Day 32--Fredericksburg

Today we began exploring the Texas Hill Country around us. First we stopped by the park office where we learned that the unfamiliar, spotted deer we had seen were Access (or Axis?) deer, exotics that had escaped from Game Farms in the region. We also learned that the fire was in the host’s RV, when no one was home. Germans were some of the primary early settlers of the Hill Country and they have left their mark on the towns and villages throughout the region. We drove first to the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historic Park in Johnson City, which was named for his second cousin, who started the town. In the Visitor Center Marv watched a movie about his presidency while I watched a movie about Lady Bird Johnson. We looked at the timeline exhibit that followed his lifetime and what else was happening in the nation at the same time. Then we took the walking trail around the Johnson Settlement, where we saw his grandparents’ rebuilt cabin and other restored historical structures. There is also an exhibit on open range cattle kingdoms, because that was what his grandfather and his brother did when they settled in the region. On our way out we drove past LBJ’s boyhood home. About 14 miles outside of Johnson City is the LBJ Ranch including his birthplace and the “Texas White House” Complex. They can only be seen if you take a tour bus from the State Park, which we opted not to do. So we continued on to Fredericksburg, a charming town that is rich in the cultural heritage of its German immigrant founders. Located in this birthplace and home of Adm. Chester Nimitz is the National Museum of the Pacific War, George H. W. Bush Gallery. The Gallery is new and just opened on Dec. 7, 2009. It is set up to take you on a “tour” of the war beginning with Japanese, Chinese, and Western relations from the mid 1800’s up through the end of the war. Most of the museum is dedicated to a blow-by-blow description of how the Pacific War took place. There are lots of high tech movies and video maps that could outline the different battles of the war. There were also small stands where you could listen to recorded stories of veterans. Marv had expected to get a little better idea of how his father, a fighter pilot in the Pacific Theater, might have been involved in the war but he was disappointed to find that the Army Air Corps was hardly mentioned and when it was, only in the context of bombing Japan. All of the action described in the many displays seemed to be about naval battles, navy bombardments, the landing of troops and the ensuing battles of foot soldiers on the islands. In three hours we only had time to see the gallery, and no time for the Nimitz museum or to take the tour of the Pacific Combat Zone, a three acre site showcasing the large artifacts. We left when the gallery closed and walked around Fredericksburg a bit before going to what the tourist information said was the oldest brewery in Texas. Imagine our surprise when its sign and coasters said it started in 1994! Oh well, they had good beer and an old-fashioned German Biergarten. By then it was time to head back to the campsite, about 45 minutes away. We had added to our list of unusual animal sightings with herds of bison (at a Heritage Farm near the LBJ Ranch), llamas, and the Access Deer. After a light supper we took a walk around our camping loop by the bright light of the almost full moon.

Day 31--Guadalupe River State Park

It didn’t get as cold as they predicted last night (more like mid twenties) and we made it through just fine. It also warmed up faster than predicted so we were packed up and ready to go by 9:10. We drove up to I10 and drove east about 350 miles to Guadalupe River State Park, near the town of Bourne. Along the way we saw everything from the mountains we were leaving, to very flat plains, to interesting plateaus covered with wind turbines, to the hill country where we are now. We passed herds of sheep, goats, cattle and antelope. We also had the harrowing experience of putting 25.3 gallons of gas into our 26 gallon tank! We figure we had about 10 miles left but couldn’t do anything about it until we finally found a gas station. PHEW!!! DQs being more prevalent than McDonald’s in Texas, we gave in and enjoyed a $5.00 Birthday Bash meal of their Hungr-Buster hamburger, fries, drink and a small Blizzard. We saved the Blizzard coupon to enjoy another day. As we drove through Bourne we did some much needed grocery shopping before coming to the State Park. The park is another beauty and there seem to be only about a dozen sites occupied of the 90 some here. One sobering sight—a few campsites down from ours there is a site marked off with caution tape. Within the tape there are obvious signs of a large fire, including the remains of long awning and other parts of an RV. We wonder what happened and pray no one was hurt and that they had insurance to cover the catastrophe. The campsites are up on the bluff, high above the river. After setting up we rode our bikes down (and I do mean DOWN!!) to the picnic area along the river. It’s very beautiful and wild because there are no dams above this area to tame the river. There are plenty of warnings about flash floods and the river has worn a deep canyon, especially on the other side from here. It’s very popular for tubing, rafting, canoeing and kayaking in the summer, but it would be pretty cold right now. This is going to be good place to stay for the next 5 nights, while we travel around the area and see Austin and San Antonio and their environs.

