Sunday, December 12, 2010 - Leasburg Dam State Park, Radium Springs NM
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Ocatillo, Leasburg Dam State Park, Radium Springs NM, January 22, 2009
Ocatillo in a sea of creosote
Creosote has taken over vast areas of the desert out here in New Mexico. I understand it emits a chemical from its root system that is inhospitable to other plants. And to itself I guess - the creosote bushes seem to be spaced at regular intervals with generally bare soil between bushes. There is the occasional exception like this nice ocatillo.
That plant with the yellow flower sharing space with the ocatillo is a cholla. Ocatillo have a red flame shaped flower at the tips of the stems in the spring - they are quite striking.
Night camp
Site 9 - Leasburg Dam State Park, Radium Springs NM
- Verizon cell phone service - good signal
- Verizon EVDO service - good signal
- Go to Leasburg Dam State Park website
- Locate Leasburg Dam State Park on my Night Camps map
- Check the weather here
Heliograph routes of the 1890 Practice
The date was May 15th, 1890, and the Army's Department of Arizona had just completed a major heliograph practice; it was, in fact, the largest the world had ever seen. I call it the "Volkmar Practice", after the man responsible for it, Col. Wm. J. Volkmar, the Assistant Adjutant General and Chief Signal Officer for the Department of Arizona. Although the practice lasted only sixteen days, preparations for it took months of reconnaissance and preparation. Involved in the long range signaling maneuvers were twenty-five heliograph stations stretching from Whipple Barracks near Prescott to Fort Stanton near Ruidoso, New Mexico. My guess is that close to two hundred men were involved, both cavalry and infantry.