West Texas - Part Three

Day (and night) Trips from Alpine

Star Party
Of course, we were worn out from the river trip, but once we reached Alpine and checked in to the Best Western Alpine Classic (a great room we got on Priceline for a steal!), showered and rested, we felt refreshed enough to make the 45 minute trip to the McDonald Observatory.  Saturday night was the last opportunity we'd have to catch their night time "Star Party," and we're glad we did it.  Not only did we see another beautiful night sky, but we learned a great deal about star-gazing.  The 45 minute astronomy lesson was held in a nice outdoor amphitheater with concrete bench seating for about 300-400 people.  It was a packed house on that cool night.  After the lesson, we could have looks through several telescopes that had been preset for viewing parts of the sky about which we'd just learned, such as the Andromeda galaxy, the Ring nebula, and some star clusters.  No planets were visible this night, but we learned a lot about the Milky Way and constellations within our galaxy.  It was a memorable night.  We headed back to Alpine, split a hamburger and fries at "Penny's Diner" next door to the hotel, and turned in for a much-needed good night's sleep!

The Rest of Big Bend & Boquillas Crossing
The Best Western had a better than average free breakfast buffet - nothing fancy, but they had eggs, lots of bacon (a must for Newmans), pancakes, biscuits and gravy, along with the usual continental items.  We left late morning to head back into the national park.  Our drive this time took us through Marathon.  We had to laugh about the "sparseness" of this place.   We'd heard about the historic "Gage Hotel," and I'm sure it's very nice.  But honestly, it was about the only site worth seeing in this tiny town.  One gas station, a little convenience store, and a small residential area made up the bulk of the "metropolis" of Marathon.  We filled up the gas tank and headed south to Big Bend.  Strange sight for the day...

Had to make a U-turn and get that shot. =-)

We got the chance today to stop at the Park Headquarters in Panther Junction and get acclimated. It's a really nice facility with lots of information.
NEXT STOP - the Boquillas River Crossing.  We purchased our tickets in Rio Grande Village, then followed the signs to the border crossing.  We'd heard that this area wasn't manned with border patrol, but it was.  I guess the little do-it-yourself kiosk doesn't always work, so they decided to place a crew there.  The border agent asked us questions and made sure we had everything we would need, then we took the short path to the river.  We were met there by Vincente (he had an official looking name badge -  guess that makes us gringos comfortable), who skillfully ferried us across while the famous Victor serenaded us from the Mexican side.

Vincente

We exited the boat, climbed up the bank and were escorted to our burros that would take us the 1/2 mile into town. 

Felipe was our guide and stuck close by the whole time we were in Boquillas. Upon reaching town, there was a passport check - again, evidently a new addition - that took about 15 minutes.  The Felipe escorted us to Falcon's restaurant, where we happily drank beers and a little tequila, along with some homemade chicken tacos.  Bernardo our waiter was happy to let us sit and enjoy the breeze and the view for a while.

When we were ready to walk around, Felipe asked us to walk with him to the end of town where we met his family, bought some trinkets, and saw several building in progress - a clinic, a school and a motel.  We enjoyed passing out little toys and cans of Coke to the kids along the way.  (Andy, our river guide, had suggested bringing those).  Then it was back to the burros and to the river.  There was a bit of a wait on the USA side, but after about 30 minutes, we had shown our passports, declared our souvenirs, and loaded back in the car.

We decided that the added security on both sides has probably changed the mood and the character of this little crossing, but we still enjoyed it a lot!

Another stop we made in the park that day was to see the Hot Springs, an old abandoned resort area within Big Bend.  Some small buildings still stand, there is a nice picnic table under some huge transplanted palm trees, and a 1/4 mile hike takes you to the springs where we discovered that you can still sit in the warm pool - we just stuck our toes and hands in.  It wouldn't have been very refreshing in the 90 degree heat that afternoon, but i would feel great on a cool day.

(pictures of hot springs)

Our last Big Bend stop was to the Chisos Basin, which is not to be missed.  Beautiful views, a nice meal at the lodge, and a 2-mile sunset hike completed our day.  We had a couple of treats on the hike...

