Richardsons in America Generally Fail to go Caving

Mike & Tina Richardson

We needed a holiday destination that allowed to us miss Christmas at home with the rels. That meant it had to be abroad to preclude the possibilityy of 'just driving up' to see them. Big Bend National Park on the border of Mexico and USA and Carlsbad Caverns just up a tad, on the border of Texas and New Mexico looked good.

Well, we asked round and found out we weren't really going to be able to get on a Lechuguilla trip but there seemed some other good trips to go on. We got the leaflet, we read the leaflet, we booked ourselves on a ranger-guided tour -- mostly on the strength of the bit that said you had to have a chest measurement of less that 42 inches or you wouldn't fit. There are other caves in the National Park you can go in but there have to be at least 3 in the party. Safety regs. More about this bit later.

We flew into Dallas. Then we sat around for five hours as they'd overbooked the connecting flight to Midland International. Eventually we were on our way driving 200 miles or so to Big Bend. Most of it is flat and the air smells bad and there's all these 'Nodding Donkeys' pumping oil. As usual in the packing rush we failed to take any tapes (we only possess 3 CD's) with us, so we were restricted to the radio which in turn gave us the choices of Religious, Country and Western or off.

Scenery in Big Bend is impressive. Some good walking. First day was excellent doing a 14 mile round walk following a high ridge. Then this 'arctic front' swept in and seemed to also sweep a lot of desert into our tent. We made a tactical retreat down the mountain and judging by coyote and javellina (a kind of small pig) sightings, so did the wildlife. Oh and we saw Road Runners running on roads -- just like the cartoon. They weren't shouting 'Ariba! Ariba!' and the coyote wasn't chasing them so maybe only a bit like the cartoon.

The weather didn't let up and the daytrip to Mexico didn't look very inviting from the bank of the Rio Grande (more a trailer park with rubbish tip) so we bunked off to the Guadaloup range. Good choice. Weather better. More nice mountains. Another longish loop walk and a second stroll in a canyon with water and tree (it was refreshing to see so many by then).

It was then time to go caving -- so we thought. Being prudent we showed up at the desk of Carlsbad Caverns the evening before our trip to check it was all in order still. 'No Ma'am that trip is for Kentucky'. Bugger.

Bit of a bind that was. And no we couldn't book on the more exciting of the ranger tours in the correct cave as they were all booked up. Double bugger. But we did manage to get on the not-quite-grockle trip. You had to bring your own torch and the path was unmade. However it was a very good trip, even if it wasn't the trip we thought we were getting. 'Twould have been nice to have both, but still...

Later on we did Carlsbad's main tourist trip which is about the best tourist cave I've been in. Enormous. Hugely decorated. The lighting is kept as low as is pratical and you are left to walk around on your own.

Despite what the guide book says the walking around Carlsbad caverns didn't inspire so we went back to the bits of the Guadaloup range we hadn't done for most of the rest of the holiday. Guadaloup peak is 8400' and the valley is about 5000' so it's a good view. There's a book to sign and you can tell you are in Texas from the right wing religious sentiments in the comments.

One other day out worth a mention was going to Hueco Tanks State Park. It is a kind of oasis with water collecting in these large bowls in a rocky out-crop. Beware if you go, that in order to get to see the indian pictographs, you have to pre-book a ranger guided tour. We hadn't. Indeed even going to the part where there aren't many pictographs is restricted (50 on the mountain only at any time and they won't let you on in the afternoon session until some people from the morning session have checked out).

Interesting place to visit though it was a bit too dark and cold for comfy camping in December. Resolution for 99 -- 'read the b***** instructions'.