No pictures today I think. (See the following day’s report for one pic.)  Pictures within a Cavern have never really held me in awe.  You will just need to Go.

Trying to camp tonight again.  At a nearby restaurant typing this.

To start with a digression, I rank only a few places I’ve visited in America that are on the prime list of places to go before one dies.  They’re all tied for #1.  There’s a lot of other places that certainly deserve to be visited, but they aren’t absolutes.

• 1a: In the Grand Canyon (not on the edge.)
• 1b: Washington, DC
• 1c: Yellowstone
• 1d: Through Yosemite (not the touristy section)

I’m adding Carlsbad Caverns to the above list.  The elevators were broken, so not only did I walk down, but also up.  And I walked the extra “Big Room” loop.  It was all fascinating.  Far beyond anything I expected.  I think I was lucky that the elevators were broken because it wasn’t jammed with people. But I wasn’t thinking that while walking back up!

The drive to Fort Davis was uneventful, except that time zone changes again screwed me up.  I wasn’t able to visit “West of the Pecos” Museum.  I am missing so many places!  The roads are excellent!  75 MPH (the speed limit) on what’s a country road is smooth as silk.  Tiny little Virginia, whose roads are horrible, should be ashamed.  (I saw a FedEx delivery truck on a road that had maybe three ranches for 70 miles!!  Drone deliveries would not be a bad idea out here.)

The campsite has free showers!  It’s the little things that count.  Especially after walking up 750 feet.  Tomorrow I stay in a hotel because all the campsites are taken.  I’m now a little worried about Big Bend National Park.  But it’s too late to make reservations.  I’ll get there early on Sunday.

Tonight I’m wearing three layers of clothing, plus sleeping bag plus liner.  And two hats, gloves and socks.  What fun.  A warm front sweeps through tomorrow, so I think this will be my last experience with cold for a while.