Day 34
We started the day at the Museum of International Folk Art. We had a docent give a tour which lasted 1-1/2 hours and it was very valuable to understand the museum and the Alexander Girard of which are displayed) includes folk art, popular art, dolls, toys and textiles. They were donated by Girard and arranged by him (an architect and interior designer in addition to a collector) in a process that took 4 years. Also, a temporary exhibit on “The Red that Colored the World” featured art made with red dye from cochineal bugs. This include paintings, textiles, clothing and more some dating to the 16th century. Afternoon was spent on Canyon Road which features numerous galleries of all kinds of art. We ended up spending most of our time in The Longworth Gallery run by a lovely British lady, Lisa Rodgers, who can really talk up a storm. The gallery features the incredible and fascinating works of Vladimir Kush. One of his original oil paintings just sold for $980,000. Even his limited edition giclees go for tens of thousands. Supper is at the Mu Du Noodles which was recommended by another gallery owner who lives in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. An appetizer of Lamb Martabak, an Indonesian dumpling of lamb, scallions, garlic, spices served with mint-cilantro dipping sauce, was great. Main dishes of Malaysian Laksa, a wide rice noodle dish in a mild red curry, and Emerald Sautee, with sea scallops and shrimp, green tea noodles and other goodies were also great. And best of all, leftovers for lunch tomorrow.
June 2, 2015, Tuesday, Santa Fe, NM
Day 33
200 mile trip to Santa Fe and checked into Los Suenos de Santa Fe RV Park for 2 nights. Afternoon is busy seeing the sights. Everything is walking distance in Historic Downtown. We visited San Miguel Chapel (the oldest church in the USA), La Casa Vieja de Analco (the oldest house in the USA), and the State Capitol which is a beautiful, round, 4 story building and contains museum quality art throughout for visitors to view. Also present was an exhibit of quilts most of which are amazing. Supper at The Shed, known for its red chili sauce. I ordered a green chili soup appetizer prior to my meal. Although the climate is dry, this soup was 10 alarms and made me break out in a sweat. The meal was less spicy but who could tell after that soup. The Santa Fe Brewing Co. Hefeweizen helped put out the fire, sort of. After supper, we walked around downtown and enjoyed the cool weather since the sun was mostly down. Temp to go into the 50's tonight so will set the heat.
June 1, 2015, Monday, Roswell, NM
Day 32
Month 2 of our trip begins with a drive to Carlsbad Caverns National Park finally leaving Texas behind after 10 days, and hopefully, its storms. Google takes us on a short cut via highway 720, a 16 mile road which cuts off about 25 miles. The road was not marked well so we passed it requiring a u-turn about a ½ mile passed 720. When we turned onto 720, a sign about 100 yards in stated “Caution Damaged Road”. Too late, no place to turn back. Most of the way had the right side of our lane washed away. Fortunately not much traffic (a good sign or bad?) So I could drive down the middle of the “two” lane road. About half way we encounter a one lane bridge but not a problem as no other traffic in sight. Fortunately, the bridge held our 30,000 lbs. About 2 miles to go on 720 and I suffer a nature call. I stop the coach in the middle of the road and walk to the back to relief self all the while Rosemary complaining I shouldn’t be doing that. Back in the captain’s seat and not a single other vehicle was affected. Turn off 720 onto a beautiful 4 lane divided highway the rest of the way to Calrsbad Caverns. The park’s entrance road is a 7 mile winding climb up the mountains. Even at 30 mph Rosemary cringes when we are on the outside lane. The caverns are incredibly large, covering 14 acres with the big room the size of 14 football fields. Unfortunately, 95% of the caverns are not active leaving mostly gray formations, unlike the pristine Sonora Caverns. The 1-3/4 mile path takes an hour and one half. Having experienced Bracken Cave, we decide not to stay to watch the mere 400,000 bats exit the caverns that night but to move on. We spend the night at the Roswell Walmart. We keep looking for strange lights. We do see some lights alas not unfamiliar ones. Lightning makes an appearance but no storm reaches us.
May 31, 2015, Sunday, Fort Stockton, TX
Day 31
An early wake up as we had to take Aaron to the airport for his return to Pittsburgh. Afterward, we depart San Antonio and head west. After 190 miles we stop at the Caverns of Sonora about 7 miles off I-10 in the middle of nowhere. This cavern was really incredible. About 80% still active and after the unusual rains, there was plenty of water dripping all over us inside the cave. The cavern is known for its abundant helictite formations which are like stalactites except they go in all directions. The active caverns are a shimmering white causing them to seem to pop out of the dark cave. A great way to break up the driving and very glad we stopped. We continued west and checked into the Fort Stockton Walmart after a 350 mile day.
May 30, 2015, Saturday, San Antonio, TX
Day 30
Visited the San Antonio Botanical Gardens on a beautiful sunny day. The conservatory made us feel like we were back in Florida with similar flora and the sun heating up the greenhouse. In the afternoon we visited the Natural Bridge Caverns which after all the caverns we visited last year are somewhat surprisingly fabulous. The big room, the Hall of the Mountain King, can fit a football field in it. When we emerged from the caverns at 4:30, our sunny day had turned into a raging thunderstorm with hail. We were fairly soaked and certain that our bat watching plan at Bracken Cave which was in the same area was a goner. We headed back to San Antonio (40 minutes away) to have supper. Good meal at the Southerleigh Fine Food & Brewery washed down with a My Dog Ate My Alarm (coffee oatmeal stout). About 7 pm, I got a call from Bat Conservation International of which I am a longtime member (as anyone who has been in my office and seen my bat magazines knows). BCI says where am I as I had registered to be there tonight and the weather was clear. So off we go another 40 minutes to the Bracken Cave, home to the largest collection of mammals on earth, 15 to 20 million Mexican Freetail bats. We arrive about 8:00 just in time for roasting marshmallows and sampling a just cut up honeycomb by the bee farmer there. At 8:30 we gather at the cave entrance and wait. At 8:42, the bats emerge forming what looks like a tornado of bats–a bat-nado. A truly spectacular sight and the highlight of our trip so far, aside from visiting family and friends. The bats were flying only a few feet over us in many directions. The bats take up to 3 hours to fully leave the cave. We watch for an hour and head home. A memorable birthday for Aaron indeed.
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