Las Cruces, NM

Last Sunday we arrived at Hacienda RV Resort in Las Cruces, NM. This is by far one of the nicest RV parks we have stayed in. The staff was the friendliest we have encountered as well. The park office is an adobe style building

which houses the office, gift shop, lounge, and breakfast room. A large spa is located outside to the rear of the building.

Gift Shop

Lounge

Breakfast

Our Site

The park has a free breakfast every morning and it wasn't bad. A lot better than some motels we have stayed at.

On Monday we drove up to Alamogordo to the John P Strapp Air and Space Park. On the way we passed White Sands National Monument and the White Sands Missile Range which has a museum in the Air Force Base that is open to the public. We saved both for the trip back. The John P Strapp Air and Space Park is located high above Alamogordo in a beautiful new building. The building contains four floors of rocket and space history and exhibits.

In front of the building are displayed several rockets and other associated items.


One of the items is the rusted hulk of a German V2 rocket. This V2 was liberated after the war and brought back to White Sands for testing. I was surprised to see the rocket was built around two heavy steel I beam in the center. One of the German rocket scientist who was also liberated was being questions on Germany's rocket design and said "Why don't you look at your own Dr. Robert Goddard's work, that's where we got our designs." Dr. Goddard launched the world's first liquid-fueled rocket on March 16, 1926. The V2 was very similar to Goddard's rockets in design.

German V2

Nike Missile