Day 30 evening--Balmorhea

It’s now evening on the 23rd and we have made a wonderful day of it. While I got a shower and washed my hair, Marv talked to a “neighbor” who said they had been at Balmorhea for a few days and had driven to Davis Mountains State Park and Fort Davis one day. We decided to try it and, if the roads were too bad, we would just turn back. There were some snowy, frozen sections in the shadow of the mountains at first. But surprisingly, although we climbed over 2000 feet in elevation, it got warmer, the sun came out and we found less snow, the farther we drove! We went to the State Park first and took a one mile hiking trail. As we began we scared up a mule deer (which reminds me—I saw two antelope as we left City of Rocks yesterday!) The trail climbed the south side of a mountain, crested the mountain and then returned a different way but still on the south side of the mountain. It was one of the most rugged trails we had done, narrow and lined with jagged rocks that weren’t very stable. The rigor of the trail combined with the sun on our backs made the 32° temperature feel much warmer, to the point that we were removing our gloves and unzipping jackets. But the wind at the top was fierce and it felt good to get out of it. We drove on to “Indian Lodge” in the park. It was built by the CCC and its pueblo style architecture nestles into the side of a hill very naturally. We had tea (me) and coffee and a sweet roll (Marv) at its Black Bear Restaurant before driving through the campground. Then we drove to Fort Davis National Historic Site. The Fort was built in 1854 to keep order along the San Antonio-El Paso Road during the California Gold Rush, as a Confederate stronghold during the Civil War, and then through Indian Wars, before being decommissioned in 1891. Most interestingly, the fort was the home of several regiments of so called “Buffalo Soldiers”, African-American fighters, many of whom found their first taste of freedom after the Civil War by serving in the Army. We looked through several of the reconstructed and furnished buildings and enjoyed the informative video about the fort’s history. We left before 5:00 and were relieved to find the road much improved from an afternoon of sun. It was very clear and 36° back at the campsite, and supposed to go down to 20° tonight. We just hope that none of the hoses within the camper freeze, then it’s supposed to be markedly warmer for the next few days.

less snow, the farther we drove! We went to the State Park first and took a one mile hiking trail. As we began we scared up a mule deer (which reminds me—I saw two antelope as we left City of Rocks yesterday!) The trail climbed the south side of a mountain, crested the mountain and then returned a different way but still on the south side of the mountain. It was one of the most rugged trails we had done, narrow and lined with jagged rocks that weren’t very stable. The rigor of the trail combined with the sun on our backs made the 32° temperature feel much warmer, to the point that we were removing our gloves and unzipping jackets. But the wind at the top was fierce and it felt good to get out of it. We drove on to “Indian Lodge” in the park. It was built by the CCC and its pueblo style architecture nestles into the side of a hill very naturally. We had tea (me) and coffee and a sweet roll (Marv) at its Black Bear Restaurant before driving through the campground. Then we drove to Fort Davis National Historic Site. The Fort was built in 1854 to keep order along the San Antonio-El Paso Road during the California Gold Rush, as a Confederate stronghold during the Civil War, and then through Indian Wars, before being decommissioned in 1891. Most interestingly, the fort was the home of several regiments of so called “Buffalo Soldiers”, African-American fighters, many of whom found their first taste of freedom after the Civil War by serving in the Army. We looked through several of the reconstructed and furnished buildings and enjoyed the informative video about the fort’s history. We left before 5:00 and were relieved to find the road much improved from an afternoon of sun. It was very clear and 36° back at the campsite, and supposed to go down to 20° tonight. We just hope that none of the hoses within the camper freeze, then it’s supposed to be markedly warmer for the next few days.

