Travel

Aliens, Bats, Caves & the Desert - Epic Road Trip, The Final Chapter

Remember the last couple of days we've taken it kind of easy from the hectic rush of the road trip? That's about to end! Here, in this last installment of the most epic road trip ever, we're getting in about 1700 miles, 3 days, 5 states, aliens, bats, snakes, caves and the desert. Whew...You've got your seat belt on, right?

Our first "real" stop on this leg of the journey was in Pecos, TX. Remember way back when we started this trip and watching a tornado out our window? It wasn't until this stop that I realized just how badly the car was dented. I'm pumping gas and a random stranger in a really, really tall pickup stands up on his running boards, is giving the car a good look and lets out this big long Texas-sized whistle. "Damn honey...what twister did you get caught in?" It startled me a little and I asked why he'd ask. "Shoot - ain't nothing that can dent a car like that other than twister size hail." I knew it was dented, but it wasn't until that moment that I took a real hard look and you know what? He was right. Battle wounds I suppose. Ha ha!

Before we leave Texas, there's one more thing we HAVE to do. When you enter the state I'm certain you sign an invisible contract that says you have to eat both BBQ & Mexican food. Guess what we haven't done yet? Yep. We made the logical choice: we got off the beaten path, crossed the railroad tracks and found ourselves in an area that was sure to provide that authentic experience we were looking for. The neighborhood was shady (even during the day), the giant mural on the restaurant wall of The Last Supper was a little unnerving, not speaking much Spanish and no one we came in contact with speaking much English...okay. The restaurant we went to was a combination of BBQ & Mexican. We definitely had some moments of "Are we sure about this" while we were there, but you know what? It was really good. It was a weird combination of offerings, but it worked. Tummies full, back in the car and onto Whites City, NM.

When you read online that there is nothing in Whites City, there is nothing in Whites City. It is, quite literally, a stop in the road on the turnoff to Carlsbad Caverns. There is a hotel there that is nothing fancy, but it was clean and comfortable. There was a closed convenience store and bar, but that was it. Sure glad we'd had the sense to load up on supplies before we left San Antonio because we sure wouldn't have found anything out here. Honestly though? It's peaceful and a nice break from the noise we've been so deeply submerged in the last two weeks.

Peaceful. Remember how I've been fighting a cold the whole way home? Apparently getting caught in the Flash Flood downpour in San Antonio didn't help and it's getting worse. It doesn't help that I have a lot of "desert" allergies or that the mold allergen counts our entire trip were through the roof. Regardless, that peaceful night's sleep isn't happening. I have no idea what time it is, but I'm trying to keep the coughing under control so my family can at least rest. I slip some shoes on, grab a room key and head outside thinking some fresh air will help. The desert at night is beautiful. There is something to be said about standing out in the darkness, looking up in the sky and being reminded of how teeny, tiny we really are in the big picture. It really does help put the things weighing on your mind into perspective. I'm lost in my thoughts, breathing the cool night air, enjoying the peacefulness of it all...Whoosh! What? Whoosh! What? Whoosh! Oh hell no! I hate, hate, hate, hate, hate bats. Guess what else the desert has? Apparently an entire sky full of the nasty flying rodents. Sucks to be my family - they can deal with my coughing. I make haste back to the room!

Bright and early the next morning (after cleaning copious amounts of guano - bat poop - off my car windows) we make the short drive to Carlsbad Caverns. One thing about being married to a man who drove truck for a great many years is that it's hard to find things he hasn't seen. That's one of the biggest reasons for this stop - he & the kids have never seen anything like this. I've been in smaller ones, but nothing the magnitude of what we walked into. Carlsbad Caverns is a place you really need to put on your bucket list. Until you're standing in it, you can't fully appreciate how mind-blowing it is. There are so many adjectives I could use to describe it, but none of them would do it justice. Take a good pair of shoes, a light jacket (even in summer), a camera and plan on spending a few hours hiking. It's not a difficult hike and they have accommodations for people with mobility issues so don't let that deter you. The beauty is mind-blowing. Whether you look at it from a scientific perspective or a religious one, there's no denying the artistry and majesty that Carlsbad Caverns exudes.

In case you ever need to know, somewhere between Carlsbad and Roswell, there's a small gas station in the middle of nowhere that is also a liquor store. Apparently my coughing is getting annoying. (Sheesh...) So shortly after we leave Carlsbad, I find myself drinking Firewater out of a brown paper bag before noon in a gas station parking lot. (Yes, this was a first for me.) Ha ha! Well...we wanted a memorable trip and we're certainly getting it, huh? On a side note, I really wish the company that made it hadn't sold out - it was the best thing in the world to quiet a cough when nothing else would. This would be the end of my driving for the day.

Roswell...there are aliens everywhere and I LOVE it! This is one of those places that if we had more time, I'd love to explore. I love quirky little oddities like this! A quick stop for lunch at our last WhatABurger of the trip. Sad that there are none of these further North, that's for sure! Later, driving through Albuquerque there were no "Wrong Turns" made. (Look it up if you don't get it. Ha ha!) Staying the night in Farmington, NM and headed home tomorrow. One more sleep until my own bed. Yay!

The last day of the journey makes me kind of wish we hadn't spent an extra day in San Antonio. We drove through some truly incredible areas and I wish we'd had the time to explore them. The Southwest corner of Colorado and into Eastern Utah is stunning. (Wasn't a super fan of the Rattlesnake warning signs everywhere though. I'm about as fond of snakes as I am of bats!) We tried to figure out a way to work one more day into this adventure so we could explore, but 'twas not to be.

We made stops at rest stops, historical sites and picture vistas all through this region. We were blessed to see amazing things from Mesa Verde, The Canyons of the Ancients, Canyonlands, Arches and lots of beauty in between. This region really was my one regret about this trip - we underestimated the time we'd want to explore. It's on the list though for another trip by itself. (And maybe down into NM to WhatABurger.)

It was a very long day of driving and when we pulled into the driveway that night, exhausted and exhilarated all at once, we'd put 5831.3 miles on the odometer. Would I do it again? In a heartbeat! The memories, the adventures, the journey...it was beyond anything I imagined. It was everything we'd hoped it would be (some things we didn't ever imagine) and it was so much more than that. There is so much wonder and beauty and adventure to experience in this world. I'll be forever grateful for this one with my family. Thanks for taking the ride with us. :)

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