Carlsbad Caverns from Spring Break

So, over Spring Break (a couple of weeks ago), I went with my roommate Malorie and her boyfriend Pat to Carlsbad Caverns National Park. It was truly mind-blowing! I don't think that I've ever been in caves before. If I have, they have now paled so much in comparison that the memory is obsolete. It was about a two and a half hour drive through parts of Texas and into New Mexico. Along the way, we actually were able to experience another National Park: the Guadelupe Mountains. They are the highest point in Texas and are very beautiful... and very different from the Rockies. We spent most of the day at Carlsbad, hiking throught the caves.

For the most accessible (and most visited) part of the park, you have two options: hike in or take the elevator. There was no question about our preference. So, we began the hike which took us circa two and a half hours. You're on a paved path the whole time, and it's dimly lit. I was actually really impressed with the artistry behind the lighting. There is so much to take in while you're down there, but the lighting guides you through it. Highlighting this, backlighting that. It did make it quite dificult to take pictures. To do it properly, you would need a tri-pod and a long shutter speed without a flash to capture the colors and feel of it. But, pictures don't do it justice anyways. The sheer amount of space within this caves is unreal! But, I'm jumping ahead.

As you hike down, you are at a pretty steep grade, traveling throught the natural mouth of the cave, and down into the depths. Since you are the one guiding yourself into it, you are forced to realize the grandeur and the juxtoposition of this underground world. "Wait, weren't we just standing on top of this?!" You would have to make yourself look up and marvel at the vertical spaces. Almost like being in a cathedral but on a much grander scale, and way more beautiful (in my humble opinion). God is an artist that we aspire to be like. You hike from room to room of this cave, constantly working downwards until you get into the "Great Room". Oddly enough, it wasn't my favorite spot... I don't know that I had one favorite spot, but I really enjoyed the hike down.

The Great Room is where the elevator spits people out, so they would miss all of what we had seen over the last hour and a half! This part is quite level and even somewhat wheelchair accessible. We also saw some more water that was still forming active There were fun formations with names such as: The Lion's Tail, Rock of Ages, Whale's Mouth, Fairy Prairie, and the Bottomless Pit. (I had to say the last one in the same voice as "The Pit o Despair". That only resulted in the ensuing of hilarity Princess Bride style. Heck yes!) It was a fay full of fun antics balanced by revered and awe-struck whispered. Because of the immensity, they ask that you keep your voice down to prevent a cacophony of echoes. The only disappointment of the day was when we discoverd that everyone has to take the elevator out of the caves. The path is one way only, probably for some unknown safety reasons. Despite our hike being shorter than we intended, we still had a grand old time.

There are a grand total of 113 caves in this National Park, and those two and a half hours were spent only exploring one. They are also discovering more new caves every year! Apparently, you can pay to go on guided tours of other caves requiring some spelunking gear. Bring your own boots, gloves, and AA batteries, they'll supply the helmuts, knee pads, and headlamps. :) I would love to go back, camp there for a while, and do some more exploring... maybe someday. So, it was an adventure I would highly recommed to anyone. Plus, because we lived so close, it only cost us the price of gas (1 full tank) and $6 a person. A deal of a lifetime!

Dinner in New Mexico

This past weekend was great. My roommates and I celebrated my upcoming birthday. Since we've been in Texas we haven't gone out to a steak house or for BBQ yet, and as a lover of good BBQ, I decided that's what I wanted to do. I found this place online called "The State Line Smokehouse & Grill" that sounded great. About 15 - 20 min from our apartment, with their own smokehouse on the grounds. Good reviews, so it was decided. They also said online that it was near the state line between TX and New Mexico (about 5 minutes or so). So, it sounded fun.

We got there and the food was great! Talk about huge portions. I decided to go all out with a combo plate of brisket, beef rib, pork ribs, peppered chicken, and their house recipe sausage. All that plus potato salad, beans, and coleslaw. I could eat about half of it. (Do you see the size of that beef rib?! It's bigger than my head... and boy, was it delicious!) Add onto that a big scoop of homemade vanilla bean ice cream that they gave me to celebrate the big 22 and I was beyond satisfied.


As we were leaving the restaurant, we walked through their beautiful patio and out to the parking lot. We noticed something interesting on the patio archway, though. "Now leaving New Mexico" What?! I knew we were near the state line, but this restaurant actually straddles it! So, we parked in Texas and ate in New Mexico. It was great. I stood there with one foot on either side of the arch: "Woohoo, 2 places at once!" (Not quite as cool as being in four places at once at Four Corners: New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, and Utah... but still.) :) We came home, goofed around for a while, and then decided to play a game. So, amidst laugh attacks involving tears and side aches, we played a raucous game of Phase 10. I won! (It's only my second time ever playing.) It was a great night!