Helen, Mortimer, and I escaped Texas’s heat (and mosquitoes) and finally found relief in Las Cruces, New Mexico. We found a home for the next three nights at the KOA Journey, a well-run campground we have previously visited on the road to California.
When I made the reservation, I didn’t realize that we would camp in the “Super Site,” which sits on a bluff with a view of the Las Cruces Valley and a grand view of the Organ Mountains in the distance. The site also has a covered patio, a fireplace, and a nice propane grill with a full tank of propane to boot- a super setup for sure!
After setting up, Helen pulled some thick pork chops out of the freezer. We should take advantage of that large propane grill while we have it. We spent a relaxing evening on the patio and enjoyed the fresh, cool air (Las Cruces elevation is 4000 ft above sea level). Dinner was superb!
We spent the third day in Las Cruces doing some light Walmart shopping, but I was also ready and eager to pull out one of the new lenses for my camera and practice on the lovely view of the scenery beyond our bluff. I mounted my Canon 6D Mark II on a tripod with an attached ES 70-200mm f2.8 lens and photographed the scenery across the Valley. The photograph is below.
After dark, I paired a remote control to the camera and photographed the town and street lighting using the same lens. The significant difference between the two images is that I shot the daylight image in 1/4000 sec, while the night shot required 30 seconds to capture. The learning never stops, but the exercise was fun. I also captured a lovely cloud image while waiting to take the night shot (above). We left for Arizona the following day.
With few exceptions, Helen and I follow the same route to California, primarily to take advantage of the affordable and secure Military campgrounds along the way. Nevertheless, an interesting or out-of-the-way campground will pop up on my trip planner during the planning process and catch my eye. This year, the campground at Kartchner Caverns State Park in Benson, Arizona, was that place. I love caves.
The story of Kartchner Caverns is as interesting as the cave itself. In 1974, two avid cave explorers, Ron and Gary, looking for new caves in the Whetstone Mountains of Arizona, crawled through a tiny opening in a sinkhole on the side of the mountain. What they discovered was exponentially more extraordinary than they had hoped for. Once through the opening, with only carbide lights to guide them, Ron and Gary crawled on their bellies through deep mud and over large rocks to another tiny hole. They chipped away at the hole until they created an opening large enough to crawl through. What awaited them was an enormous cavern with formations found in only the most ancient caverns on earth. According to Park guides, once inside the cavern, Ron and Gary turned off their lamps and giggled in the darkness-they knew what they had found. Once they discovered the cave in 1974, they worked in strict secrecy until the State of Arizona could purchase the land in 1988. The Park opened in 1999.
Helen and I spent our first full day in the State Park hiking around the Park and touring the Museum to learn about the Caverns. The Museum was small but very informative about the cave’s history and the discoveries made by scientists, biologists, and geologists permitted to perform research. A seven-foot sloth and a Mammoth-like creature once used the cavern as a home. Most researchers believe that another entrance to the cave existed in pre-historic times. We made tour reservations and looked forward to doing something fun and different.
At 11:00 the following day, we met Carolyn, our tour guide, for a brief presentation on what we would see and could not take inside. To preserve the pristine condition of the ancient cavern, we were not allowed to take anything but our car keys on the tour. If anyone had visited another cave wearing the shoes they had on, they had to have them sanitized before the tour. We boarded a shuttle bus with about twelve other tourists and rode the short distance to the cavern entrance. As we walked through the vault door into the cavern trail, a light mist covered us to remove contaminants from our clothing.
The tour was fascinating, and Carolyn gave an informative and delightful presentation of the cave’s features, gigantic formations, and the details of Randy and Gary’s initial discovery. Cameras were not allowed inside, but I “borrowed” a few from Google Images to share. I also recorded a video of about 45 seconds taken from one of Ron and Gary’s initial trips into the cave. Apparently, this was during the “easier” portion of their belly crawl.
We loved our time at Kartchner Caverns State Park and recommend it highly to anyone looking for an interesting and informative place to visit.
Our thanks to Ron and Gary…because they discovered a cave, we found a campground. We’re Easin’ Along.
Wow! You guys are always going! Enjoy! Those caverns — and their back story — are gorgeous! Safe Travels.
Hey there,
The caverns and the State Park were a real surprise since I had never heard of this campground and took a chance when I booked it. I like to say I had rather be lucky than good, and my luck was with me on this one. Thanks so much for checking in. Please stay with us! Joe
Joe and Helen, I look forward to hearing about all your adventures! Thank you so much for sharing!
Hi, Nancy,
Thanks for the nice comments, and thanks for joining us. There’s more to come. We finally made it to California and look forward to spending the summer here. Please come back! Joe
Joe, the information about the cavern was fascinating. They were two brave guys to crawl in there! I’m enjoying your travels –
Hi, Judi!
I can’t imagine doing what these guys did. I only highlighted a small summary of their initial trip into the cave. Our tour guide said that Ron and Gary crawled through mud up to their nose and lost their boots in the thick stuff…OMG! Thanks for checking in. Enjoy Lakeshore. I’ll miss you guys. Joe
Hi Joe;
Well done!! I love New Mexico (I think you knew). Glad you and Helen chose a rest-stop there in such a magnificent area. I continue to marvel at all these septuagenarians around us who just won’t stop…. BRAVO! I hope Mary and I will be spending a week or so in Angel Fire, New Mexico, later this summer.
