LONG STORY SHORT By Kristine McGowan In our first couple weeks on the road, we’ve wandered across three—yes, three—deserts in the southwest U.S.: the Mojave, the Sonoran, and the Chihuahuan. We couldn’t see their borders as we crossed them, but I think we could feel them. Each desert has its own character, and while the Mojave is familiar to us—it’s our home, after all—the Sonoran and Chihuahuan feel like new friends. Deserts can appear bleak at first glance, but they hold plenty of surprises. Keep reading to see some of the surprises we found recently. Where have we been?Tucson and Saguaro National Park, Ariz.  We only got one night in Tucson and Saguaro, and thanks to our unlevel campsite, our limited time here was cut even shorter. Still, we managed to walk around, eat great food, and meet some of the locals before heading to our next stop. Chiricahua National Monument, Ariz.  This gem of a national monument surprised us with its unique landscape, which rises out of the Chihuahuan Desert so abruptly, you’d think these rock pinnacles gathered for a very important meeting at some point and it never ended. (I’m sure office workers can relate.) White Sands National Park, N.M.  If Chiricahua’s pinnacles look like they’ve gathered for a meeting they can’t leave, the dunes of White Sands National Park look like they’re too lazy to move on. We’re not complaining, though. The dunes were great for sledding. Carlsbad Caverns National Park, N.M.  The mother of all caves lies 750 feet beneath southeast New Mexico. For a couple hours, we disappeared underground into a world of stalactites and stalagmites, musty smells, and the eerie echoes of dripping water. Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Texas  Thanks to extremely high winds, we had to cut our time in Guadalupe Mountains short, but we did squeeze in a hike to the park’s natural rock “staircase” and Devil’s Hall. Big Bend National Park, Texas  We fell head over heels for Big Bend as soon as we arrived. Mountains, canyons, 4×4 roads, the ever-changing Rio Grande—and Mexican nationals selling tamales from horseback? We may never want to leave. Where are we going next?We’re making our way across east Texas and into Louisiana. After that, we’ll zip through Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia to get to South Carolina. (Don’t worry, we’ll come back to these states soon.)  52. Big Bend National Park, Texas 53. San Antonio, Texas 54. Austin, Texas 55. Lake Charles, La. 56. New Orleans, La. 57. Montgomery, Ala.* 58. Columbia, S.C. 59. Congaree National Park, S.C. * The original version of this post listed Birmingham, Ala., as our 57th stop. It was actually Montgomery, Ala.
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