives ( they have plenty of those ), drugs or alcohol are allowed. You may be asked for your identification at the gate. It is a military checkpoint. Your vehicle may be searched. You will be told to stay on the road to the site - NO stopping or side trips.
About 2,000 people visit every time it's open. Now that it is open only once a year, I would expect more. I am always surprised by the number of people there from all over the country and world who come to see the site.
Cameras are allowed at Trinity Site but their use is strictly prohibited anywhere else on White Sands Missile Range.
Bring your own food, but drinking water is available.
There are usually unofficial “guides” giving lectures and there are sometimes vendors who sell memorabilia and souvenirs.
There are usually a couple of ambulances on standby at the site.
There are usually a few golf-carts for people who cannot walk the distance from the parking lot to the 'blast' area.
What about the radiation? According to the website, radiation at ground zero are about 10 times greater than the earth's background radiation. Staying there for one hour exposes you to about 0.5 to 1.0 milliroentgen (mrem), less than the 3 to 5 mrem exposure on a coast-to-coast jet airplane flight.
The green, glassy substance called Trinitite, created by the blast, is still highly radioactive and should not be picked up. Pregnant women, small children and anyone else with concerns should consult their doctor before visiting.
To the best of my recollection, there are no giant insects or mutated animals or ambulatory carnivorous plants on the site. Of course, I am getting old and my memory is not what it used to be.
One final comment, this is not a theme park. The entertainment value is what you bring to it ( and of course the enchanting New Mexico landscape ). There are many things to see here in the state, so if you are close enough, planning a trip around that time and interested in this kind of thing - mark it down for April 4, 2015.
Maybe I'll see you there.
Tom
Trinity Site
On July 16, 1945 the world changed with the explosion of the first atomic bomb. The explosion took place at Trinity Site which is on the White Sands Missile Range. Trinity is a National Historic Landmark which is currently open to the public once a year.
White Sands Missile Range, NM http://www.wsmr.army.mil/PAO/Trinity/Pages/default.aspx
Google Maps: https://www.google.com/maps/@33.677293,-106.475287,3236m/data=!3m1!1e3
- Hours: Open House is the first Saturday in April (4/4/2015) only. The Gate is open 8 A.M. to 2 P.M. The site closes at 2 P.M.
- Reservations: Not required
- Cost: Free
- Location: Driving directions below
Stallion Gate Entrance:
Exit I-25 on mile marker 139 (San Antonio, N.M.) and head 12 miles East on Highway 380.
Exit I-25 on mile marker 139 (San Antonio, N.M.) and head 12 miles East on Highway 380.
Turn ( right/South ) into the Stallion Gate entrance for 5 miles to arrive at the gate/checkpoint.
On open house days, this gate is open for entrance from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Trinity Site closes at 3:30 p.m.
Visitors are allowed to enter and exit through this gate unescorted anytime during Open House.
You will get a handout that explains the site as you enter at the gate/checkpoint.
Trinity Site is clearly marked below U.S. Highway 380 on the State of New Mexico highway map.
There is a map of the Trinity Site attached below.
The ride to Trinity is around 120 miles from the Albuquerque Sunport and takes around 2 and a half hours riding at posted speeds.
As far as Spyders are concerned, the roads are good. The parking lot is dirt and can be bumpy. Given the number of people visiting, traffic for the last 22 miles can be 'leisurely'.
I know there is one, but there may be two Rest Stops on the way - for sure before Socorro. Socorro is also the last major fueling stop. There is a small two pump store in San Antonio, but with 2,000 or more people visiting, expect to wait.
You will be riding on an active Military Base. No guns, explosives ( they have plenty of those ), drugs or alcohol are allowed. You may be asked for your identification at the gate. It is a military checkpoint. Your vehicle may be searched. You will be told to stay on the road to the site - NO stopping or side trips.
About 2,000 people visit every time it's open. Now that it is open only once a year, I would expect more. I am always surprised by the number of people there from all over the country and world who come to see the site.
Cameras are allowed at Trinity Site but their use is strictly prohibited anywhere else on White Sands Missile Range.
Bring your own food, but drinking water is available.
There are usually unofficial “guides” giving lectures and there are sometimes vendors who sell memorabilia and souvenirs.
There are usually a couple of ambulances on standby at the site.
There are usually a few golf-carts for people who cannot walk the distance from the parking lot to the 'blast' area.
What about the radiation? According to the website, radiation at ground zero are about 10 times greater than the earth's background radiation. Staying there for one hour exposes you to about 0.5 to 1.0 milliroentgen (mrem), less than the 3 to 5 mrem exposure on a coast-to-coast jet airplane flight.
The green, glassy substance called Trinitite, created by the blast, is still highly radioactive and should not be picked up. Pregnant women, small children and anyone else with concerns should consult their doctor before visiting.
To the best of my recollection, there are no giant insects or mutated animals or ambulatory carnivorous plants on the site. Of course, I am getting old and my memory is not what it used to be.
One final comment, this is not a theme park. The entertainment value is what you bring to it ( and of course the enchanting New Mexico landscape ). There are many things to see here in the state, so if you are close enough, planning a trip around that time and interested in this kind of thing - mark it down for April 4, 2015.
Maybe I'll see you there.
Tom
