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Tuesday, August 11, 2015

A Hike Through The Sand Dunes

Here's the sewage treatment settling ponds for the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) jail, far, far away, on Albuquerque's southwest side. No surprise I was stopped by MDC security walking through here. Critical infrastructure!


Talked briefly to the Offroaders at the Sand Dunes.


They told me this sand dune here had recently been used as a movie set. They were unsure if it was Superman III, or some other movie.


Apparently they drilled a compound in the face of the sand dune, used it, then restored it. Keep an eye out for it!


Every single ding-dang living thing is active now. It's so green out here (comparatively speaking)! This flower is a Phlox heliotrope (Heliotropium convulvaceum).


I've never seen so much (poisonous) Purple Nightshade out here!


Distant Manzano Mountains.


Distant Sandia Mountains.



Breaking Bad's "Confessions" Sand Dune

In August, 2015, I finally succeeded in reaching the correct sand dune for Breaking Bad's "Confessions" scene. Since I didn't have a four-wheel-drive vehicle or a mountain bike, I chose to park at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC), and walk.




















Detail of old corral seen in the distance of the scene.

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Prairie Sunflowers! (Helioanthus petiolaris).


Lots and lots of Small-Leaf Globemallow (Sphaeralcea parvifolia)!


Some sort of legume....


Coming up to source region of the sand - these cliffs and badlands, formed by water draining west to the Rio Puerco River.


The harder surface is composed of exposed caliche, which cements well, and thus makes a resistant layer.


I saw a crow trying to enter one of these holes, before I scared it off. It must live here....














The view northwest.


The view west.


The edge.


Caliche detail.





The jagged edge.


The jagged edge - detail.








An angry bird.


Pretty flower!


Frozen sand.


The Albuquerque Landfill.


The MDC jail, from the distance.


Another legume?


A sagebrush.


A Fourwing Saltbush (Atriplex canescens).


An unusual-looking, pale Fourwing Saltbush (Atriplex canescens).


Pretty flower. Possibly Groundsel (Senecio multicapitatus).


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