Carlsbad Day Two

This morning we woke up to 37 degrees and high winds, but with a beautiful clear sunny sky, so it didn’t take long to warm up to 65 degrees. We decided to go to the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens State Park. It is a state operated zoo and cactus garden specializing in native species of the Chihuahua Desert and New Mexico. The staff at the zoo works with the New Mexico Department of Fish and Game and other public and private entities in wildlife conservation efforts for many injured and orphaned birds, mammals and reptiles. It’s so nice to know that the animals here are actually better off living at the zoo than living in the wild.

Admission to the Living Desert Zoo is only $5.00 with free parking. The zoo trail winds through different desert habitats with labels on the trees and cactus as you pass.  It’s still a little early in the season so some of the displays were empty but we were able to see quite a bit. The cactus and succulent greenhouse at the end of the zoo trail is really amazing it houses many varieties of both native and exotic cacti and succulents from around the world. No crowds and if we were out of the wind a perfectly beautiful day.

We topped it off with a trip to the dollar store (I love the dollar store) and lunch at Subway, than back to the RV for some relaxation, cleaning and map reading to decide where we will be traveling tomorrow.

Entry to the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens State Park, Carlsbad New Mexico

Matching Mexican Parrots

Bald Eagle

Golden Eagle

Golden Eagle

Along the Gardens

Bobcat

Prairie Dog

Desert Tortoise

Turkey Vulture

Turkey Vulture

Wild Pig

Common Black Hawk

Buffalo

Carlsbad Carvern

We woke up to another chilly and windy day in Carlsbad, just the perfect day to spend in the Cavern. The last time we were here it had snowed and there was about 8 inches on the ground when we pulled into our campground. We toured the cave the next day and the temperature was about 65 degrees when we left the cave, today we had sun and a high of 65 degrees.  The temperature in the cavern is a steady 56 degrees with a high humidly.

 We were lucky to get in on a ranger lead tour of the Kings Room; this is an area that cannot be visited without a ranger. The tour takes about an hour and forty five minutes and goes through the Kings Room, the Queens Room, and the Green Lake. The pictures Rich took don’t do justice, you just can’t capture the depth and the size of this cavern, and it is just incredible.

We started the tour with a high speed elevator ride down 750 feet (75 stories). We left the elevator and entered an area so large there was a restaurant, restrooms built right into the cave walls, a small gift shop and a waiting area where we met our tour leader. After a few words from him about cave behavior we started our tour with another descend of 8 stories, we are now about 850 feet below ground.  

As we walked from area to area we learned about the history of the Caverns, how they were discovered and used in the past, we also had an opportunity to experience total darkness when the tour guide cut the lights. I felt very uncomfortable as I have terrible claustrophobia and that extreme darkness really kicks in the old anxiety. Actually, I haven’t been in darkness like that since our son Jeff turned out the lights on a tour we took of Wind Cave in South Dakota when he was about 10 years old that sure surprised the ranger on that tour. Needless to say Carlsbad Cavern is just unbelievable, it’s like one of the places you have to see before you die, which Richard almost did on the way out. Because the wait to take the elevator back to the surface was over an hour I talked Richard into walking out. The ranger said it was an easy uphill climb; many switch backs, for 750 feet... HE LIED!!!! IT WAS NOT EASY!!! We ended up walking up with the same group of people and all congratulated each other when we finally reached the top. We then treated ourselves to lunch at Chilies and put back all the calories we had just walked off.

750 feet below ground level

 

In the cave with the lights out

  

Finally OUT

Carlsbad New Mexico

Brantley Lake State Park

 Site 46

Another chilly chilly morning, we even had ice on our hose connection this morning. We decided to head up to Carlsbad New Mexico. We got started around 9:30 and settled in at Brantley Lake State Park, just north of Carlsbad, around 1:00 pm. We initially paid for the next three days, there is a lot in the area to see and this will give us enough time to do that.

Alpine Texas

We are camped at the Lost Alaskan RV Park in Alpine. We are back to civilization again after a week of  "roughing it" in the outback. The park, like many other parks we have been in, offers wifi but it is extremely slow. I tried updating our blog this morning and gave up after seeing how long it would take. So we loaded up the laptop and headed to McDonald's. Thank God for the McDonald's, they offer high speed wifi at all their locations.

The day started very windy and chilly. The weather here changes faster and more often then Minnesota weather. The day before yesterday it was mid 90's today it's maybe 50.  This is colder then we want. We are deciding today where to head next.

This evening we are heading to the Town of Marfa Texas. Marfa is the home of the mysterious lights. First reported by early settlers in 1883, the mysterious lights still defy explanation. Eight miles east of town there is the viewing center that was recently expanded to eight acres which includes a large viewing deck complete with restrooms. Reports from those who have been there say your chances of seeing the lights are 50 /50. It doesn't seen to matter what time, day of the week, weather conditions or cloud conditions, the lights are either there or not. Maybe tonight will be a lucky night for us.

For more information on the lights:  Google Marfa Lights

Update on the Marfa lights:  Well we stuck around for a little over an hour and didn't see anything other then a sky FULL of stars. There must of been close to a hundred or so people coming and going during the time we were there. I'm sure the minute we left all hell broke loose......

Finally, before driving over to Marfa we drove around Alpine and Chris took some pictures, with her phone, of some interesting places in town.

Chloe we found your store, it's pink and only sells Jewelry and Cosmetics

Hotel

Three Amigo's

 Catholic Church

Alicia's Restaurant