Yesterday morning we woke to a beautiful Tex-Mex sunrise…

…and headed north toward the Guadalupe Mountains.

 The prominent peak in the center is Guadalupe’s El Capitan.  It is named for the Capitan Reef.

40 million years ago, in the Permian Period, there was a three lobed sea here.  Where the waves broke on the shore, a reef was created.  That is what formed the sturdy weather resistant rock that has allowed the Guadalupe Mountains to be what they are. 

 Sea fossils abound here.

 There is great diversity in these mountains.  There are three zones, a desert zone on the floor at the base of the mountains, a riparian zone at the canyon bottoms with streams and springs, and a mountain zone with trees and conifers that you would see in Colorado. Species of plants and animals that could not survive in the desert may find refuge in the highlands, and vice-versa.

Then we moved on to Carlsbad Caverns, about a half hour north just across the New Mexico border.

Entrance fees were free for the day, to commemorate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.  We rode down a 752 foot elevator in one minute to get to the cave.  We stepped out into another world.

Or should I say… underworld.

It was one of the most incredible experiences we have had yet.

Difficult to describe, yet the experience was so powerful.

I was able to take photos and footage with natural light and night vision.  We didn’t think to bring flashlights, LOL.  I kept bumping into Bill.  The path around is paved and is good walking.  There are sturdy handrails on either side and believe me, you use them.

Hard to believe that such a world exists underneath this unassuming landscape.

Here’s the video… enjoy!

This morning’s beautiful Tex-Mex sunrise.

Today, we are on to Deming, New Mexico.