Tarantulas are everywhere in the fall

Hard to spot, but this mule deer crossed right behind us on our hike.

The Chisos walking loop we took was a moderate hike, but not very well marked, so we were glad to see civilization and to know we weren't lost!

Since we were heading back at dusk, the drive to Alpine brought more interesting wildlife spottings.  We saw rabbits, field mice, and a LOT of snakes crossing the road.  One snake had just enjoyed a meal and was having some trouble with that crossing. (Marc says I ran over it, but I don't think I did!)  We stopped again outside of Marathon to look up at the Milky Way one last time, then on to the hotel.

Monday's day trip...
Alpine really turned out to be the perfect "hub" for our trip. The last day there, we drove first to Fort Davis for a self-guided tour of the fort grounds.  It's a great way to spend an hour or so - lots see see and read about those times in history when the west was a little wilder than it is today.  Upon arriving we received a schedule of different bugle calls and what they mean.  The calls are played over the PA system at the scheduled times throughout the day.

We headed up the mountains to again visit the McDonald Observatory.  It was a drizzly day, but perfect for seeing the indoor exhibits and the huge telescopes.  Our tour guide was a geeky little guy with a kind of monotone-ish speaking voice, but he was well-informed about everything we saw...and what do you expect from someone who spends his days (and nights) on a mountain top looking UP?  We learned a lot about the facility and the work that's done there.  Good tour, and worth the extra fee for the guided tour.

Then it was back down the mountain and into the little town of Fort Davis.  Very cute shops, and some restaurants.  We decided to eat at the Fort Davis Drugstore which was very good... We'd heard the portions were big, so we split a fried chicken sandwich and fries.  Yum.  We bought some assorted fudge, and a couple of souvenirs there.

Marfa....?
We took the road from Ft Davis to Marfa, and arrived in the late afternoon.  We were a little tired, but were anxious to see what the town of Marfa had to offer during the day.  There's always a lot of fuss about Marfa, but honestly... WE DIDN'T GET IT.   I think we just aren't "artsy" enough, or maybe the town is a work in progress.  Except for the pretty courthouse, we really didn't see anything that necessitated a stop and "look see" for us.  Maybe someone can enlighten us...

A 30-minute ride took us back to Alpine.  I wasn't feeling well, so Marc headed out to get some sandwich stuff and we stayed in the hotel room to watch the Texans/Steelers game on Monday Night Football.  It was a much-needed night in.

The Ride Home
Tuesday morning was very rainy, and with everything on our "TO DO" list marked off, we took our time packing up, and headed east  around 10AM, and took the route through Fort Stockton.  We discovering a driving tour that winds through the historic town.  Marc was VERY disappointed that "Paisano Pete," the giant roadrunner statue had been removed for re-painting.

By the time we'd gone another few miles, the clouds had given way to a nice sunny traveling day, so we made more stops...

Junction is a town that evidently THRIVES on hunters.  Every store welcomed them to town with camouflage welcome signs.  We also learned that it's a great place to stop for pecans at this time of year.  Bought some huge shelled pecans for a good price.  Of course, we couldn't leave town without trying to find the historical marker honoring the Junction Boys.  Never did find it, but I understand we got close when we visited the campus of "Texas Tech at Junction."  Looked more like a boy scout camp than a college campus, but it's on the site Bear Bryant used for that famous Aggie football workout.

Kerrville was a town we had never visited.  We had a good Mexican lunch there, had a look at the river walk and some of the shops downtown, and stopped at the Tivy High School football stadium for some pictures of the place where Johnny Football got his name.

A ride over the highway to the James Avery complex was suggested, and walking through the complex was worth the detour.  What a inspiring place!

After a quick fill-up with gas, we took the non-stop I-10 trek back to Cypress and arrived around 7:30pm.  Not a bad drive at all!

Our West Texas trip will be remembered as one of the most unusual and enjoyable vacations ever - we were blessed with great weather, slow-paced atmosphere, pleasant people and fantastic scenery!

West Texas - Part Two

Thursday morning we were up and out by 6:30am.  We had a raft to catch! 

