Back to S.A. - The Return Trip Looks Different

A brief shower overnight made everything smell sweet and crisp this morning. As the skies cleared we saw a rainbow from our balcony. After breakfast, and a last goodbye to "The Window" we were on the road by 9:30, not looking forward to a 400 miles day!

Heading east on Rt 90 in the morning light, things look a bit different and you notice things that you missed the first time. The first 250 miles, until one gets to about Del Rio, is very barren and sparsely populated. In case you didn't plan for your gas needs correctly, there is a convenience store in otherwise boarded up Sanderson.  And it is dry, dry, dry! Every river we went over was dry as a bone.

Just west of Del Rio the road crosses the Pecos River. On our first trip, going over the bridge the river appears to be low but flowing. This time we took a quick detour to a unit of the Amistad National Recreation Area which gave us a view down into the canyon. WOW, its empty! The Pecos flows into the Amistad Reservoir which, when full, is a large body of water. Its obvious that, when full, there's a lot of economic activity around there. Not now. Very sad.

Somewhere along here we did a quick loop off the main road at Langley, home of the Judge Roy Bean Museum. We didn't go in but it looks like some rich guys hobby!

Sam had mentioned, on several occasions, that even though we'd been in West Texas for a week, we had yet to enjoy any Bar-B-Que! Even the "Bar-B-Que" party we had with Rotary didn't have "Bar-B-Que! So as we approached Del Rio there was a big billboard advertising "Ruby's Bar-B-Que". That became our lunch destination. Turns out its a Texas based chain of brisket or turkey Bar-B-Que with all the fixin's, seated at picnic tables on folding chairs. Awesome! And, they sold gas for $1.99.

We passed through at least two Border Patrol check-points today. We wonder if their effort is worth much. Can't imagine what they look for. They peer into the back seat (looking for Mexicans on the floor?) and ask if we are US citizens, then wave us through. They don't even check the trunk, where the drugs are.

From Del Rio to San Antonio isn't nearly as desolate. The town of Uvalde (good Dairy Queen) is pretty good size. We arrived at our hotel near the airport by 6:00PM, turned inn the rental car and had dinner at Cracker Barrel.

Flight home about noon tomorrow. It was great week but we'll be glad to get home!

View from the dining room/gift shop

Once again we enjoying the work of the CCC. 

A final look through "The Window"

Ruby's

Pecos River dry

Judge Roy Bean museum

Canine Inspector

Castolon, Rio Grande River

Amazingly, it doesn't get useably light until almost 8 o'clock in the morning! In any event, before breakfast John hiked the 1.8 mile Basin Loop Trail. The only wildlife sightings were a group of 3 or 4 deer right behind the lodge!

Today (Monday) we ventured down the mountain in the other direction about 30 miles on the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive to a place called Castolon. Some spectacular scenic overlooks along the way. There is a little general store here but again, since we're off season, it was almost deserted. This is where we learned about the guy who successfully grew cotton in the river bottom up until the 1960s. We enjoyed our picnic lunch fairly close to the river. 

Then we drove another 8 miles or so up to the outlet of the Santa Elena Canyon. Quite spectacular! In season, it's a popular place for river rafting. There' a great hike here if one had the time! From here we headed back north along the Old Maverick Road; ten miles of  washboard gravel and the occasional wash-out to navigate. (If one were to have trouble out here, one wouldn't be found for weeks!)

This road ends up near a little town called Terlingua. The mine was closed after WWII so the place now relies on tourism, being the only "civilization" at the west entrance to the park, if you were coming from El Paso, a zillion miles away!

The drive back up the mountain to the Basin Lodge is uneventful, but 30 degrees cooler when you get there!

We'll be heading out early in the morning for the long slog back to San Antonio. Then we'll fly home on Wednesday.

Big Bend National Park is a great place! Its along way from anywhere, not much for amenities, but great auto tours and scenic vistas! Great hiking too! But its not a place for "hangin' out"!

Lodge from Basin Loop Trail

Heading toward Castolon

People Used to live here!

This guy grew cotton in the river bottom 1924 to 1944

Picnic by the river OMG its hot!

Unusual Cacti

The Old Maverick Road back to HQ

This guy raised a large family here. He died in 1942 at the age of 108.

Down to Rio Grande Village - its hot down there!

Before breakfast John hiked a ways down the Windows Trail. Great view of The Window, but then one has to come back up! After a leisurely early lunch we headed off to Rio Grande Village. On the way, we stopped for a hike on the Lost Mine Trail, Great views from the top! Saw a Tarantula on the trail. Magnificent creature! Then on down to the 2000 foot elevation right along the Rio Grande River. Its 100 degrees!

We are here in the off-season so there isn't much going on at these lower elevations. Very quiet! We stopped at the camp store for some ice cream but the visitor center was closed for the season. (The "season" here is October to May).

We took a short hike down to a former hot springs "resort", with abandoned buildings. We think that there were actually settlements down here but when the National Park was created in 1944, the people were displaced. We went to the end of the road at Boquillas Canyon with some great views of the Rio Grande.  There's also an official river crossing here.

On the return trip, we stopped at Dugout Wells and an interesting nature hike around the Chihuahuan desert.

By the time we got back to the lodge, where it was 30 degrees cooler, it was time for dinner at the lodge restaurant. Once again, they did not disappoint!

Tomorrow down to Castolon, in the other direction to the river.

Early morning view of The Window

Roadrunner

View from Lost Mine Trail

Tarantula

Another view from Lost Mine trail

This is as far as I go  on the Lost Mine Trail

Hot Springs Trail in 100 degrees

People came here from where?

Rio Grande River

The Mighty Rio Grande

Chihuahuan Desert

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