TEXAS, EL PASO: MUSEUM OF ART

 July 3, 2021

We ended our nine-day trip to New Mexico back where we started - in El Paso, Texas, where we had time to visit the El Paso Museum of Art, get some dinner, and get a bird's-eye view of the city.

Art first. 

The museum is located in the heart of downtown. The current location was built in 1998, and I liked it even before we went inside because of this fun mural on the side of the building.

People and animals have a lot in common, don't they?

The museum lobby had this work on one wall. Created by Andrea Bowers in 2019, it refers to the separation of migrant families at the border. The changing colors of the letters suggests the random divisions going on there.

NEW MEXICO: ORGAN MOUNTAINS, DRIPPING SPRINGS TRAIL

July 3, 2021

On July 2 we stopped at the Dripping Springs ranger station in the Organ Mountains on our way to our hotel in Las Cruces. We were hoping to do a three-mile hike, but rain was threatening and we didn't want to be caught in a storm, so we continued on to Las Cruces and came back the nexr morning

Our son Sam did some rope climbing here with a friend several years ago, so we were intrigued to visit and get an up-close view. These needle peaks loom over Las Cruces like Mordor rises over Middle-earth in The Lord of the Rings. 

These first pictures were taken through the car window on our way in just as the sun was rising.

NEW MEXICO: A BABY ZEBRA, WHITE SANDS NATIONAL MONUMENT, AND A GIANT PISTACHIO

 July 2, 2021

As we drove through some really beautiful scenery in the Lincoln National Forest on our way to White Sands National Park, the words "Cold Cider" and "Fresh Cherries" caught my eye. 

We pulled into a parking lot and found what we were looking for--and much more. Who would have thought there would be  a one-month-old Grant's zebra in a New Mexico farm stand? 

Goats, yes. Maybe even the llamas . . .

. . . but a zebra? And not just one zebra, but two. The baby's mama was in the pen next to it.

TEXAS: McKITTRICK CANYON

 July 1, 2021

When we finished our trek through Carlsbad Cavern and got back to our car, Bob called the main ranger station in Guadalupe National Park to see if by any chance McKittrick Canyon had been opened up. We had already tried to get in twice, but it had been closed due to flooding caused by a couple of days of rain. Well, the third time was the charm--it was open!

I was really glad that Bob was persistent. We had a memorable late afternoon hike and had the place almost completely to ourselves.

The parking lot and ranger station are several miles in from the main road. We hit the trail right away because by the time we got to the station, it was 5:00 and the exit gate would be locked at 6:00.

McKittrick Canyon is located just over the Texas border in Guadalupe Mountains National Park at an elevation of 5,018.  How is this for scenery?

NEW MEXICO: CARLSBAD CAVERN

 July 1, 2021

Carlsbad Cavern (singular) is one of seventeen caves in Carlsbad Caverns (plural) National Park. About 250 years ago, an underground sea combined with sulfuric acid deep below the earth's surface to work on the limestone of the area of the Guadalupe Mountains, carving out huge caverns. Different kinds of forces created various formations, including the familiar stalactites and stalagmites, as well as formations less familiar (to me) such as straws, popcorn, flowstone, and travertine.

A fun thing happened before we went into the cave. I was wearing my "Redlands Strong" pandemic t-shirt, and someone got out of his car as we walked by and asked if we were from Redlands. He was a University of Redlands student and his girlfriend was a Redlands native! I seem to have a knack for running into people who I have a connection to.

Comedian Will Rogers once called Carlsbad Cavern "the Grand Canyon with a roof over it." When I saw this layout of the cave in the Visitor Center, I could see what he was talking about. 

It is possible to walk down the cave opening, and then walk through a section of the cave to get to the trailhead for the main cave. The 1.25 natural trail entrance is very steep and the equivalent of a 75-story building. We opted to take the elevator down instead, and we took it back up as well.

Signage notes there are at least 118 caves beneath the surface with over 180 total miles of known passages and rooms. I wasn't aware of any other options for cave walks, although I am sure there must be some.

This map reminds me of Lake Powell. It's interesting to note the similarities of caves to canyons.

NEW MEXICO AND TEXAS: GUADALUPE MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK AND WHITE'S CITY

July 1, 2021

We had a day of hiking planned and wanted to get an early start. We were out the door by 6:00 AM and on our way to McKittrick Canyon in Guadalupe Mountain National Park. Low clouds still clung to the Guadalupe Peaks, and the air was cool and fresh because of the rains of the previous two days.

We arrived at the gate to McKittrick Canyon at 6:50 AM. Since it wasn't supposed to open until 8:00, we drove to the Guadalupe Mountains National Park main visitor's center. It also did not open until 8:00, so we walked an easy one-mile loop trail that was nearby.

NEW MEXICO: BITTER LAKE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

 June 30, 2021

Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge lies a few miles northwest of Roswell. The Pecos River flows through the refuge and the Roswell aquifer lies under it. Together, they have created several deep lakes. The refuge hosts as many as 350 species of migratory birds and is also known for being the home to over 90 species of dragonflies and damselflies, which are at their peak in July and August. Being on the front end of that, we definitely saw some, but I didn't get pictures of any--except the one on the entrance sign.

As mentioned in my previous post, it had been raining all morning, as well as some of the day before, but the heavens parted and the sun began to emerge while we were in the wildlife refuge.

The puddles in the road acted like reflecting pools.

I'm glad we could stay in the car for the scenic drive. Walking would have been messy.