The road from Alpine to Terlingua was a good one.  Of course it was completely dark for most of the 1 1/2 hour trip.  In this part of the state, you're on the western edge of the Central Time Zone, so the sun is about 45 minutes later coming up than in Houston.  But by the time we got close to town, our surroundings came into view.

Terlingua is quaint - in a dusty sort of way.  Several small businesses dot the road, and we soon found Big Bend River Tours.  It had been our choice for this trek after reading reviews online several months before, and speaking to the nice folks in the office by phone. We chose correctly!  What follows is a journal of our fantastic guided tour - 3 days and 2 nights we will never forget...

Upon our arrival at the office, we were given detailed instructions on packing up our gear and prepping for the trip.  We were then introduced to our guide, Andy.  He was a young man - around the age of our sons - so we were immediately comfortable.  He gave us even further suggestions on packing, using the wet bags they provided (which were awesome), and double-checking to ensure we'd brought everything needed - which wasn't much.  They provide almost everything!  A good packing list had been provided when we made the reservation, so we were set.  We then talked about the choices we had to navigate Boquillas Canyon, which was the pre-determined route based on conditions that week.  We quickly chose raft over canoes, and Andy was happy with the decision.  He and Jim, our van driver, loaded up the raft and gear, and we were off to Big Bend National Park - just to the east of Terlingua.

A 45-minute van ride took us halfway through the park to our put-in at Rio Grande Village.  We noticed that  a great camping area here with nice restrooms and a small store.  The raft was expertly loaded with our gear, and we settled in for the ride.

Andy would be paddling, so we had a chance to get used to our surroundings... a beautiful flowing brown river with lush greenery, rocky banks, and a cloudless sky.  The temperature was probably about 60 degrees as we left Rio Grande Village and made our way to Boqullas, a happy small border town - "happy" since the tourist crossing was re-opened there a couple of years ago.  (more in a later chapter).  As we passed by the crossing, Andy spoke to the Mexicans, and Victor (the "jefe" of the local welcoming committee) serenaded us.  Andy gave us suggestions for our planned visit later in the week.

The famous "Victor"

A few more miles brought us to the opening of Boquillas Canyon - it would provide us with amazing views for the next 24 hours. 

We stopped for a mid-day break on the bank of the river.  We watched as Andy expertly unloaded just what he needed from the raft to provide the makings for great turkey and roast beef sandwiches with all the fixin's.  He encouraged us to drink plenty of water since the hot part of the day was approaching.  Temps reached the high 80s that day, but of course the canyon provided plenty of shade as the afternoon wore on.

Back on the river, we soon came to a sight that surprised our guide.  Seems an abandoned "wax factory" was back in business on the Mexico side.  Andy told us how they make a type of wax from the "candelilla" plant by cutting it down, loading piles of it on the backs of burros and taking it to the river bank.  We saw the burros, the dog that "encourages" them down the hill, and piles of stalks of this plant being cooked in a huge stone/mud oven.  The smell wasn't intense, but it was different that anything we'd smelled before.  Here's more about this long process and the uses for the wax they make and sell...Candelilla Waxcamps.
Andy was glad to see the camp open again because it meant a little money for the Mexicans.  In listening to him along the way, we learned that this part of the Rio Grande is a community made up of both sides of the river, and they cooperate with each other to do what's best for the river and for those who make their living in and around it.

We had made good progress the first day and soon spotted "Rabbit Ears," the name for the rock formation that marked our camp for the night.  It was about 4:30 or 5:00 when Andy steered us to the bank and started unloading.  As we explored, I learned pretty quickly that the bank of a river that constantly raises and lowers its level leaves some muddy spots.  A couple of good muddy slips taught me well.

