Today, we visited Carlsbad Caverns National Park.  We opted for the self-guided tour with an audio guide.  We were all happy we got the audio tour because not only could we move at our own pace ,we learned a lot.

The descent into the cave is something I’ll never forget.  I really didn’t know what to expect.  We wound down the path until we came to this massive black mouth. It was sublime. The cave was first discovered by a 16 old boy, Jim White, when he saw what he thought was a volcano or twister in the distance.  He set out to investigate and discovered bats coming out the cave. Can you imagine?!?! Over the next several years, Jim White continued to explore the cave using homemade torches, lanterns, and ladders. Talk about brave!  While I’m adventurous,  I think I prefer the paved paths and lights that are present today.

The cave was magnificent. Crazy. Grand. Beautiful.

A whole other world existing below the surface of the earth.

The only thing that would have made this visit better is the BATS who had already migrated to Mexico for the winter.  I love bats.  They are so cute.  (I’m also the girl who had pet rats as a teenager.)  Thing 2 and I play this game in the mornings called “baby bat”.  We pretend we are bats. I wrap my wings around him and we snuggle.  My bat voice a really bad Asian/British/Southern/what-the-heck accent.  Baby Bat tells me he is hungry for “fish”.  I have no idea where we got the idea “bats eat fish” but that is what Baby Bat always wants.  I had never really considered a bat’s real diet which turns out to be insects.  Recently, Baby Bat has been wanting “cat” and Mama Bat reminds him “bats don’t eat cat” but it doesn’t seem to help.  Any excuse to chase Meow Cow.

Ummm anyway…

Love and Laughter,
Jenn

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