Carlsbad to Alamogordo
More variations to the driving plan today after we got further yesterday than planned.
First we back-tracked a little to visit Carlsbad Caverns National Park, about 20 miles from Carlsbad. After driving the flat countryside we headed off the main road into a rare hilly region and the road twisted gradually higher for about 7 miles until we reached the caverns.
Carlsbad Caverns
The caverns are the equivalent of 75 stories below the entry point and you descend in an elevator to the entrance. (You can enter from another entrance however it takes much longer).
The area is known as the “Big Room” and the caves are extensive. It takes about an hour or so to walk around the self guided path and the formations are quite stunning. In a lot of ways the caves are not dissimilar to Jenolan Caves but because it is just one big area, it is quite a different experience.
Carlsbad Caverns
After our tour and heading back to the surface in the elevator, we hit the road north again. There was this strange force in the car, as if we were being drawn along and next thing we found ourselves in Roswell – the alien capital of the world, (and Adrienne says she is not strange).
In 1947, there was an incident where locals found strange debris following the sighting of bright lights in the area. At first the local air force base announced they had found debris from an alien space craft, then the next day changed the story to say it was a weather balloon. Ever since the argument has raged as to what is actually was – and now Roswell are milking it for every cent ! (You will see below how some of the local street lights look).
Street lamps in Roswell
We visited the UFO Museum to get all the facts !
After Roswell we backtracked to a town called Artesia for a late lunch (Subway) then headed west toward our stop for the night at Alamogordo. The first part of this was the same old flat, barren countryside and miles of straight road. We gradually started to get into more hilly countryside before rising quite steeply into an area called the Lincoln National Forest.
At its highest point it is over 8,500 feet above sea level and with the dense forest and rich grazing land quite a contrast to what we had seen over the last few days. At the highest point is a town called Cloudcroft which is somewhat of a retreat for the local low lying barren areas. It even has a ski slope for the winter months and a lot of the buildings are in ski chalet style.
Trestle train bridge Mexican Canyon near Alamogordo
The area was also a significant point in the expansion of the railways in the late 1800 / early 1900 period. Due to the mountainous nature of the area, construction in parts was very difficult. Although the railroad sections gradually fell into disuse in the 1940’s, there have been efforts to restore some of the magnificent trestle bridges that were originally built.
We also found another section where the original rail line ran and the original trestle has collapsed. Nearby there is also a section called the Devils Canyon where workers excavated a path through the mountain for the track.
After Cloudcroft, the road then quickly descends over about 20 miles down to Alamogordo – back to the flat, barren countryside.
So scenerywise, today has been quite a movable feast and very interesting.
Dinner tonight was at the nearby “Applebees” – another American “diner” chain but always good food.