A Day Almost Missed! The Very Large Array, Pie Town, and the Datil Well Recreation Area

April 5, 2024

It was a morning of indecision. It was cold and very windy when I woke at 6 a.m. at the Birders’ RV campsite so rather than cooking up my coffee and breakfast I drove the few miles to a McDonalds in Socorro. While there, I looked up the weather report – high winds were predicted for the day, as well as freezing night time temperatures at high elevations. Hmmm. My day’s plan had been to drive up into the high mountains west of Socorro, visit the Very Large Array and Pie Town, and camp at Datil Well Campground which sits at an elevation of 7414 feet! To be honest, I was getting tired of very cold nights and so, reluctantly, I decided to skip that part of my itinerary even though I have always wanted to see the Very Large Array.

I left Socorro and drove 30 minutes up I-25 en-route to visit the Salinas Pueblo Missions, but I kept glancing at those high mountains to the west and they were definitely calling to me. So, pulling off the I-25, I drove the 30 minutes back to Socorro to pursue my original plan and I am so glad that I did! I connected to Highway 60 West which quickly began to climb and curve its way up into the mountains and then, to my surprise, I was on the Plains of San Agustin, a large flat expanse of grassland dotted with sage that had once been the site of a large intermontane lake. This was the most scenic drive yet! It was the kind of road where I felt compelled to stop again and again for photographs. There were mountains ahead,

and mountains to the right of me,

and mountains to my left, blue in the far distance and topped with snow.

The plain stretched way ahead of me and after about an hour of fantastic driving I began to see the shapes of the telescopes of the Very Large Array in the distance. I stopped several times for photos but they were still very tiny! Here is one photo from a bit closer!

The Very Large Array collects faint cosmic radio waves from outer space to learn about objects in our universe, and I learned later that the array is located here in part because the surrounding mountains act as a barrier to radio interference from cities even hundreds of miles away.

I turned onto the access road to the Visitors Centre where there were closer views,

and then that road turned again and offered a different view. While I had moved from one stop to another, the radio telescopes had all shifted to point up! It was like a choreographed ballet! The telescopes can tilt up and down and spin around. They act in unison, and together they create the world’s most powerful radio astronomy telescope that has made more discoveries than any other telescope on Earth.

I reached the Visitors Centre where there were informative films to watch, interpretive exhibits, and a paved walk for closer viewing of the telescopes,

including the opportunity for a very up-close view! Each large dish measures 82 feet across and weighs over 200 metric tons.

There are twenty eight dishes, one of which is a spare, and they were all built onsite in a large facility called the Barn. The other twenty seven working telescopes are organized on three straight arms that radiate out from the centre, with nine telescopes on each arm. They move on rails and can be spaced closer together to cover a distance of about two thirds of a mile, or be arrayed far apart on each arm for a distance of up to 13 miles!

The Very Large Array makes detailed images of radio-emitting objects in deep space that are not visible to optical telescopes, and it can observe astronomical events likes the birth of stars and the growth of galaxies. The data collected by the Very Large Array is shared with astronomers all over the world. Here is an excellent film if you would like to learn more: https://public.nrao.edu/gallery/beyond-the-visible-vla/

After my inspiring and educational visit to the Very Large Array, I continued west on highway 60, through the small town of Datil, and then on to Pie Town, a teeny tiny stop on the road with three pie shops and a population of less than 200. Just before the first pie shop there was a property filled with someone’s wonderful collection of old windmills, vehicles, and machinery. (I recommend clicking on the photo of the truck for a larger view, it is really quite beautiful!)

Next, an old gas station and garage were terribly rundown, but also oddly beautiful! Then, what could be more American than a Chevy (I’m guessing here, let me know if I’m wrong!) paired with a Coca-Cola sign, and what could be more antique than a pay phone!

Ah, the first pie shop! (It’s a restaurant too.)

I had thought that I would scope out all three shops before deciding where to buy a slice, but this first one had me at hello.

The inside was as fun as the outside with all kinds of signs, photos, antiques, and various bric a brac to look at, admire, and wonder at. The ladies running the shop were friendly, and there were about ten different and interesting kinds of pies on offer, including their signature apple pie which incorporates green hatch chilies in the recipe. The Lemon Blueberry Buttermilk pie sounded just right for me so I ordered a slice with a cup of coffee and then made my way to a comfortable booth in the back corner.

This was my view of the restaurant from my booth,

and this was my close-up view!

I enjoyed my pie and coffee and then happily began the return journey east on scenic highway 60 to arrive at the Datil Well Recreation Area Campground. What a great place! The cost was only $5 per night (!) for a exceptionally clean and well-maintained campground located in a forest of juniper and Ponderosa pine, with well-spaced sites, some with ramadas and three with electricity! As well, it had historic significance having been a resting and watering site for multiple cattle and sheep drives over the years, including in 1919 when over 21,000 cattle and 150,000 sheep stopped here, “accompanied by cowboys or sheep herders, chuckwagons, and saddle horses.”

I chose a site, walked around the campground and on one of the trails for some exercise, and then had a simple dinner of tuna on crackers and some canned peaches because I was still full of pie!

Later, as it drew close to about 6 p.m., I started to worry again about the rising wind and the cold night ahead so I checked the weather report. Now, there was also a wildfire warning posted because of the dry conditions and high winds, and also the potential for snow! Reluctantly, I decided to say goodbye to my lovely campsite (and my $5) and drive back down to Socorro for the night to camp stealth in town. I felt like quite the wimp actually, definitely not as tough as those hundreds of cowboys and sheep herders that had passed through here and slept out under the stars, in much rougher conditions, in days gone by.

But, it was the right decision to make and I was happy as I made the drive back, still stopping often for photos as the sun lowered in the western sky behind me and the road stretched ahead across the high plain.

It had been a great day in New Mexico, and I was very glad that I hadn’t missed it!