Carlsbad Caverns NM and Marfa TX

April 8 - 13

This was pretty much the scenery 
for the entire drive.

We left Gila National Forest and had a 3 hour drive to Carlsbad Caverns. We actually left New Mexico and entered Texas for a while before getting back into New Mexico. 

A big lot but plenty of room.

There was a BLM campground about 6 miles from the Park entrance so we stayed there. No frills boondocking but it is free, so there's that. It was actually better than the paid campground that we saw near the park entrance where they were packed into a parking lot like sardines. The solar array was able to keep up with the power usage and we did not even come close to draining the fresh water or filling the grey or black water. 

BLM campground sunset

Spent the first day working and then went to the bat amphitheater to watch the bats come out of the cave. No one told the bats though and they did not show. The ranger was not sure if the resident colony was back from their mexican vacation. Maybe they were turned back at the border. We did learn a lot about the bats that live there though and we saw an owl waiting on the ridge for a bat snack. He must have realized there was not going to be a meal and left before we did.

The next day, we did the cavern. These pictures do not even capture a tenth of the size and beauty of the cave! They have an elevator that takes you down the 750 feet or you can hike in from the "Natural Entrance". I hiked in and Nancy took the elevator. From the bottom, it is about a 1.5 mile walk inside the cave. The walk down was very steep but super cool. Lots of formation and the sound of dripping water as the temperature dropped from the 80s to the 50s. My thighs were burning by the time I got down. Supposedly 17 floors of a skyscraper. I took the elevator back up. 

Down in the Depths

This cave is immense!  The sheer scale of it is mind boggling. Some parts look like the surface of the moon and some look like a spiky fairyland of stalactites and exotic formations. You can still hear the dripping water so the cave is still alive. Kartchner Cavern had more variety of color and more live places but the scale of this really is something.

I think H R Giger drew inspiration from
this.

Drapery. Although the Kartchner 
"Bacon" drapery was prettier.

Cool decorations.

Double Rainbow. This was so vivid IRL.

We got to experience a high desert rainstorm. We could see the clouds off in the distance and before long it was blowing hard and pouring rain. It only lasted a half hour of so but it was blowing Riganante around pretty good. After, we were treated to a super vivid double rainbow. Once again, the picture does not do it justice.

The next day we drove 125 miles to Marfa TX. My college friend Alex opened a restaurant here. Apparently, she was a semifinalist of  the James Beard award several times and has been written up in Bonappetit. The food was very good and her artistic flair was evident in the decor and the presentation. A must for anyone coming to Marfa!

The next day, I rode into town to check it out and hopefully buy some art for Riganante. Unfortunately, Sunday is the sleepiest of days in this sleepy town and no galleries were open. I rode down almost every street checking out the old cars and interesting architecture. 

Mad Max must live in Marfa!

Juxtaposition!

Need a Hearse for this Hearse.

One of many old trucks.
Mostly old 70s pickups.

Not sure if this is pre-fab or
container or small house.

Old truck and old Vespa!

Fortunately, the beer garden  was and Alex and her partner James came down and we got to catch up. I think we were there for six hours talking. Turns out that in thirty years, there is a lot of stuff that happens. Anyway, I had a great time. 

Pookie calls this one the Barnyard Blitz Spritz.

Pookie re-started her hair and nail salon on the road. She was having trouble affording her 2 packs of Luckies and was getting a bit bored of us so she started offering her services to the local dog population. They were lining up when they heard the famous Pouké was in town. Needless to say, there were a lot of Haute hounds running the streets of Marfa.

Another satisfied customer!

Tomorrow, it is off to San Antonio. We are in a fancy RV Park so will do laundry and hopefully get a key for Nancy's bike so she can ride the River walk.