Beginning Summer 2016

 

After returning from Galapagos, I played some pickleball, but basically got ready to leave for the summer.  For some reason this year, I had hitch itch really bad, so on April 4th we pulled out with friends, Jim and Mary Russell, and headed to Rocky Point for a week.  Hadn’t been there in several years, but a week on the beach was fine with me.

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    Had a great time and relaxed alot.  Then, after crossing the border, we headed to Tucson for a couple of nights to see friends.  However, the couple of nights turned into over a week.  We had broken a leaf spring coming out of Mexico (speed bumps or actually speed humps). So had to order part and get fixed.  So, we stayed, got in some pickleball with friends, Nancy and Bob Willcoxon, Bruce and Cindy Meekin, and Cindy Moore.  Also, the park we stayed at was on a bike trail that went miles, so we biked several times for 10 or so miles at a time.   We also took time to explore the Pima Air and Space museum and the Sweetwater wetlands.   Finally on April 21st we pulled out of Tucson, heading to Texas. 

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Overnighted at the Elks in Las Cruces, NM, then to get the rig and jeep inspected in the State of Texas.  Then on to Fort Davis.  Both Bob and I are native Texans, but had never been to this area, so we’re exploring new territory.

 

Took a couple of hikes at Davis Mountain State Park.  The first was just over 4 miles and moderate with a total up and down change of elevation of 1005 ft.  Pretty good trial for my new knees.

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  Next we went to the McDonald Observatory.  This was interesting, but mostly over my head.  One fact we learned was that on Aug 21st, 2017 there will be a Complete Solar Eclipse that will be over the US.  We will be able to view it at 1:30 pm in Jackson, WY. 

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Our main target, Big Bend Nat’l Park.  We stayed on the east side outside the park in Study Butte/Terlingual.   Not bad, but just an RV Park.  Touring this area wasn’t much different from Arizona.  Went to Santa Elena Canyon and climbed the short trail to the top.

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Saw a few kayakers on the river and may come back another day to kayak. 

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Next we took the road over to Lajitas and Big Bend State Park.  Really great area. Did a couple of hikes, first to the Closed Canyon and then the Hoodoos. 

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The best hike was one to an oasis in the middle of the desert.

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  Notice the climb up to the sitting area.  Yeh!!!

   Next day, we went back to Santa Elena Canyon for Kayaking.  After dragging the kayaks to the put in, we realized the winds were to high to even get into the canyon.  We tried, thinking that if we could just get on the river, it wouldn’t be to bad.  After a few mud baths, we gave up.

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Worn out from fighting the wind, we decided to just take the rest of the day off. It was around 100 here and really hot. The wind was even hot. 

Got a text from my niece Angel that she would be at Santa Elena canyon the next morning taking pictures with a Photo Tour and wanted to meet up with her.  Hadn’t seen her in over 10 years, so we headed out the next day again to Santa Elena Canyon, early.  The drive is around 45 minutes and she would be there at 8:00 am.  It was great seeing her, if only for 10 minutes or so.

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   After leaving them, we hiked Mules Ears Trail.  A 6 mile hike in and out.  Pretty Moderate, but hot.

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Enjoyed Big Bend, but time to move on.

Next was Seminole Canyon State Park.

Wanted to see the Pictographs that are around 4000 yrs. old.  Defiantly wondered if I was still in Arizona.  IMG_9633 

  Bob wasn’t feeling well, so I went on the guided hike into the canyon by myself. 

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    Planned on staying a couple more nights, but for some reason, on 30 amps, our rig was pulling to many amps and we couldn’t run the air conditioner without tripping the breaker.  This was not good at 95 degrees and 90 percent humidity.  So, we left and moved to 50 amp parks. 

We couldn’t get in to Inks Lake on Saturday Night, so we stopped at Llano City Park.  Nice little park on the Llano River and I think we entered a different country, not just 200 miles from where we were.  Cooler, but green, with wild flowers everywhere.  Loved this gosling.

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and the dog playing in the river.

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Next, the 25 miles to Inks Lake State Park.  That’s where we are now, so this will be continued at a later date.

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