ROS AND JOHN RV LIFE: Bottomless Lakes New Mexico

May 6 2023

Time to leave Texas and drive to New Mexico!

The 280 mile drive was quiet, on a mostly single or some parts two lane highway that had us traveling through miles and miles of barren landscape as far as the eye could see. This day marked our six month anniversary of being on the road so it seemed apt when we passed this road sign -

Didn't get a New Mexico State sign picture. We drove through a town (though I use that term very loosely, as it was just a few shacks) then there was a small old rusty sign that as we passed it John said "think that was the border sign."

We did have some excitement on the way. We passed a sign for sand dunes. I knew there were famous sand dunes at White Sands National Park but we wouldn't get there this trip so when I saw the road sign for other dunes I talked John into turning off the road and seeing what they were. Now you are thinking Ros this isn't that big a deal, you turned off a road. It is when you are towing your 40 ft home behind you and you do not know what the road will be like and whether you be able to turn around?

The road quickly turned to loose gravel and sand and I could feel the worry starting to build from John but we had no option but to keep going. After a few minutes the track opened into a big area with some guys hanging around some beach buggies next to a big sand dune, like Lawrence of Arabia sand dune! The guys gave us a funny look pulling up with an rv but after we walked up the dune to take a picture they very nicely helped us get backed up and onto the track again. I think that's maybe the end of unscheduled stops, I want to stay married! I will research what is on our route in more detail and check if there is somewhere we can park.

We drove along vast areas with the road stretching ahead for miles.

We arrived at Bottomless Lakes State Park where we stayed for two weeks. The lakes are a chain of eight lakes that are actually sinkholes that range from 17 to 90 feet deep. They were formed when circulating water dissolved salt and gypsum deposits to form subterranean caverns, Eventually the roofs of the caverns collapsed from their own weight. Sinkholes resulted and soon filled with water and formed the lakes.

https://www.emnrd.nm.gov/spd/find-a-park/bottomless-lakes-state-park

Lea Lake was a 15 acre lake with a campsite and a great day use area and beach with a safe swimming area for families. We saw lots of people parking their trucks and unloading numerous coolers, bags and full size BBQ grills!

Other picnic areas

Beach

The sites had a concrete pad with a picnic table and a big metal roof that provided great shade

I have been watching many people on social media plunging into rivers, lakes and oceans and I wanted to try it but up to then it had been far too cold for this big softy but I decided this stop I would try. I am not the strongest of swimmers and wanted to feel comfortable so we went to Walmart and bought a life jacket.

Each day I did a beginner workout fitness session in the rv then donned my swimming suit and life jacket and dunked in the freezing lake. It was so much fun! Nope John didn't go in once.

We saw some beautiful sunsets, clouds and storms.

A storm we saw as we left Roswell, looked other-worldly

This park was in a beautiful area but they could do more with it. The bathrooms had just been updated so looks like they are trying. There was a very different type of traveler staying there. A lot of tent campers, old rvs and quite a few people living in cars. that would stop a night or two. Most people didn't stay long - it seemed to be a convenient and cheap place to spend a night or two to break the journey to the West coast. Despite the different feel the park was overall quiet, the bathrooms clean and the hosts kept a good watch.

We went for a hike to see the other lakes. It was meant to be an early Sunday morning two mile walk before breakfast but it turned into a fun 4.5 miles. The lakes are amazing, from the track you would see some rocks but as you walked up to them you saw it was the side of the "bowl" that held the lake. We saw some beautiful flowers on the Prickly Pear cactus and a Bull Snake.