Roswell and Aliens

 My favourite place in Roswell was the dog park! There was an a-frame to run up and down and a series of these huge tires. It was a great place to get away from the pack!

But then one of the dogs started whispering sweetly in my ear...so I jumped down, and we chased each other around and around the huge fenced-in area.

There are pictures of things called ALIENS all over this city. I heard Dad talking about how good the ALIEN draft beer was....and I saw this phone book in our hotel room. Dad and momma went on a private tour of the city and learned so much about the "incident" that happened in 1947 that put Roswell in the history books. 

I didn't mind when I heard the MUSEUM word this time since I was all worn out from playing at the dog park. This is a funny picture from the UFO Museum...After listening to interviews with eye-witnesses, and learning about Major Jesse Marcel...dad and momma became believers!

At three different hotels I have ridden on an elevator. It is so much fun...and doesn't scare me at all. They all make different sounds and bump a bit, but I don't mind. At one hotel something on the ceiling kept chirping every few minutes which really bothered dad and momma. They were surprised that I didn't mind the noise at all. After no one came to fix it, dad took it down so the chirping stopped. I sniffed it to see if there was a bird inside...no bird.

Carlsbad Caverns

 I felt like howling at the full moon in the morning...but I behaved myself. We were heading north on the Texas Mountain Road to Carlsbad Caverns and soon came to a Border Patrol checkpoint. I wagged my tail and looked happy to see the officer. He just wanted to know my name to say hello!!! But momma had to go into the back of the truck to find their passports. Too bad my parents don't have cute tails to wag!

We saw mountains the whole way to the caverns.

I was so happy to get out of the truck at lunch time. I was checking out the prickly pear cactus...and luckily didn't get too close.

In the afternoon when we arrived at Carlsbad Caverns, Momma and Dad went through the Big Room, the largest room in any cavern known today, and 750 feet below the surface. They said it was enormous...but there was no way they could capture it with their camera. So here are some pictures of different formations they saw. This is called Rock of Ages. Years ago, the Rangers would turn off the lights and the people would sing the hymn, Rock of Ages, in total darkness. Maybe they'll sing it for me one day.

This looks like a frozen waterfall. The long "folded" formations on the right are called draperies.

 This was the only bat they saw...and he has been dead since the 1970's! The other bats are hibernating in Mexico.

 The small round formations are called popcorn.

 Sometimes stalactites and stalagmites join and form a column. The skinny stalactites on the ceiling are hollow and are called soda straws.

They saw horsehair worms and cave crickets and learned how the cricket gives birth to the young worms! The cricket drinks water and ingests the worm eggs. When the eggs hatch inside the cricket, they produce a hormone that makes the cricket VERY thirsty. He goes back to drink the water which causes the worms, about 3-4 inches, to come out, killing the cricket. We watched it on You Tube...pretty disgusting, but that's cave life for ya!

 Can you find the witch's broom?

This is called the Chinese Theatre.

Notice the lighting, the walkway, the handrails....the next day Dad and Momma went on a guided tour that was in the Lower Cave, which is 75 feet below the Big Room, and things were much less civilized.

To reach the lower cave they had to go down a rope and then three separate ladders. The only light was on their helmets, and they followed red tape on the natural cave floor, which was very slippery. This is Momma going down....

These huge columns developed cracks.

This is one of the old ladders that brought people down back in the 1920's and 30's. The early photographers had to carry all their heavy equipment down...and back up! 

 Another adventure successfully completed!

That meant I could get out of the truck and go for a walk!!!

Texas-Part 2

In real time, we are in Albuquerque, New Mexico. I will try to catch up with the highlights of our trip...but there are so many!

In Fredericksburg, an historic German settlement with quaint shops and German restaurants, I heard a word that I am starting to hate....Museum! That means that I stay in the truck...and sure enough, my family was gone a l-o-n-g time. But I have my fluffy bed in the back seat, plus a chewy they toss my way, and luckily I am a very patient dog---at least that's what they tell me!

They learned all about Admiral Chester Nimitz in a museum that was added on to his grandfather's hotel. Chester graduated from Annapolis Naval Academy in 1905...even though his first choice was the army and West Point.

After the attack on Pearl Harbor, he became the commander-in-chief for the Pacific Fleet and was in charge of all naval action in the Pacific Ocean. I bet he liked the water as much a I do!

They give me water...and they drink the local brew!

In two days we ended up at a wonderful place called Big Bend National Park, in the SW corner of Texas. It's here that the desert meets the mountains.

I became very excited when I heard the name of this desert...I thought I would get to play with Chihuahuas! But I never saw any....then I remembered the Ranger said there were four kinds of rattlesnakes here....poor little chihuahuas!

The Rio Grande River carved out the Bouquillas Canyon from the Sierra del Carmen Mountains of Mexico. The trail went towards the wall of rock and then turned left, following the river. I wasn't allowed on the trails!

After much climbing and hiking, Momma got to see the narrow opening through which the river flows. On the way back she remembered the Ranger said not to hike alone because of the mountain lions....I bet they smelled my scent on her and were afraid to come close!

There wasn't much water in the river. This Mexican donkey could easily swim across if he wanted to.

The entire Chisos Mountain Range is within the park.

After driving all the paved roads in the park, we left on a rough, unpaved one. Our Dodge Ram "covered wagon" needed a bath!

Texas Part 1

Hi everyone, 

I finally figured out how to write a blog (except for organizing the first page...) with a little help from my Momma...and want to share some of the highlights of our travels with you. We left Florida at the beginning of January, heading West through the Southern states. There were many great tourist attractions for my parents to visit...but I was just happy visiting Dog Parks along the way. 

This one in Beaumont, TX, was so special because I got to play with two Great Danes! Don't I look dainty??? One lifted his leg and, from three feet away, peed on Momma's thighs! She was not too happy....and had to find a washer/dryer to wash her favourite jeans!!! But I had fun....no one peed on me!

Momma and Dad went to several museums in Beaumont to learn about the oil industry and Spindletop and Gladys City, two areas that were big in oil production. I slept in the truck since I was so tired from playing at the dog park!

Then we went to the Capital of Texas, Austin, where we visited the BEST dog park ever! It's on Red Bud Isle. It has many trails and lots of water, all for dogs to enjoy...and I never had to be on a leash! I swam in the Colorado River! 

I heard all about the beautiful Capitol Building....

The star of Texas was everywhere.

 These are the six flags that have flown over Texas. That is also where the amusement park, Six Flags America, got its name. I know you are wondering what the countries are....

Spain, France, Mexico, Republic of Texas, The Confederate States of America, The United States of America. Boy, am I glad I don't have to go to school to learn history!

The park around the Capitol has lovely sculptures. For some reason Momma and Dad liked this one!