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Carlsbad New Mexico & Brantley Lake State Park
Since the early stages of planning this trip, we decided we would like to spend a few days in Carlsbad New Mexico. Neither one of us had been to Carlsbad Caverns for at least two decades and exploring the caverns and the surrounding area sounded like a good way to spend a few days. Unfortunately (sort of) we neglected to take into account that there is a reason most snowbirds take a pass on New Mexico in the winter, IT IS COLD HERE!!! Fact is when checking the weather our first day there we discovered that it was 10º warmer in Cody Wyoming!! Oh well... we are not beginners when it comes to riding in chilly weather, we just prefer not to. Our home beginning Thursday February 3rd was to be Brantley Lake State Park just north of Carlsbad. The map(s) showed it only 4 miles from highway 285 which we considered a reasonable distance from our route. What the map did not show was that the bridge between the highway and the state park had been washed out last April, and not repaired!! This necessitated a 16+ mile detour over countless cattle guards, rail crossings and pot holes with their own zip codes!! Not exactly what we had planned on but we are on vacation and what is a vacation without a little adventure right?? Once we finally found our way to Brantley Lake State Park, we discovered a beautiful campground that we had virtually to ourselves. A nice pull thru spot with water and electric and most importantly a dump station on the way out. Since we arrived early (unlike the NIGHT before and if you RV you know that the word NIGHT should tip you off to how that day went) we decided to just take it easy around camp that afternoon and evening and get an early start on the bike Friday morning for the Caverns. We awoke Friday morning to the realization of why snowbirds do not spend a great deal of time in New Mexico in the winter, it was 25º and overcast!! Never the less, a plan is a plan and who are we to let numb fingers and a little frost bite get in OUR way?? So...of to Carlsbad Caverns National Park about 40 miles south. Here is a location that will definitely put you in your place on the grand scale of time. It took millions of years of dripping acidic water to make these formations located over 750 feet below the surface of the desert. Not a concept most of us can grasp, even after seeing it!! Next>>> An Alien Encounter Back |
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