Rabbit Ears on the right

We set up our tent, and Andy setup the "groover."  I think the picture says it all...

 and we soon settled in for the evening.  Andy served us wine and cooked a fabulous meal - a gorgeous salad and grilled chicken pasta with a creamy alfredo-like sauce.

the grill

 We were so full, we skipped dessert, which we were told would have been strawberry shortcake and no doubt would have been awesome.  We soon were treated to another amazing West Texas sky as the canyon top framed the Milky Way for us perfectly.  We saw several shooting stars that night, and soon  realized that our necks were sore from looking up all day and evening!  Heading to the tent was a good option.  Because we didn't need the rainfly, we could look up at the stars through the top screen of our little "hotel room."  The night was restful except for an occasional forlorn bray of a donkey in the distance.  When the moon rose about 2:30, it gave light for my early morning exit to pee, then back to sleep.


Friday on the river.

7AM brought the smell of cowboy coffee and the clanking of pots and pans, so we knew Andy was up and working.  The coffee was great - I was shown how to strain it and add the cream I wanted from a little can of condensed milk.  Marc had his AM Dr Pepper.  The temperature was probably around 50 degrees.

Our amazing chef making pancakes!

Breakfast was eggs, bacon and pancakes cooked on a stove that folds up neatly just like everything on that boat.  We ate till we were stuffed!

We had traveled about 17 of the total 33 miles, so we had some time that morning to explore both sides of the canyon.  Marc and I headed out on the campsite side.  Here are some pictures we took that morning:

Dessert marigolds

This is "baby's breath" like florists use - smells amazing

Canyon swallows nests

Tree tobacco - hummingbirds love it!

We packed up, loaded the raft and quickly paddles across to the other bank and got out.  Andy took us into a side canyon that had some amazing rock formations.

We moved on down the river about 10:30 and enjoyed the canyon for another few hours.  The end of the canyon brought lots of green space, hawks, falcons & other birds, and open sky

Marc paddled for while, quickly got the hang of it... but we were soon looking for shade and Andy took over again to guide us to a place to rest.

We'd traveled another 10 miles, and the afternoon sun was really hot.  It probably reached the mid-90s that day.  So after lunch (a fancy tuna salad, fritos, salsa, and pickles), we decided to take it easy and stay the night there.  We were on the Mexico-side, and there was some concern about wild burros invading the campsite overnight, so Andy had a look around and decided it would be fine - and it was.

That cool river was calling our name, and we decided it was time for a swim... here's Marc traveling down our "waterslide!"...

We swam and napped and enjoyed a lazy afternoon in our little corner of Mexico. 

Andy saved the best dinner for last:  grilled bacon-wrapped filet mignon (the best we've ever had), garlic mashed potatoes and ranch beans.  More wine made it taste even better!  There was another cloudless night sky as we enjoyed dessert this night - a delicious cheesecake! (and more wine.)  We heard some river stories from Andy and talked about families and hometowns.  What a great day and evening...

There was another early morning moonrise, temperatures dipping into the high 40s, and a perfect view of the constellation Orion through our tent ceiling.


Saturday - final raft-trip day...

 Breakfast burritos with every topping imaginable was our morning meal, and more good strong coffee.  We weren't in a rush to leave, so after packing up, Marc and I took a walk in the desert behind our camp.  Plenty of signs that the burros had been there, but lots of other tracks and signs of animals were there...

And we were off again to the town of La Linda, an abandoned mining town that would be our take-out point. The end of the river trek was a scenic ride through Heath Ranch and Heath Canyon. We thought back on all we had learned from Andy about the ecology and life of the Rio Grande and its surroundings, and were again grateful for his knowledge and expertise.  We arrived at La Linda and 1PM, the exact time Andy and Jim had agreed to meet.

Our route from Rio Grande Village to La Linda

After the guys loaded the gear and raft, (and I had one last squat pee!) we were off through the park for the 1 1/2 hr vanride back to Terlingua.  We stopped once for a picnic lunch at Stillwell Ranch.  There is a cool museum there depicting the life of Hallie Stillwell - teacher, rancher, justice of the peace, and chili cook-off queen - just to name a few of her titles.  Looked through the place as Jim and Andy prepped lunch using the leftover grilled chicken and other ingredients for a great chicken salad.

It was windy, so we ate up, loaded up, and headed back to Terlingua, said our goodbyes and thanks, exchanged email addresses, and headed back to Alpine for a hot shower, a comfortable bed, and sweet dreams of the river!