We hit the Carlsbad Tavern, errrr… no, the Carlsbad CAVERN!

Due to the fact we are now “back to the future…” we went to bed early and got up early… 6:00 a.m.  Oh well, all was good, got a nice skype call in with Gwenny and her Mom. 

We decided to head out first thing and take in the Carlsbad Cavern’s… probably the biggest thing happening here in Carlsbad!

This is the main building for the Caverns… it has it all and is newer, for sure!  Check out the sky, and the star spangled banner!   What a beautiful day!

Turning around with the camera and point the other way, and this is what you get!  Lots of New Mexico… what a beautiful State.

This is all part of the Caverns complex…

Check out all the prickly pear cactus below, we like to call them beaver tail…

We decided to buy an $80.00 pass, that will allow us and our friends into all U.S. National Parks for a year!   Why not!  This is the “Natural Entrance” into the Carlsbad Caverns… the famous Bat’s all fly out of here in the summer, they have since departed to Mexico for the winter.  They estimate the bat population here at 40,000 or so…check out the switch back trail that winds it way down… it is 1.25 mile walk into the cavern to the main hall!  Yikes… we did it! 

Here is Judy, just starting the trip down… we end up 800 feet below the surface!!!!  You have to BELIEVE!

The passage is real neat, as you make your way in below…

Check out the early shots below… it is an amazing place, that I cannot really describe to you, you just have to come yourself!

They currently have a nice paved path you follow, but back in the day, you had to use all these wooden steps down the 800 feet!  Could you imagine?

After you walk for a mile and a quarter down under, if you are still on the tour, and have not turned back, you hit the rest area!   Here you can buy souvenirs and some limited food.  We took about an hour and 1/2 to make it to here.

Next, come what they call the “Big Room”.  This was another walk of about 1 mile underground, around the main room… what a tour.   We had rented a hand held devise that gave the audio tour for $5.00.  It was worth it.   It is hard to get good pictures down under, and the best ones were taken without a flash.   They have “highlight” lighting on all the good spots to see.   You could put 6 football fields in the Big Room!

You can see the path in the picture below… the path was built in the 1950’s believe it or not.

Amazing columns all over the place…

They have fancy names for all these things hanging from the ceiling, and sticking up from the floor…

 

I called this one below the Chandelier,  it was my favourite… by far.

Simply an incredible spot…

Great lighting…

We spent until about 1:00 this afternoon at the Caverns, enjoying a nice lunch up on the SURFACE!  I would recommend anyone to come and visit… what a spot.  After you finish the Big Room Tour, you can walk back up the natural entrance, all 800 feet up of it, or simply take the 1 minute elevator ride back up.  We took the elevator! 

We took another tour in Carlsbad this afternoon, but you will have to read about it in tomorrow’s blog!  Lots to do here!

We made it back in time to catch the Leaf Game of course on PVR… as we are two hours back into the future!

Butterbean left a comment last night, indicating there are over 14,000 wind generators in that farm we passed yesterday!  I believe it!  Lots of power being made, that is for sure!

Till tomorrow…