This was our orientation day at White Sands. It was the most thorough and best organized and most informative of any orientation we have received anywhere. We also got our uniforms and work schedule. We have to put in 32 hours between the both of us. Tentatively we will be working 4, 6-hour days plus working a few extra hours on the day we lead a "sunset stroll." I know none of this adds up to 32 total hours, but it is less than 32 hours each. We will be working Wednesday through Saturday. I indicated an interest in doing more stuff out of doors, and so I will work for the Chief Ranger rather than Interpretation one day a week doing trail maintenance.

And, boy-oh-boy have we discovered white sand.

There is one road into the national monument. It is paved the first 5 miles and then it is only sand for a couple miles more. We had to pinch ourselves so that we were not thinking that we were driving in snow. Part of the road went through wet areas in the sand, and it felt like we were driving on rutted, icy streets in the Twin Cities. The water table apparently is very close to the surface since the white sands are in a basin with no water outlet. Most of the water is highly mineralized and not suitable for drinking or plant growth, but it does make for some interesting driving.

We wondered why there were so many visitors to the national monument. We saw many more cars exiting the monument than we ever saw at PEFO even though there is more to see at PEFO. The answer is sledding down the sand dunes. We were told that White Sands has the most visitors of any National Park property in New Mexico, even more than Carlsbad Caverns. Amazing. The gift shop sells plastic saucers for $14.99, buys them back for $5, and then make used saucers available for $10. They do a brisk business.

One of the daily programs offered is the sunset stroll. Close to sunset, there is a ranger (or volunteer) led tour and talk through the sand dunes. We will be doing those strolls/talks starting in mid-January. We have to do three shadow sessions and then we will be turned loose.

And, yes, NMI...ah, I mean Tuzi is becoming more and more immersed into our routine. Wait, I erred. Shannon and I are becoming more and more immersed in Tuzi culture. I still have to remind Shannon that Tuzi was not my idea.

 
We also received an offer to volunteer at a national fish hatchery in KY April through June. We accepted the offer. We need to be in Maine in early July for an RV caravan trip in the Atlantic Maritime Provinces mid-July to early September. KY is a lot closer to Maine than the Gulf Coast of TX where we were scheduled to return to Padre Island National Seashore. So, we begged out of the one and accepted the KY offer. As usual, we will be on the move. But first White Sands NM and Alamogordo.