We stopped at the VLA (Very Large Array) along Highway 60, near Datil. This is the site of 22 humongous radio wave telescopes. Run by the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, these powerful telescopes monitor the universe 24 hours a day, and knowledge captured here is combined with information and images from visual telescopes around the world to give a more complete understanding of the galaxies. Cell phone signals interfere with what the VLA is tracking, so of course must be off.
We both needed gas and to our great disappointment, there were no stations in either Datil nor Pie Town, so we continued on to Quemado. After filling our tanks, we studied the campground maps and found our choices were to drive another 70 miles to the next campground, or backtrack 20 miles to Pie Town. “Seventy miles, or backtrack for pie?” We looked at each other, grinned, and turned back.
We found a spot in Lee Jackson Park campground, which luckily was just across the road from the pie shop! We went over, picked out two six inch pies to take back to camp, and were shocked when the cashier said, “That’ll be $11.57. Each.” Better be some darn great pie for that amount! I got blueberry butterscotch and Dale picked dark chocolate cherry. We exchanged a couple pieces, and both agreed the blueberry was better than the chocolate cherry.
The next morning we drove to the Walmart in Grants, then on to Bluewater. On the way, we noticed this beautiful natural arch and stopped to take a look, before going on to the park.
We circled all the campground loops until we found a double space where we could park close enough for Dale to share Verizon Hotspot with me. I can’t get an ATT signal here.
We plan to spend about a week here, exploring the park and nearby areas, before heading farther north.
Is that the array that was in the movie with Jodie Foster where they contact aliens? The movie was Contact.
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