Otero Mesa Again

[highz]

Had some more volunteer wilderness inventory to do earlier this month, so here's a mini-trip report.
Like the thread on how there is nothing to see on Highway 50 and the Great Basin, that's how I felt about the Collins Hills area, until I looked closer.

Collins Hills

 

[Smokecreek1]

Nice TR Hinz. Isn't amazing how wonderful many of these "nothingness" places really are-what surprises they contain? When I was a new BLM arck-many years ago, I had a chance to find (or rediscover) one of those places. I was wondering around in the barren yellow hills and canyons of the California Coastal Range-sort of exploring my new area, and stumbled on a sting of fossil beds-bones and skels just sort of sticking up sideways out of the yellow dirt. They were known locally, but no one did anything with them until I came along. I didn't know much these things-way past my knowledge of mammoths and prehistoric man and the laws covering these things were really-like me, new, but I lucked out- one of the local universities had someone who did know, plus he had a bunch of students and local volunteers, and toghrther with the support of my own managers (I lucked out most of my career and had real good managers) we developed a long term research program, did allot of mapping, some excavating (paelo-types do it different than arks), had lots of fun in the wind and sun, saved some good stuff from erosion and pot hunters, and me thinks, they are still having fun out there today. Yep, just a bunch of hot, wind sweep hills, maybe good enough to tear up with a dirt bike, but good for nothing else! What lucky people we are!

Smoke

 

[ski3pin]

................... Yep, just a bunch of hot, wind sweep hills, maybe good enough to tear up with a dirt bike, but good for nothing else! What lucky people we are!

Smoke


Yes we are very lucky people. Thanks for the nice trip report and thank you for your continuing volunteer work highz. It is so much fun to make unexpected discoveries, isn't it?

 

[craig333]

Thanks highz. Sometimes makes you think we should rethink things when at first we see something as "barren". Also makes me think I should take more pictures. More than once I've run across something where I wondered what it was, where it came from etc. Pretty good chance someone here already knows.

 

[highz]

It is so much fun to make unexpected discoveries, isn't it?


You sure are right about that, Ski. There's nothing better than a "Wow!" moment.

 

[Smokecreek1]

Sky'Highz

I think one thing that makes retirement so great (usually anyway)is being able when just driving down that highway or what ever and seeing that sign, hill ,thing or what ever, and now having the time to go, see what's there and "smell the roses"---ain't life grand!

Smoke

 

[takesiteasy]

I enjoyed the trip report. I too love those side trips, explorations and unexpected experiences. Besides being an aspect of retirement, it is also the best feature of these campers we have- they can go pretty much anywhere when the opportunity arises.