Carlsbad, New Mexico

 We arrived in Carlsbad, New Mexico on October 22, 2022, and what a contrast to Las Cruces, New Mexico. Such beautiful mountains to look at in Las Cruces, Carlsbad is more flat - until you get to the Caverns. Also, we had to drive through Texas to get to Carlsbad, that was interesting. If you have never seen the Guadalupe Mountains National Park in Salt Flat, Texas, they are worthy of your time. We were traveling and only were able to see them in the distance, I do want to go back in that area and hike the mountains. 

On our way to Carlsbad, New Mexico. "For the mountains may 

be removed and the hills may shake, but My lovingkindness will not be 

removed from you, and My covenant of peace will not be 

shaken," Says the Lord who has compassion on you."' Isaiah 54:10 (NASB).

We were able to chill on Sunday, after watching church we watched football games and really didn't do much of anything. That was nice, I still feel like I am trying to catch up on rest since Las Vegas. We really did a lot there. Monday, the weather was crazy wind gusts up to 40 miles per hour and some rain. Tuesday, we went to Carlsbad Caverns, and it was an amazing day! God gave us great weather to see this amazing site.

Carlsbad Caverns is 46,766 acres, including over 33,000 acres of designated wilderness. It ranges from 3,596 feet to 6,368 feet above sea level.  In 1898, a teenager named Jim White (a cowboy) explored the cavern with a homemade wire ladder. He also named many of the room inside the carven. Until 1932, visitors to the cavern had to walk down a switchback ramp that took them 750 feet below the surface. The walk back was tiring for some. In 1932 the national park opened a large visitor center building that contained two elevators that would take visitors in and out of the caverns below. 
 
We hiked down and took the elevator back up. I had well over 11,000 steps that day and on Wednesday I felt it.  "Keeping it real" I had a hard time adjusting once we first got into the cavern. First of all, my glass were still dark from being outside and I had to take them off so I could see better in the dark cavern. Secondly, I couldn't really follow the trail, it seemed like I was going to fall, but the surface was level. Hubby was wonderful and helped me until I could adjust. It was really something that I had never felt before, it felt like vertigo or something like that.

Welcome to Carlsbad Caverns. President Calvin Coolidge signed a proclamation 

on October 25, 1923 stabling Carlsbad Cave National Monument. President Jimmy 

Carter established Carlsbad Caverns Wilderness on November 10, 1978 

with the National Parks and Recreation Act.

Amphitheater where you can watch the bats. 

You go through this area to enter the Cavern if you are hiking.

Beginning of the Cavern.

After walking a ways, you head back to where you can see 

the entrance. Our last look of daylight.

Whales Mouth.

Green Lakes Room.

From 1926 until 1950 visitors used this wooden steps to get into the 

Big room or to climb out of the Cavern, until 1932 when 

they could use the elevator if they wanted.

New York, New York! The view of the spires on this breakdown pile 

gave its name: New York Skyline. As the Big room was forming by sulfuric acid, 

the ceiling could not support the rock above. When the ceiling collapsed, 

it created a pile of boulders called breakdowns. Sulfuric acid continued to 

drip on the boulders below, carving out spires in the rock called "spitzkarren."

The picture doesn't do it justice.

God is so creative!!

Stalactites

Some of these remind me of chandeliers.

Where we waited to see if the bats would fly out. 

A squirrel joined us while we waited.

A park ranger came out at 5:30pm to talk with us about the bats. He debunked myths and fears (like only two types of bats "lick blood" and they live in Central and South America, and they do this to mostly cattle and other farm animals), told us about the bats that live in this cave along with Cave Sparrows. The bats we were able to see are Brazilian Free-Tail bats. We were not allowed to take photos or video the bats, they are "country bats" unlike the "city bats" in Austin, Texas that are used to the noise and lights. I found the next two photos online.

A face only his mother could love. "On the bat's back I 

do fly after summer merrily." William Shakespeare.

The bats would swirl out of the cave and then take flight to the 

Pecos River to eat the insects and get some water.

Originally it was thought that there were two types of "free-tail" bats, Brazilian and Mexican, but as they studied them the scientists found out they were the same bat, they were just named for the area where they were found. This bat is a medium sized bat with reddish to dark brown or gray fur. They have broad, black, forward pointing ears and wrinkled lips. Their tails extend more than one third beyond the tail membranes; most other bats have tails that are completely enclosed within the tail membranes. Their wings are long and narrow. Most of these bats migrate south to Central America and Mexico during the winter. We were blessed enough to see them come out of the cave, they usually start migrating towards the end of October and beginning of November. They prefer to roost in caves, but will also choose attics, under bridges, or in abandoned buildings. 

They choose to roost near water. The water attracts the insects they eat, as well as allowing them the opportunity to drink. They are found in the western United States, south through Mexico, Central America and into northern South America. Snakes, raccoon, house cats, owls and other predators sometimes mange to gain access to the roosts. If a baby falls to the cave floor the mother will not come to its rescue giving predators a chance for a quick meal. A single free-tail baby bat is born during the summer. Young bats roost separately from their mothers. Babies roost in the highest reaches of the cave, where temperatures are the warmest. The warm conditions are essential for rapid growth and survival. In the large maternity colonies, the mother must find her own pup among the thousands. It is thought that she locates her baby by recognizing its individual call. These bats have a life span of up to 18 years. They weigh between 0.4 - 0.5 ounces and their wingspan is between 12-14 inches. Fun fact: these bats are the "jets" of the bat world and can fly up to 100 miles per hour.

We had more high winds on Thursday, it is interesting to feel like you are on a boat when the winds reach over 20 miles per hour, just like when we were in Oklahoma, the wind rocks up back and forth.

I went to the office to ask about places to eat, we eat out on the nights before we head to our next destination. Well, to be honest, we will eat out during our stay at the RV parks as well, especially if it is a Road Food Book place we need to try. Carlsbad didn't have any for us to explore while staying here. The recommendation was to a Mexican Restaurant "Lucy's". We were also told to try the Chile con Queso, so of course we had to try that.

Lucy's.

I liked the queso, hubby, not so much.

We headed to my dad's property in Irann on Saturday, and we will stay until Wednesday. I couldn’t add a picture on this blog about the property because we don't have internet out there. I will add them to the next blog. More about where we headed to after staying on the property on the next blog. Must keep you coming back somehow.

If there is something special you would like me to take a picture of, please let me know!

 
Drop a comment for me and let me know your thoughts on the blog.

God, the RV & me...