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Serna's the Crew at Las Cruces, N.M., TA
Located deep in the southern end of New Mexico, the Las Cruces TA straddles the junction of Interstates 10 and 25. It's also close to the White Sands military reservation, where the world's first atomic bomb was detonated, and where the Space Shuttle could land if the weather's bad in Florida.
It's unlikely the Shuttle will ever roll up to the TA. But, if it did, the astronauts would be greeted by Benny Serna, the maintenance manager and Road King crew member. Serna's been at the 29-year-old travel center for 15 years.
"I was hired as a maintenance man and worked my way up to manager," Serna says. "I make sure everything works and overseeing the janitors and porters, as well as making sure the Road Kings are in the racks. Basically, I'm a jack of all trades, and it keeps me busy."
Lots of tourist and commercial traffic flow through the TA, south to Mexico, north toward Albuquerque, and west into southern Arizona. Over the years, Serna has gotten to know quite a few of the regulars. "It's interesting to get to know different people and learn about different cultures. I enjoy the friendships," he says.
The TA is scheduled for major construction in the next few months. A new central building and shops will be built near the old one, which will be torn down to make room for parking. They aren't planning a parking spot for the Shuttle, but if it's needed, they'll have room.
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