Sunny again. Is this a starfish? In the Desert? Wrong. It is the bloom of a cactus. We went to the Living Desert State Park, which was on a hill overlooking Carlsbad. When something is on a hill, you can see forever in all directions. Zoo had the usual animals in too small places. But they also had a botanical greenhouse with amazing cactus. Some of which they had tricked into blooming. Then back for a quiet afternoon of enjoying the sunshine.
Sunny. Busy day. We first headed east across the desert. Driving through nothing by sagebrush and cactus and cattle and flat. After an hour, we turned a corner and came into a depression, a small canyon.
There were lots of trees and greenery. It is the Sitting Bull Falls Recreation Area. A falls in the desert - you have got to be kidding!! Following a short trail, there it was. A waterfall. The ranger said that someone from Texas once said, “Sh__, I can piss more than that.” But there was a steady falling of water. Apparently there is a spring about a mile from the cliffs, and the water flows over the cliffs, and then about a half mile down, it disappears into the sand. Really amazing to see. ( nothing like the water at Cascade Creek, but this is the desert. Then golfing in Carlsbad. 90 degrees, dry heat, golf cart to zoom around in. Great day.
Sunny. Happy trails to us. We headed south and east into Texas. It was only 100 miles to the next campsite, so we were set up by noon in Pecos. (some of you may know the story of Pecos Bill - it is set here ). We went to the local museum which is housed in an old saloon and hotel. Lots of good stuff, but the best was the lady who introduced us to the displays. She was in her 80’s and her grandparents came across America in a covered wagon, and the stories that she told us - really, really interesting. Every museum should have someone like her.
