Holly batcave Batman!!!!









Entrance to the Bat Cave

We left Tombstone AZ two days ago traveling south east toward El Paso Texas.  East from Tombstone the landscape looked remarkablely like the southern San Jauquine Valley near Bakersfield.  Mesquite, yucca cactus, brown grass, lots of rocks and high mountains peaks spread here and there.  Miles and miles of what I would call high desert landscape.  There wasn't much to look at.  Just before we reach the New Mexico State line out of this barren landscape there was a vineyard and a few miles of Pecan ocrchards.  Wine in AZ????. That was the only break until we reached Las Cruces New Mexico our stop for the night. 

 

We stayed in the Shady Acres RV park, $30 / night with hookups, wifi, and cable TV.  The park was located in an industrial / motel area by the highway of Las Cruces. The park was for the most part was gravel sites with some sites with winter grass (brown).  We had a pull through site just gravel very dusty.   There were some long term RV's stay there.  The park wasn't bad for the night but I don't understand why someone would want to spend the winer season there.  There wasn't much to look at and no where to walk to.  The area was somewhat depressing.   The gravel RV site seems to be the theme in the southwest.  Anyway what the heck it was  only for one night and in the end the park had great bathrooms. 

 

We awoke to another perfect southwest morning, cold but clear.  We have been lucky daytime temp are much above normal up to the low 70's so there isn't anything to complain about.  We left las Cruces heading toward El Paso TX with the goal reaching Carlsbad New Mexico.  The trip was more of the high desert landscape, not many towns, houses or even cows to look at.  We stoped for lunch at the Gradalupe Mt. National Park, the highest point in Texas and about 40 miles from Carlsbad.  Great views from the park head quarters.  We thought that we would spend the night at the park but the RV sites here were just a parking lot so we decidede to go on to Carlsbad. 

 

Carlsbad New Mexico,  small town along the banks of the Pecos River.  During other times of the year it must be busy here because there are lots of motels along the highway.  The motels must provide for people visiting Carlsbad Caverns National Park.  There isn't much else in town other than a nice bike path along the Pecos River.  Were staying at another gravel RV Park, Carlsbad RV Park,  $30 per night with all the usual amentites including an in door pool, which is closed....Oh well.  One thing that I found suprising about Carsbad is that this small town in the middle of no where had a preforming arts center and a small airport.  The performing arts center was totaly unexpected.  Who know that there is culture in the middle of nowhere?

 

Today we spent the day exploring Carlsbad Caverns National Park- a ture adventure.  After hiking down 850 ft into the bat cave, which took 45 minutes   you reach a massive catherdral room filled with calcite formations of unbeliveable demenisons, and crystal clear pools of water.  Taking the hike down the trail it seemed like u were decending into hell.  I can't really discribe the trail down into the caverns.  If you're a weenie you can take an elevator down to the main chamber.  I would not recomend the elevator since the hike down was awesome.  Park entrance fees includes an unsupervised tour of the cave, for addtional fees there are some other supervised tours that you can take to other parts of the caves.   We chose to take a special tour of the lower cave.  This tour is only open o 12 people per day and costs an addtional $20 per person.  Since its not season we were lucky and there was only one other person on this tour.  The tour takes you down underneath the prinary cave uisng ropes and 3 ladders and takes 3 hours to tour the lower cave.  The tour was beyond discription.  Certainly worth the time and admission. 

 

Jack in a small cave of the main chanber of the Lower Cavern



Jack in the Main Chanber of Carlsbad Cavern



After an exciting day underground we finished it with an excelent dinner at Larez Mexican restruant.  Good place to stop for the best flour tortillas that I have ever had,and  excellent chile rellanos.

Off to San Antonio Texas tomorrow.