When I woke up outside the Inn it was after a night of very little sleep for I am not used to having lights on around me or the noises of vehicles driving by all the time. By 07:30 I was driving back thru Carlsbad Caverns National Park for I had planned on hiking the caverns today before heading up the state. At the visitor center, I waited for the gate to the caverns to open and then walked down to where the self-guided tours started; however, I noticed everyone had slips of paper so I asked someone and they said you have to acquire one in order to enter the cavern. That right there kind of upset me since the ranger I spoke to yesterday didn't mention anything about needing an access slip and told me just to head down in the morning. Walking back up to the center I waited in line and when it was my turn the ranger behind the counter informed me in a very rude tone that it would cost $10.00 for a self-guided tour; after someone I spoke to on the phone had told me it was free! At this point, I was just irate and headed back to my camper.
At my camper, I was sitting there about to just leave when I knew if I left I would just be mad at myself later and regret it. For who knows when, if ever, I will be back in New Mexico to see the caverns and $10.00 is not that bad of a price. So I gathered my pack once again and headed back to the visitor center and got back in line. This time I approached a woman ranger, I told her that I wanted to do a self-guided tour and she asked if I had an Access Pass which I replied that I did. She then asked to see that and my drivers license, printed off a slip and told me to have a great day. Need I mention I didn't pay anything. I think the employees at this national park need to get their facts straight!
When I finally made it the caverns I descended into darkness that was only lightly lit. The caverns themselves were intriguing and like normal I took multiple pictures. It is interesting when one thinks that all of this is right underneath where one is driving and walking! I love reading how all the caverns were formed and how long of a process it is. After some time though I could only read and see so many rocks so I began to speed walk the trails. At the end, I took an elevator back up to the top and left Carlsbad Caverns in the rear view mirror.
I drove through Roswell, New Mexico mainly just to say that I was there since I didn't stop because I am not interested in extraterrestrial life. Moving away from there I headed to Blue Hole in Santa Rosa to see if I did indeed have to pay or if I would even make it before they closed. I arrived within a half hour of the pool closing and they wanted $5.00 so I just decided it wasn't worth it for less than a half hour of swimming. I drove on wards towards Santa Fe and as you can probably see I really have no since of urgency or need to be anywhere so I am literally just driving around. Oddly, I was really exhausted all day and after hiking Guadalupe Peak and then the Caverns my body was stiffening up so all I wanted to do was relax. Coming across a rest stop I pulled in and decided I would spend the night there and in the morning pick up my friends friend in Santa Fe.
It has been over three full days since I last took a shower and let me tell you I needed one desperately! Since I couldn't set up my portable shower in the parking lot and there were no showers at this rest stop I came to the conclusion I was going to wash up in the restroom sink. With conditioner and a sponge in hand I walked to the women's' restroom. There were two motion sensor sinks so I just placed my head under one and went to town on washing my hair as people came into the restroom and looked at me like I was insane. At this point I think I have reached a new status! HaHa. Once I washed my hair, sponged off my body and put on clean clothes I went back to my camper and crawled in for the evening. I started to update my blog when my mother called me which then proceeded into a skype conversation with my mom, grandma, and later on my little brother. Talking to them always makes my day a thousand times better and it is nice knowing that one has family and people back home that care for me and are interested in hearing about the things I am doing.
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