Spud travels to New Mexico

Spud ventured to New Mexico in July of 1995 and was taken in by the beauty of the area.

Forever in pursuit of understanding the culture and history of our past, Spud was awe struck at the site of Pueblo Bonita in Chaco Canyon in north western New Mexico.

Built over a period of 300 years and finished around 1150 AD, the 190 room pueblo was home to the Anasazi Indians. The pueblo is so immense, Spud had to make his way to the top of one of Chaco's wind carved walls to see it in it's entirety.

The Pueblo was one building in a community of dwellings that can be found in this extremely desolate area. So remote is this area, that McDonald's hasn't even opened a restaurant there yet!

Just outside of Santa Fe, Spud came in contact with the peculiar land formation Camel Rock; supposedly named such in that it resembled a Camel from afar. Noticing the vast amount of cigarette butts that were in the parking area for the site, Spud figures it was named for the brand of tobacco

.

Further south, Spud visited the famous caverns of Carlsbad, New Mexico. This huge network of caverns encompasses miles of subterranean passageways, many of which can be accessed by the public. In fact, the area is so well developed, there is even a lunch room located by elevator 755 feet below the surface. Spud was taken aback by the enormous stalactites and stalagmites that decorate the rooms and took millions of years to form.

The cavern is home to a bat population numbering around 250,000. Needless to say, they produce a great deal of fertilizer. Whilst climbing the rocks to get a good vantage for a photo, Spud lost his blue headband (used to disguise the ugly black bandage for his head injury) somewhere in this ocean of bat guano. Be on the lookout for it and if you have the chutzpah to go in and get it, Spud would be happy to get it back. No, he probably won't shake your hand.