White Sands

Sunday, June 10^th

Yesterday brought a variety of interesting and unique experiences. We left Carlsbad after finishing a mountain of laundry and headed north to Roswell. This is the town most widely known for its alleged alien crash. A quick stop in the town revealed a street fair and street vendors. We took a quick trip through the alien museum and spotted a few cute yet unrealistic samples of the non-earthly creatures. With a few photos snapped we headed down the street to see what the town had to offer. With two sick kids the visit was rather limited but their spirits rose when they found the snow cone vendor. A couple of snow cones later and we were headed back to the RV.

Back on the road, our next destination was Bottomless Lakes National Park. Exactly where it was is a mystery to me even now. We drove for about an hour into nothing. If we had not had a GPS I am certain I would have voted to turn back. As far as the road stretched and the eye could see was mile upon mile of dusty scrub brush and cacti. We were at approx. 3,000 feet in elevation and we could see for a rather long distance and I was not seeing a lake of any sort.

Finally, we turned onto another remote and less than well paved road. As we followed it for another 7 or 8 miles it wound its way around a rising rock formation. Sure enough there were the 8 little lakes naturally formed. Bottomless Lakes was the result of sink holes in areas they had been mining gypsum. The natural springs filled the sink holes and you have a lovely blue green lake that you can see deeply into. The lakes range from 8 feet deep to 90 feet deep. The water is very cool and refreshing for the 102 degree day. It is just not the sticky heat we have back home. Thanks goodness because there are not adequate facilities for miles around. Once again I am thankful for the RV and AC, running water, and a clean potty. Nothing makes mommy grumpy like the need to use a restroom and you don’t have one available.

The great part about the lake was the fun we had on the paddle boards. Matthew, Cameron , & I rented large surf board shaped floats and paddles and took turns ferrying Ashton around. Cameron even braved the board standing up and paddling. I don’t think I have seen her laugh so hard in a long time. It took several attempts but she managed to find her balance and cover some distance before toppling over. The only regret was not being able to take photos while we were on the lake. It was beautiful and very packed. Obviously it is one of the few sources of water recreation in the area and everyone seemed to be there that day. Luckily there is room for all of us.

That evening provided one of the most spectacular sunsets I have ever seen in my life. The children were not feeling well so we gave them medicine, fed them dinner, and put on a show while Matthew and I walked back to the lake to enjoy the view. With a very restless night of sleep we packed up and headed back toward Roswell so we could make our way to White Sands, New Mexico next.

Along the route out we found a wonderful scenic overlook that afforded some beautiful views and a couple of wonderful pictures of Lake Lea where we camped. Next stop will be White Sands They say the view is amazing but the heat is a killer. We will certainly have an opinion in a couple of hours.

8:00pm and we are back on the road. The White Sands Monument and Dunes were a sight that are difficult to describe. You have a 16 mile loop that passes through and around the dunes. At several locations you can stop and climb or even sled down the dunes. Yes, I did say sled! The visitor’s center sells round snow sleds and people purchase them and climb the dunes and sled down the hills. For 102 degree day we were all pleasantly surprised that the sand was cool to your feet. We made the loop about half way and pulled over to climb the dunes and take a loop from above.

The sight was rather beautiful as you could see nothing but swirling, snow white sand all around. It took effort to climb to the top since your feet and hands sink quickly and it causes the sand around you to rush down the hill. After a small effort we all made it to the top and snapped a couple of very fun pictures. The wind was blowing rather strong and while standing on the top it felt a bit like small needles trying to bore into your legs. This did not stop the children from running, playing and jumping around the dunes. Ashton loved the chance to try and body surf down the hill.  Once we loaded back into the car we made a quick stop at the welcome center to collect the children’s national park endorsements and search for a few gifts.

Back on the road we headed toward Las Cruces and searched for dinner. After several attempts to find an authentic Tex/Mex restaurant we discovered that most of the town closes down on Sunday at 2pm. With a final location programmed into the GPS we headed toward a downtown location. Soon Matthew found himself navigating the narrow residential roads of Las Cruces. Soon we discovered that this also as not a restaurant to be had.

With frustration and growing hunger we decided to head back to the main route. A stop at a local chain restaurant and dinner was finally in sight. But no, Ashton does not feel well and proceeds to lie down in my lap and then want to be held. Matthew returns to the car to retrieve Motrin and Sudafed and as luck would have it just about the time we finished dinner he perked up. Back in the car and headed for Benson, Arizona. Benson is a small south central town near the border of Mexico. The plan is to spend the night, get up and head toward Tucson and find someone who services RVs and have a quick oil change before heading to Williams, Arizona to explore the Grand Canyon.

We are heading west on I-10 and the sun is slowly sinking in the sky. Ashton even commented on how beautiful the sunsets are out here. The children are lying on the foldout couch and trying to relax while we make the 3 ½ hour trip to Benson. The silhouette of the mountains frames the skyline. We look to be driving into a permanent watercolor painting. Hard not to want to drive when you get such a fantastic view. I guess sunrises and sunsets are the rewards for rising early and taking notice in the evening.