After spending Thanksgiving with family and friends, we traveled on to Carlsbad, NM. We got into the Christmas spirit by going to Christmas on the Pecos. Dressing warm as it was 48 degrees, we snuggled into blankets and enjoyed a boat trip down the Pecos River to view many highly decorate homes. Next we went to the famous Carlsbad Caverns which were magnificent. We did three tours. The first was the Natural Entrance tour – a self-guided 1.25 mile tour down 800 feet of winding trails. We thoroughly enjoyed seeing the cave at our own pace and due to the time of year, the traffic was very light. Next tour was the guided Kings Palace tour for an unbelievable 1 mile, 1.5 hour tour which showed the King’s Palace, Queens Room, Papoose Room and Green Lake Room. A must if you ever go to Carlsbad Caverns. After that we did the self-guided 1.25 mile tour of the Big Room. This again is very interesting seeing all the various formations of limestone. What amazed us was the vastness inside was unbelievable – very open and larger than we remembered.
Time for more adventures and we drove on to Alamogordo, NM. The drive was little scary as we drove from Cloudcroft 9,000 feet above sea level to Alamogordo at 4280 feet. The road was an easy climb from Carlsbad but 6% incline coming down. Fortunately we chose a day without wind or snow. We drove the car back to Cloudcroft to shop the quaint stores all decorated for the holiday season. The town’s main season is in the summer. They do mention skiing but last year was the first year in many that skiing actually took place. Drove up to the famous Lodge which is a great place to have weddings, parties, or just visit for a few nights. The original Lodge was built in 1899 but destroyed by fire in 1909. They rebuilt in the present location in 1911. There is a legend that dates back to 1900. A chambermaid named Rebecca disappeared from her quarters after her lumberjack lover found here in the arms of another. They say she still wanders the halls – ashtrays have been seen sliding across tables, doors open and close, and furniture has been moved, etc. There are some that believe Rebecca is in search of a new lover or friend who might appreciate her flirtatious and mischievous ways
Next adventure was to see White Sands National Park and White Sands Missile Range. White Sands National Park is one of the world’s great natural wonders. Great wave-like dunes of gypsum sand engulf 275 square miles of desert, some rising to height of fifty feet. Only few plants and insects live in the dunes. As you drive along the 7 mile route, the vegetation disappears as the sand gets deeper. At that point you feel like you are in the middle of snow covered mountains. In fact you will see children sledding down the dunes. The sand is so white, very fine and feels almost like silk slipping through your fingers. It was neat to walk around on the dunes. Fortunately for us there was no wind!
White Sands Missile Range was established in 1945 The Army, Navy, Air Force and NASA test the guided missiles and rockets on these 4,000 square miles, the free world’s largest missile range. Here the world entered the Atomic Age when the first atomic bomb was tested at Trinity Site on July 16, 1945. In 1949 the world entered the Space Age when Bumper, an early two stage rock, roared beyond the earth’s atmosphere. The museum tells these stories and more. We also were allowed to walk around the Missile Park, an outdoor display of over 50 missiles and rockets that were once tested on the missile range.
As we travel to our winter park and then on to Denver for the holidays, we wish each of you a very Merry Christmas and good health, safe travels in 2008.
