Day 8- July 17- Carlsbad Caverns

We left Albuquerque early Thursday morning. We stopped in Riudoso to have lunch. What a charming little town. Of course all along the way was beautiful country. We arrived in Carlsbad too late to walk down into the cavern. We had to go by elevator. What I saw was so spectacular. I just had to not think that I was 750 feet under a mass of rock. Otherwise my claustrophobia would have gotten the best of me. It was so cool see the formations- the stalagmites, the stalactites, the columns, and the draperies. I am so glad that I was finally able to see this for myself after hearing about it for so many years. We toured the cavern for about an hour or so and then we headed to wait for the bats to come out. However, a storm was brewing, there was lightening, and we were told we would have to leave. Ugh... I was disappointed, but that was just the way it was. One funny thing- I ran into a couple there in the cavern from my hometown!