In this episode of the “Southern Road Trip” series, I visit White Sands National Park in New Mexico. My camp is a free campsite just outside of Alamogordo, NM (on BLM land). Inside the park I hike the 5 mile Alkali Flat Loop which is anything but flat. The cloud formations cast beautiful shadows on the dunes which made for a stunning day in the park. Approximately 12,000 years ago, the land within the Tularosa Basin featured large lakes, streams, grasslands, and Ice Age mammals. As the climate warmed, rain and snowmelt dissolved gypsum from the surrounding mountains and carried it into the basin. I have embarked on a road trip from Southern California to Florida (then back west) with lots of stops for adventure along the way. From the Southwest to the Southeast the plan is to seek warmer climates during the winter while living full time in my truck camper. This trip will be full of firsts as it is all new territory for me along my entire route. Come along for the ride!