Tex-Mex Spring Break Tour; Day 4

 The plan today was to visit Carlsbad Cavern National Park.  The website said it opened at 8:00 and the first 1,000 people who showed up got tickets.  Everyone after that got the big green weenie.  We left the hotel in Carlsbad, NM at 7:15 AM under clear skies with a temperature of 48 degrees.  We arrived at the cavern parking lot at 7:45 AM and were shocked to see all the cars already there.  The line to get in was backed up to the far reaches of the parking lot.  One lady ahead of us claimed she was about 450th in line.

With good intentions we got in line.  Thirty minutes later we'd moved about 30 feet.  It appeared our wait would be a good two hours, maybe more.  The website also said to expect a wait of up to an hour for the elevator bringing cavern visitors back to the surface.  None of us wanted to spend the entire day waiting in lines so we hit the road.

Route 62 took us back to Carlsbad, NM and route 285 took us north to Artesia, NM.  The website, roadsideamerica.com, tipped us off to numerous larger than life sculptures in Artesia.  One was an oil derrick floor with men drilling for oil.  Around the derrick floor were other sculptures related to oil drilling in Artesia's history.  Along Main Street were several large sculptures of old west figures.  We spent time checking them all out.





It was 11:30 by the time we were done exploring the statues in Artesia so we decided to eat lunch at LaFonda located next to one of the statues.  The food was good but I think they were short staffed because it was a long wait for lunch.  It's a good thing we weren't in a hurry.

With full bellies we were off for Alamogordo, NM on route 82 westbound.  Chris and I started out top-down because it was 75 in Artesia.  The wind was brutal.  I felt sorry for Carl and Marge on the motorcycle.  It had to be miserable.  Along with the wind was dust, some so thick I had to slow before driving into it because of reduced visibility.  I was soon sorry the top was down because the interior became extremely dusty.  I would have stopped to put the top up but was afraid the wind would rip the convertible top off the car as it started to go up.

About 60 miles or so out of Alamogordo we started climbing in altitude.  And it got cold.  The temperature hit 79 before we started up and by the time we reached Cloudcroft (at 8,650 feet) it was 48.  I found a sheltered spot to put the top up and after a bathroom break we traveled on to Alamogordo, where it warmed back into the 60's.  The wind and blowing dirt continued, however.

Just north of Alamogordo we stopped at McGinn's Pistachio Land, where we bought some pistachios, ate some pistachio ice cream and had a photo op with the world's largest pistachio.

After 205 miles we called it a day in Alamogordo at 4:30 PM.  It was 61 degrees.  No point cleaning the vehicles this evening as the wind was still blowing dirt around.

To see all the photos taken today click on this link - Day 4 Pics

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