National Park #2 (Carlsbad)

Tuesday March15, 2011
We got up this morning and ate breakfast at the hotel.  There was a group of 90 middle school kids that arrived at our hotel the night before and they had taken over the kitchen area at the hotel so we ate in the lobby.

Then we drove to Carlsbad Caverns NP.  We bought entrance tickets then visited the gift shop where we bought magnets and hat pins for the kids (we bought the same at Guadalupe Mountains). 

We attempted to enter through the natural entrance but on our way down to the entrance, Grant fell and was crying.  The park ranger advised us that he was too young (and loud) to make it down the 1 mile hike.  So we went back to the ranger station and went down the elevator.  You can make it down the equivalent of 75 floors in less than one minute.

When we got off the elevator, the kids were amazed.  We hiked the Big Room hike and had a great time.  We bribbed the kids and told them that if they didn't scream and didn't run, they would get cave hats (hard hats with lights). 

Upon completing the hike and eating a snack, we emerged from the caves and headed back to Carlsbad.  We took the 9 mile "scenic" drive first.  Dad had more fun than the rest of us.

We ate at Chili's before driving to the Living Desert Zoo.  The zoo was cool.  We saw a road runner, a pack of wolves, prairie dogs, etc.  Grant was exhausted but overall, it was fun.  It was very hot so we drank some water and ate skittles before returning to the room.

We took another nap, then got cleaned up and tried, again, to go bowling.  Well, at 6:15 on a Tuesday night, they were full.  The place was a dump.  We played arcade games for a bit but they kept taking out money so we left.

We had dinner at Lucy's Mexicali.  We had to wait forever for a table and our food so after we ate we went straight back to the room and went to bed.  It was a great day!