Also, as you knew, I’m an inveterate photo hobbyist, as well; but, you’re still exploring and acquiring new equipment!! Whereas, I’ve totally sworn off buying even one more piece of gear, in favor of plowing in deeper with what is already occupying my camera bag (and closet)…your commitment & determination toward improving your skills is obviously stronger and deeper than mine…. I’ve come to believe what has been preached to me for the past 30 years….. it’s not the camera, it’s the person using it.. BUT….. at the same time, I have come to believe (even more fervently) that good gear can help! I especially like the daytime landscape pic you exhibited here. Again, well-done…. you’re inspiring me, Joe.
I continue to enjoy following you and Helen on your travels…. I’m currently ‘on-leave’ from Pickleball (and most of my other fitness activities) due to a new and severe occurrence of sciatica…. Yes, I did fall on the court two weeks ago, but was unhurt (at that time) yet, I haven’t received any invitations to play since that fall….. The sciatica is already improving (as it almost always does), so I look forward to inching my way back into SOME of my old activities…after getting some good guidance. Enjoy your trip, stay safe and healthy, Joe and Helen!
Hello!
Great to hear from you. When I bought a new camera seven years ago, you advised me to learn everything about the camera and the way it works. Well, I still haven’t learned everything about cameras, but, after a lot of reading, and hours of YouTube videos, I am much more comfortable with a camera and the multitude of settings. I have also connected with some online friends through Easin’ Along that enjoy photography and we share advice and tips which makes the hobby more fun. I plan to continue RVing for a few more years where photo opportunities are endless, so I want to take advantage of them. I love taking pictures, but I love editing them even more. I tend to be obsessive, and now carry three cameras and six lenses for my Canon DSLR. I will pick up one more lens when we get to LA and that’s it…unless I want to sleep in the truck for the rest of the trip. Glad to know that the sciatica is on the wane and you can resume doing the stuff you enjoy. Thanks for stopping by, and please stay in touch. Joe
Loved, loved about the caverns!! That had to be one of the highlights of your trip!!! Keep it coming!!!
Thanks, LuAnne,
We really enjoyed our day in the cavern. Since I had never heard of this place, I was taking a chance when we booked the reservation. It turned out extremely well. Always great to hear from you! Joe
That’s a fabulous story about Kartchner Caverns, Joe! Can we still be friends if we don’t share the same level of appreciation for caves? Enjoy every minute of your family time – I’m sure Helen has been itching to get her arms around those grandkids!
Good morning, Mary,
We’re pals Mary, whether you like caves or not. I have crawled through caves in East Tennessee since my days as a Boy Scout, so I have good memories about them. We’re getting closer to the grands and Helen is about to explode. Thanks for checking in. Have a great week! Joe
Sounds fabulous. Always enjoy reading about your trips. Keep up the info. Safe travels.
Hi, Ginny,
The cave was fascinating, and the Park around it was delightful. California, here we come…stay with us. Have a great week! Joe
Joe, you have to visit the Cave Without a Name in Bourne, TX one of these days. Tours are guided, there are no restrictions and you can take all the pictures you want. I have only been in a few caves in the US, but that one was the best.
Your campsite in NM must have been a welcome relief after Texas heat and mosquitoes. That screened area looks relaxing. Helen’s smile says it all.
Experimenting with new lenses is always fun. I like the two comparison photos of day and night – a very different technique with the night lights.
My favorite photo of this bunch is Whetstone at dusk. I’m guessing you popped the pink a little in the sky and brightened the bushes adding depth to the overall composition. Very pretty.
Have fun in California.
Good morning, Suzanne,
I Googled Cave Without a Name and have declared it a “must see” on our next pass through Texas. It’s only an hour drive from where we usually camp in San Antonio. Thanks for the recommendation.
The KOA in Las Cruces is very nice and you’re right about heat and mosquito relief–welcome indeed.
I’ve had much fun with the new equipment. With so many photographers switching to mirrorless cameras, there are some good deals on DSLR cameras and lenses. I have one more lens waiting for me when we meet up with our son and family. It’s a Canon 24-105mm, f2.8 that I bought on FB Marketplace from a wedding photographer who went mirrorless.
I’m glad you like Whetstone at Dusk, and you have a good eye. It is “pink-popped” a tad and I brightened the foreground a little. It’s a delight to have an excellent photographer compliment a photograph. I know you have a busy month ahead–pace yourself, and please stay in touch. Joe
Holy smokes, that is some great photography!! Thank you for sharing, and for the history to go along with it. So glad you’re having a great time!
Hello,
Thanks for the nice comments, and for checking in. We’ve had a wonderful trip so far. We made it to Del Mar, CA just in time for June Gloom to lift–love the sunshine (and 70° weather). Have a great week! Joe
Wow, that was an idyllic campsite you had in Las Cruces!
In general I prefer my adventures to be above ground, but we’ve visited several caves/caverns in our travels and have always enjoyed them. We haven’t been to Kartchner, but I’ll put it on our list!
I have another special cave for you…the Caverns of Sonora (in Sonora, TX) are perhaps the most beautiful of all that we’ve visited. They’re small, but exquisite, and filled with glittering crystal-like formations. And you can take photos! :-)) https://ravenandchickadee.com/2018/04/exploring-a-crystal-cavern-sonora-tx/
Hi, Laurel,
The Las Cruces KOA is our treat to ourselves, and we were fortunate to reserve the “Super Site” for the visit. You and Eric would enjoy both the campground and the cave at Kartchner. The campsites are spacious and tucked well away from everything. The backstory of the cave discovery and preservation is as interesting as the cave itself. I have added Caverns of Sonora to my wishlist. Thanks!