White Sands National Monument, New Mexico

We left Carlsbad and headed to the Brantley Lake State Park. It was an ideal setting to get some school work done and take a break from sightseeing. The kids enjoyed biking, the hiking trail and relaxing. We spent two nights there and headed over the Sacramento Mountains to the Oliver Lee State Park.

Mardi Gras at Cloudcroft

The trip was a scenic drive on windy tree lined roads boasting of running streams that we hadn't seen since before Texas. We steadily climbed into the mountains to the tiny town of Cloudcroft at 6500ft. elevation.We even glimpsed snow patches under the trees!

 Cloudcroft was hosting their own Mardi Gras and since it was lunch time we stopped to visit and enjoy some more gumbo!!!

We left Oliver Lee State Park to meet our friends from Switzerland at the White Sands National Monument Visitor Center. It was a fantastic day of frolic in the unbelievable gypsum dunes!




 

The kids enjoyed a ride in the back of the pick up truck.

The dunes procession.

Who says we can't go sledding in 80 degree weather?

Saucer races by the Moms. Is it Switzerland or USA??

Ahh, shooting down the hill.

The flip!!

Voila!

We met Mathilda the camel enjoying some time on her own turf.

Jenny, Cindy, Caroline, Peter and Will all became Jr. Rangers at the park.

Now both Swiss and American Junior Rangers!!

Peter's flip/dive