Austin, Lyndon B. Johnson's Home, Bottomless Lakes, and Roswell

Whew, it's been an unbearably hot couple of days!  On my last post, I commented on the 98 degree weather in Austin.  While driving to New Mexico, the temperature went up to 109.  Even with the AC on full-blast, we were still sweating.  Let me tell you, we smelled great.



After the sun went down, we went into Austin to see some music.  Unfortunately, on a Sunday, it was slim pickin's.  After walking around for a bit, we were able to see a good country band.  It was refreshing to walk into a bar and not be bombarded by hundreds of other people.  Austin was definitely a lively city, but it didn't make a huge impression on me.  I will say, though, New Orleans is certainly a tough act to follow.

Obama car!

In the morning, we decided to leave early for New Mexico.  Our destination was Bottomless Lakes State Park, just outside of Roswell.  On the way, as per usual, we found some unscheduled stops.  Our first stop was the childhood home of Lyndon B. Johnson.  His home was very simple.  It was amazing to see a president's (very) humble beginnings. 

This house was surprisingly cool inside.

The drive from TX to NM was beautiful in a hot, dry, desert-ish sort of way.  The landscape was so very different from anything I have ever seen.  We went miles (and miles and miles) without seeing a drop of water.  As a Jersey girl, it is hard to imagine a life without a river, lake, or ocean. 

Then, out of nowhere, we found our state park! Truth be told, I was a little worried that our "lakes" were going to be dried up puddles of mud.  But, alas, the lakes were huge, deep, clear, and salty.  I have never really thought of lakes as being salty, so that part was a bit of a shock to me. 

"Im in between two lakes!!"

No bottom...just a drop-off.  Creepy, creepy.

Salt! Yum!

The "bottomless" lakes are really not bottomless at all.  They are, in fact, a series of collapsed caves fed by an underground spring.  The "bottomless" name is actually part of an old wives--or should I say, cowboy's tale.  When the cowboys used to herd their cattle across the midwest, they would stop at the lakes to cool down and rest.  The clarity of the lakes surprised them, but they could never see all the way to the bottom.  So, they decided to test the depth of the water by tying a rock to the bottom of a string.  They kept adding string and adding string, but the rock never hit bottom, hence the "bottomless" nickname.  Today, we know that there is a current at the very bottom of the lake that would have carried away the rocks, making the bottom seem nonexistent.

Eric learned how to float!

After a day in the lake, we traveled into Roswell to see what all the alien fuss is about.  The town itself is really kind of silly.  There were a few alien-themed gift shops, but not much else.  We did visit the museum, which was a LOT of reading.  I love to read, so trust me here.  It was like a warehouse full of newspaper clippings and reports, with a few pictures thrown in.  It reminded me of a large-scale sixth grade science fair project.  Still, it was informative, and the UFO pictures were cool.  Anyway, I survived Roswell sans Alien abduction.  I say that is an accomplishment.