Bucskin gulch, trail -hike Az.

Carlsbad Caverns

Well after the extraordinary pure beauty of White Sands above ground, not far from Carlsbad Caverns, let’s dive…underground. A new world is opening in front of us. It is sometimes oppressive to be underground, space is limited, there’s no natural light, and it’s so easy to get confronted here BY our fears, especially if you are claustrophobic. So will you let your little voice and your brain govern you? Or will you step forward to face the amazing beauty and natural work of Mother Nature?

This is how Carlsbad Caverns is described:

“ ... a limestone cavern known as the Carlsbad Cave, of extraordinary proportions and of unusual beauty and variety of natural decoratio

n; ... beyond the spacious chambers that have been explored, other vast chambers of unknown character and dimensions exist; ... the several chambers contain stalactites, stalagmites, and other formations in s

uch unusual number, size, beauty of form, and variety of figure as to make this a cavern equal, if not superior, in both scientific and popular interest to the better known caves ... ”

—Proclamation 1679-Oct.

25, 1923-43 Stat. 1929

There are more than 300 known caves beneath the surface. The park contains 116 of these caves, formed when sulfuric acid dissolved the surrounding limestone, cre

ating some of the largest caves in North America.

Beyond the beauty of these caves, there are great teachings. First in its formation, obviously it t

akes hundreds and hundreds of years to create these stalactites and stalagmites of limestone, from drop after drop. (Average growth rate of a stalactite is 0.13 mm

(0.005 Inches) a year). So it gives us an interesting approach of time.

We as 21^st century humans are running after time, so often. We are afraid of not having e

nough time…but how do we utilize this time, which is given to us? Do we use it to create beauty and harmony around us? Can we look at these caverns of splendor as an inspiration to create beauty and harmony in our life?

Another teaching comes with the story of the discovery of the caves:

Jim White is the cowboy credited with being the premier explorer of Carlsbad Caverns. He began to explore the cave as a tee

nager in 1898, using a handmade wire ladder to descend 60 feet into the cave. For more than a decade, he couldn't convince many locals that there was much to Carlsbad Caverns.

Yes it takes effort, patience and perseverance to discover what’s hidden. But sometimes, the most precious things are hidden, or far, or difficult to access; are we going to give up because it takes effort or because o

f some fears? Then aren’t we passing by marvels that will bring beauty and harmony in our life?

These caverns are an inspiration for us to go deep within us to find the pure jewels of our own wisdom, inspiration, instinct, power, beauty,

love, and let’s share that with others.

Stalactites are formed by t

h

e deposition of calcium carbona

te and other minerals, which is precipitated from mineraliz

ed

water solutions.

These stalactites are like eve

ry little thing that Life has ‘precipitated’ in our life, and that leaves marks and traces!

A stalagmite is a type of c

ave formation that rises from t

he floor of a limestone cave due to the dripping of minerali

zed solutions and the deposition of c

alcium carbonate.

The Stalagmite could be what we build from what we receive. But we don’t have to be

passive in this process. If we k

eep in mind beauty, harmony, patienc

e, and perseverance, we can build such beauty within that it will shine out.

White Sands the pure marvel of New Mexico

Rising from the heart of the Tularosa Basin is one of the world's great natural wonders - the glistening white sands of New Mexico. Here, great wave-like dunes of gypsum sand have engulfed 275 square miles of desert and created the world's largest gypsum dune field.

First time I went to white sand, it was the end of summer, and I was really amazed by this white desert. Although it is a desert and a ‘moving one’ some plants succeed to survived. Yes it is moving like with any dune, the wind is a huge factor, and make the landscape changed and moved, which of course become a big problem to maintain the paths and roads within this exceptional area.

Here, again you are confronted to the immensity and the very long work of time through the landscape.

When in this desert, you are definitely called for meditation and rejuvenation. If you are looking for some inspiration, it is a fabulous place to reconnect with nature and , by simply be in the moment, enjoying this unique site, immensity, and calm.

