Revisiting our old stomping grounds in Alamogordo, NM, we were in time to take in a sunset stroll through nearby White Sands National Monument Park.

Alamogordo, literally meaning, "Fat Cottonwood Tree," was established in 1898 by the Eddy Brothers who owned the El Paso and Northeastern Railroad, even though the area has been habituated by humans for 11,000 years!

The economy revolves now around Holloman AFB, which houses a Fighter Wing, the Stealth Bombers and the German Air Force. We were stationed at Holloman on three separate occasions and loved this place all the more.

Only a few miles out of town, the White Sands National Monument Park is a great attraction for visitors and locals alike!  With events happening throughout the year and an informative Visitor Center gracing the entrance, anytime is a GOOD time to be here!

It looks like I took a picture of a BUSH, but it is actually the top of a cottonwood TREE!  The drifting sands have slowly been burying almost the entire TREE!

About BURYING, did you know that a documentary was filmed in Alamogordo based upon the massive burial of ATARI games in an old trash landfill? Called, "Atari: Game Over," it was seen on Xbox Live on Nov. 20, 2014. The production company, Xbox Entertainment Studios, was shut down the previous July due to reorganization of Microsoft that fired 18,000 employees!  Bad luck all around, yes?

Why is this store so fascinating?  Well, this is where we were married the second time and THIS time had some wedding VOWS!  It's a long story, so, if you are interested in hearing about it, leave a comment below the post!

This beautiful, decorated horse can be found just outside the "Eagle Ranch Pistachio" farm, just outside of town.  Their shop and visitor center called, "Heart of the Desert," contains interesting Southwest curios and of course, LOTS of delicious pistachios.  My favorite is the Chocolate Pistachio bark!  Yum!

In my opinion, this Donut shop in Alamogordo has the BEST DONUTS IN THE WORLD!  Tasty Creme, you PALE in comparison!  Try it yourself and be prepared to NEVER be satisfied by another name brand!

Looking forward to continuing our journey, we enjoyed ourselves in this enchanted land of beauty, delicious meals, and precious memories.  May you enjoy all your days too!  A Hui Hou! (Until we meet again!)

Picking up our shipped car in Dallas, TX, we finally crossed the state line into Southeastern New Mexico passing through the border town of Hobbs and nearby town of Artesia.

Travelling down the main street of Hobbs, I saw this prominent structure and surmised that this may be an oil town, yeah?  HaHa!

Winning 17 State Boy's Basketball Championships, Hobbs High School has the most championships in New Mexico history!  Besides having talented athletes, their coach Ralph Taskor, was known for employing a "full-court press" the ENTIRE game!  This technique is grueling, but, effective!

By the way, I think that the state has one of the PRETTIEST license plates!

Seen from one of the light posts, this is one run-in I'm glad that I wasn't involved with!  HaHa!

While driving through Artesia, we came across Abo Elementary School.  What is so interesting about this school?  Well, the school was built TOTALLY underground to double as a fall-out shelter!

Constructed in 1962 at the height of COLD WAR fears, it was designed to withstand a 20 megaton blast 10 miles away!  Why Artesia, you say?  Well, just up Hwy 280, Atlas Missile silos dot the landscape and was placed there by SAC in the early 1960's.  Therefore, it was a potential enemy target.  Also, 30 miles south is the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, (WIPP) one of the world's few underground DUMPS for the permanent disposal of transuranic radioactive waste.  It's stored 2000ft. down in a salt rock formation.

Another interesting fact about Abo Elementary is that it was used to incarcerate 600 mothers and children seeking asylum during war in Central America on August 31, 2014!

I'm hoping that you now realize, that the tiny towns you may pass on your journeys, can be a place of fascinating facts or history!  Don't judge a place by it's size!  IMUA! (Go forward!)