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This New Mexico trip had three purposes, 1) ride, 2) go to Trinity Site and see Ground Zero, and 3) renew my acquaintance with Nikolai Purdy, 5-year-old son of Gloria and Rick Purdy at Motel 6 in Socorro. A couple of weeks before the trip I sent my Jeremy McGrath radio-controlled motocross bike to the Purdys – with the box marked Hold for Arrival. I kept the batteries and charger in Dallas so I could charge the batteries just before the trip.
Friday was rain-free, but the rest of the weekend wasn't. Photo 01 was pretty much how the dresser looked all weekend. Nikolai was happy to see me and he was excited about opening the box and seeing the Jeremy McGrath bike (photo 11). The sad part was telling him that the batteries were, for the time being, lost by Southwest Airlines. Nikolai's dad, Rick Purdy, promptly brought me toothpaste, a toothbrush and shampoo because my toiletries and other essentials were in the lost bag. I called Southwest about 9 p.m. and was delighted to hear, "Mr. Vance, your bag is on the way to Socorro." It arrived and was left at the front desk while I slept. Saturday, October 7. Trinity Site on the White Sands Missile Range is open to the public only two days each year – the first Saturday in April and October. The entrance to the range, called Stallion Range Center Gate, is 44 miles from Socorro, just west of San Antonio on US 380. I was in the line of cars at the gate before the 8 a.m. opening. The parking area for Ground Zero is 17 miles from the gate. Photo 07 is a panoramic view of the Ground Zero area – with a monument (photos 08 and 09) to the right and the Fat Man bomb casing (photos 02 and 03) on a trailer to the left.
The guy in photo 06 had a Geiger counter and was demonstrating the radioactivity of assorted objects like radium clock dials and the Trinitite, which is the green glassy substance that, before the bomb blast in August, 1945, was the local sand. He's holding an orange Fiesta Ware salad plate. The clay used to make the orange color is slightly radioactive. He said the orange dishes were recalled, not because of the radioactivity, but because lead in the clay tended to leach into acidic foods like tomato sauce. Bet you really need to know that. No more spaghetti on orange Fiesta plates for you!Trinity Site was an interesting experience but probably not a repeater. If you're interested in the place check out this fascinating Web site at http://www.wsmr.army.mil/paopage/Pages/Trinst.htm. Especially interesting is Albert Einstein's August 1939 letter to FDR, advising of the possibility of an atomic bomb. Back in Socorro, Nikolai and I fired up Jeremy McGrath in the motel parking lot. The little bike is a great toy that came out about a year ago and apparently didn't sell very well, probably because it was expensive. Underway, the bike is fast and extremely realistic. Both wheels have suspension and the rear one contains a gyroscope. At one point late in the afternoon, Rick told Nikolai, "We need to give David a break." Indeed, I needed one because I'm somewhat out of touch with the boundless energy of a 5-year-old. Nikolai looked up at me and asked, "David, will two minutes be enough?"
The lost bag experience with Southwest Airlines led to a decision to leave all my overnight stuff with the scooter and duplicate everything back in Dallas for other travel. This eliminates the need to check luggage on the Albuquerque commutes, and it will save a lot of time. After a laundry load at the Motel, I also left enough shirts, socks and shorts for five days on the scooter. The dresser has become a miniature condo! Monday, October 9. Fortunately, it was dry outside. My rain gear had dried in the motel room, so I was able to pack everything on the bike for winter storage. The addition of the display stand (it's visible in photo 01 at the beginning of this report) and the fairing-mounted mirrors were good buys. I recommend both, as well as the Waltersworks lengthened brake pedal lever mentioned in my Four Corners report (Labor Day weekend, 2000). Took my usual 10:30 flight to Dallas and was back in the office that afternoon. The scooter miles for the weekend were only 275, but I enjoyed every one of them. Footnote. The photos in this report are scans of 35-mm prints using a superb professional Kodak color film called Portra VC (for Vivid Color), which is available in two speeds, 160 and 400. You won't find this film at the drugstore, but you can order it from my source, Kim Perry at www.thefilmclub.com or by toll-free phone at 1-888-345-6258. I also shot digital photos and printed a few of them at home, but the Smartmedia card in my Olympus went bonkers before I could download the shots to my computer. Food in Socorro. El Camino on the main drag (US 85) is open 24 hours and has great Mexican breakfasts. Dinner both nights was at Socorro Springs Brewing Company, a block north of the Town Plaza, just west of US 85. The latter has become an all-time favorite and is a must for any trip to Socorro.
 For Information, contact: dvdallas@pobox.com
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