Our cool weather has been replaced by nice hot days. We spent Friday on a
road trip to see the Pecos River Canyon as well as Langtry of Judge Roy Bean
fame. Judge Roy Bean was an eccentric U.S. saloon-keeper and Justice of the
Peace in Val Verde County, Texas, who called himself "The Law West of the
Pecos".
According to legend, Judge Roy Bean held court in his saloon along the
Rio Grande in a desolate stretch of the Chihuahuan Desert of southwest Texas.
After his death, Western films and books cast him as a hanging judge, though he
is known to have sentenced only two men to hang, one of whom escaped. At the
Judge Roy Bean Museum there was an extensive cactus garden, well labelled and
explaining what the various cacti where used for. The Canyon along the Pecos
River as well as looking across the Rio Grande Canyon into Mexico was
spectacular.
Saturday we did the 6 1/2 mile hike to the Rio Grande River from the
campground. What a wonderful hike through the desert. We knew the day was going
to be hot, about 28 C, so we left early in the morning, getting back by 1:30.
While at the viewpoint overlooking the Rio Grande river, we saw a pair of
tortoises in the river.
We also saw numerous butterflies and birds along the trail.
One of the neater birds we saw along the way, were a pair of hummingbirds,
smaller than any we have ever seen, around the desert flowers. They were too quick for us to get a picture.
Sunday was recovery day. Of course it was also the first Sunday of the
Brier as well as a Nascar race.
Monday morning we woke up to find that our water hose had frozen. Not
enough to cause damage, just enough to not have water. What a difference 24 hour
makes. Sunday morning it was 17C when we woke up, Monday morning -3C.
Typically for desert climate, by noon it was back up to a decent temp; sunny and
18C. After getting some of our stuff packed for tomorrow's departure we
watched a bird start to build a nest on our satellite dish. It is going
to be very disappointed tomorrow after we leave, having done all this work for nothing.
While watching the afternoon brier draw we finally noticed a pair of roadrunners
run through our camp site. They quickly turned around and ran back as someone
was walking down the road. Just so as everyone
knows we didn't hear the traditional beep-beep of cartoon fame. We did get a picture, but it was too blurry.
Tuesday was moving day. We left Seminole Canyon early, by 8:30, heading for BJ's rv park in Terlingua. It is perfectly situated between Big Bend
National Park and Big Bend Ranch State Park. It was a long drive, by the time we
stopped for groceries and diesel it was almost 4:00 P.M. We got set up in time
to watch the end of the afternoon Brier draw. The evening was spent surfing the
internet for hiking recommendations in Big Bend National Park.
Wednesday the campground owner came by (he was away yesterday when we
checked in) to invite us to a BBQ Friday night. They will be starting to smoke a
brisket today. John is thrilled, and I can hear our friend Kris smacking her
lips. All I have to do is figure out a side dish to bring. We then headed
for the National Park. We were happy to see that the bluebonnets are blooming, so spring has
arrived.
What an interesting area; so different from the rest of
Texas.
Much of the rock formations are the result of volcanic activity many years
ago, laid over softer sedimentary rock from when the area was under the ocean.
We picked up a hiking guide book, a tee shirt and a guide to all the Texas
roadside stops at park headquarters. It cost us a 20.00 park entrance fee for
one week. I have always thought that Canada could take to page out of the US
National Park system and have a weekly or monthly fee instead of just the daily or
yearly fee. Our first hike was to Balanced Rock, a short trip only 1 mile each way, but the
last 1/4 was a steep scramble, so took some time and care as the route was very rocky. We then drove to Chisos Basin, which had a small grocery
store, for an ice cream treat, and a short walk to a viewpoint looking out on
"the window".
It was an interesting experience, being one of the very few places where the trees are above the 'tree line'. Again we got home in time to watch part of the afternoon draw of
the Brier.
Thursday we decided that Fort Leaton would be an interesting destination.
We found there is truth in the saying that it is the journey not the
destination. We drove FM170, the highway along the Rio Grande through Big Bend Ranch State Park. The highway is considered by National Geographic as one of the
most scenic in the US. We have to agree.
It is not recommended for larger RV's, as there are many sharp corners and has one 15% hill that the Rio Grande cuts through. We were surprised to find Fort Leaton closed when we reached it so we continued to Presidio to fill up with diesel and pick up some vegetables for tomorrow's BBQ. We returned to Fort Leaton to have lunch, just as they opened the site, so we did get to go through it.
Along the way back through the state park, we stopped and did two
short hikes, one 1.1 miles to hoodoos and interesting rock formations along the Rio
Grande and another through beautiful Closed Canyon. The canyon hike was
supposed to be 1.4 miles return, but with the rock scrambling it felt longer. We didn't get all the way down to the river, because we decided one of the many small 'water falls' would be a bit too tall to climb back up.
Again we got back to the trailer in time to watch part
of the final afternoon curling draw.
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