...7.23...a visit to the squadron...and crossing the Rio Grande...

...if you travel much in New Mexico...chances are...

...you'll cross and recross the Rio Grande multiple times...

...we did...traveling South and back North...

...every time...I tried to get the camera out quickly enough to snap a blurry photo...

...these mountains got pushed up....

...as the Rio Grande basin sank...

...you can follow the green swathe of the river all the way through New Mexico...it's so amazing to see it in the middle of the desert...

...the sign reads...

Elevation 4850

Winds blowing across the usually dry, sandy riverbed of Rio Salado formed dunes along this part of the Rio Grande Valley. The Rio Grande, just southwest of here, follows a massive geological trench shaped millions of years ago when huge blocks of land sank as the earth in central New Mexico slowly began pulling apart. The resulting Rio Grande Rift uplifted the Los Pinos Mountains to the east. Northwest are the Sierra Ladrones. Rocks on their 9000 foot crests are similar to those buried four milel beneath these dunes....

...the sandy dunes...

...a warning to hikers...

...then Our Airman took us on base to show us the squadron...

...but we couldn't take any photos there...

~Have a lovely day!