Even in the middle of the hottest summer days, when touching the sand, about ½ inch under, it is cold; the sand is such a pure white, that it deflects the sun heat. So be careful, don’t get lost and stay to late in this fascinating beauty, or the cold will get you at dusk…

This white sand is almost pure gypsum. Gypsum is different from many other rocks because it is readily soluble. This Gypsum comes from the surrounding mountain, and the rain dissolve the Gypsum to gathered it in ‘Lucero Basin’, in a shallow lake, which during the hottest months evaporates. A crust form on the lakebed and most of it form beautiful crystals called Selenite.

These crystals are extremely soft and fragile, the wind and the rain break them apart into smaller and smaller pieces, which soon become sand.

White Sands

Few more pictures from White Sands. Stunning landscape which inspire meditation...and relaxation. Notice how the plants succeed to survive in these harsh condition!

Pure White

Amazing New Mexico trip in November!

White sands, Carlsbad Caverns, Roswell and the Bitter lake Wildlife Refuge, Fort Sumner and Bosque Redondo, Santa Rosa with its beautiful lakes and a particularly scenic stretch of Route 66.

4 days & 3 nights: November 19,20,21,22, 2009

Price Per Person based on 2 persons traveling – $539.50 + tax

Price Per Person based on 1 person traveling – White Sands $729 + tax

25% due on confirmation of booking

Includes: -

1 night, Alamogordo, Nm

1 night, Carlsbad, Nm

1 night, Roswell, NM

Parks & entrance fees.

Transportation from Santa Fe, Nm & guide

White Sands national monument

Lake Lucero

Carlsbad Caverns

Bitter lake Wildlife Refuge

Route 66 Museum

Bosque Redondo Memorial

Travel planning and itinerary services

Excludes:

· All meals

· All activities not mentioned above

· Photography permit fees (when required)

· Gratuities

· Items of a Personal Nature

Tribute to the ancient...

Tribute to the ancient: http://bit.ly/dPTLA
Discover the culture of the ancient & their great knowledge and wisdom.
Join me for 3 days in the Anasazi culture in Chaco Canyon, Bitsi Badland, Aztec ruins and Mesa Verde



Chaco Canyon is a major center of ancestral Puebloan culture. When visiting Chaco Canyon you are facing a major culture, knowledge and wisdom. Structured have been oriented to sola lunar and cardinal directions. Which reveal the level of high knowledge and culture of its inhabitants.
Kivas are serene place probably dedicate mostly to ceremonies.
Rediscover your inner wisdom through the Indian wisdom.

Buckskin gulch, Vermillon Cliffs, Az.

Buckskin Gulch is an area in Vermillon Cliffs, in North Arizona. We did this hike on a very nice day, it was around 90 degre temperature. Pretty hot. We got an incredible dark blue sky. But the most incredible was really the landscape, not very lush but stunning by the sandstone and the different tint and colors.
It was difficult to walk fast, beacause I wanted to photographed everything, and enjoy each different 'paysage', landscape, roch.




This hike is not a very difficult one, it takes about 3 hours to arrive to Paria/Wire Pass. It's very sandy, so you have to have good shoes to walk comfortably. and I really recommend you to wear pants! lots of spiny thistle, ouch!
After an hour, we just didn't pay to much attention but our legs looked like....hedgehog.

Before stopping for lunch we just took some time to take them off!




After a pretty long walk in the sun, we were really happy to reach the Paria Canyon and walked in the shade of the smooth beautiful rock.
It was slightly muddy, but nothing annoying.

This part of the hike was totally different from the beginning, and we like it as much!

We were happy to finally reach the crossing of paths, were we stop for lunch, and admired the petroglyphs




Petroglyphs were numerous in this area, include some more recent, with signature...










We didn't want to go back through the same way, so we took Wire Pass, which is much shorter, but again, amazing rocks and landscape!
This time, we even need to do some climbing because the paths between the canyon is extremely narrow, about shoulder width sometimes, and boulders are blocking the way. But nothing impossible!
Very pleasant hike.

And to finish the day we enjoyed our hotel, where we take some time enjoy the swimming pool and the Jacuzzi to relax our muscles, and be prepared for another hike the next day...