Tuesday, January 03, 2006
Timing Questions
Some of you may be wondering why the road trip to New Mexico is scheduled for the weekend of April 1. I assure you it is no April Fools trick.
Since Thompson Mountain is so close to both the Trinity Site and the VLA, it makes sense to try and visit them on the way there. Unfortunately, due to government restrictions, the Trinity Site is only open on the first Saturdays of April and October. Also, the VLA conducts free guided tours (as opposed to unguided tours) on those same weekends to maximize their exposure to the taxpaying public. April is also a better month to be in New Mexico as the temperature is closer to temperate at night and the rainy season has not yet started. If we tried to go in October, you have the potential for hunters prowling in the same general vicinity of Thompson Mountain, so that counts it out. Therefore, you are left with the weekend of April 1.
There are still some plans to finalize, such as when we will leave Austin and the total duration of the trip. We have plenty of time to sort out those details a little later. Keep the questions coming and keep checking back for more details.
Since Thompson Mountain is so close to both the Trinity Site and the VLA, it makes sense to try and visit them on the way there. Unfortunately, due to government restrictions, the Trinity Site is only open on the first Saturdays of April and October. Also, the VLA conducts free guided tours (as opposed to unguided tours) on those same weekends to maximize their exposure to the taxpaying public. April is also a better month to be in New Mexico as the temperature is closer to temperate at night and the rainy season has not yet started. If we tried to go in October, you have the potential for hunters prowling in the same general vicinity of Thompson Mountain, so that counts it out. Therefore, you are left with the weekend of April 1.
There are still some plans to finalize, such as when we will leave Austin and the total duration of the trip. We have plenty of time to sort out those details a little later. Keep the questions coming and keep checking back for more details.
