April 2, 2010-- Only two times during the year is the actual Trinity site open to the public, and after family plans to visit cousins in California fell through at the last minute we realized we were actually free on the weekend of the public access date.
As you might recall from my earlier post, I wrote; "July 16, 1945 ushered in a whole new era of consequence when the world’s first atomic bomb was detonated at Trinity Site on the extreme northern end of White Sands Missile Range in central New Mexico. Today, they say Trinity Site is a mildly radioactive blight in the middle of nowhere only few of the general public have seen. In fact, there supposedly are only a few witnesses of the detonation of the atomic bomb back in 1945. Sure windows were blown out in Socorro over a hundred miles away and the ground supposedly shook in Albuquerque but few actually saw the mushroom firsthand."
After passing through a military checkpoint we traveled along what normally would be a lonely two lane highway penetrating the White Sands Missile Range.
Photography is off limits during the travel to Trinity site, and honestly there really isn't much to see except frequent roadsigns warning of Oryx crossing. I followed the rules and kept the camera at bay but I had to include this photo I found on the web of such a sign. Oryx (natives of Africa) were introduced to New Mexico a couple of decades ago and without a natural predator (minus Smith&Wesson) they have entrenched themselves throughout the missile range.
At the site, military police ushered visitors to a gigantic parking lot from where we walked into the site through what would normally be a locked gate.
At the site itself is an erected monument at the center of the detonation.
Trinitite can be found if you look carefully on the ground. It is the a greenish glass which was made during the blast as sand and heat fused.
Most of it was removed by the military years ago and it is pretty obvious that it is a major offense to take any of it from the site.
I'm grateful to have had the opportunity to visit Trinity site. It is a fascinating history lesson which I pray the world will never forget.