less snow, the farther we drove! We went to the State Park first and took a one mile hiking trail. As we began we scared up a mule deer (which reminds me—I saw two antelope as we left City of Rocks yesterday!) The trail climbed the south side of a mountain, crested the mountain and then returned a different way but still on the south side of the mountain. It was one of the most rugged trails we had done, narrow and lined with jagged rocks that weren’t very stable. The rigor of the trail combined with the sun on our backs made the 32° temperature feel much warmer, to the point that we were removing our gloves and unzipping jackets. But the wind at the top was fierce and it felt good to get out of it. We drove on to “Indian Lodge” in the park. It was built by the CCC and its pueblo style architecture nestles into the side of a hill very naturally. We had tea (me) and coffee and a sweet roll (Marv) at its Black Bear Restaurant before driving through the campground. Then we drove to Fort Davis National Historic Site. The Fort was built in 1854 to keep order along the San Antonio-El Paso Road during the California Gold Rush, as a Confederate stronghold during the Civil War, and then through Indian Wars, before being decommissioned in 1891. Most interestingly, the fort was the home of several regiments of so called “Buffalo Soldiers”, African-American fighters, many of whom found their first taste of freedom after the Civil War by serving in the Army. We looked through several of the reconstructed and furnished buildings and enjoyed the informative video about the fort’s history. We left before 5:00 and were relieved to find the road much improved from an afternoon of sun. It was very clear and 36° back at the campsite, and supposed to go down to 20° tonight. We just hope that none of the hoses within the camper freeze, then it’s supposed to be markedly warmer for the next few days.

less snow, the farther we drove! We went to the State Park first and took a one mile hiking trail. As we began we scared up a mule deer (which reminds me—I saw two antelope as we left City of Rocks yesterday!) The trail climbed the south side of a mountain, crested the mountain and then returned a different way but still on the south side of the mountain. It was one of the most rugged trails we had done, narrow and lined with jagged rocks that weren’t very stable. The rigor of the trail combined with the sun on our backs made the 32° temperature feel much warmer, to the point that we were removing our gloves and unzipping jackets. But the wind at the top was fierce and it felt good to get out of it. We drove on to “Indian Lodge” in the park. It was built by the CCC and its pueblo style architecture nestles into the side of a hill very naturally. We had tea (me) and coffee and a sweet roll (Marv) at its Black Bear Restaurant before driving through the campground. Then we drove to Fort Davis National Historic Site. The Fort was built in 1854 to keep order along the San Antonio-El Paso Road during the California Gold Rush, as a Confederate stronghold during the Civil War, and then through Indian Wars, before being decommissioned in 1891. Most interestingly, the fort was the home of several regiments of so called “Buffalo Soldiers”, African-American fighters, many of whom found their first taste of freedom after the Civil War by serving in the Army. We looked through several of the reconstructed and furnished buildings and enjoyed the informative video about the fort’s history. We left before 5:00 and were relieved to find the road much improved from an afternoon of sun. It was very clear and 36° back at the campsite, and supposed to go down to 20° tonight. We just hope that none of the hoses within the camper freeze, then it’s supposed to be markedly warmer for the next few days.

Day 30--Balmorhea State Park, TX

I will never complain about fickle Michigan weather again! When we arrived yesterday afternoon, it was 63°. This morning it was 27°, we had two inches of snow, the water line had frozen and we were in the midst of a winter storm warning. We stayed warm and cozy inside but it was blowing and ominous outside. The steam is rolling off the pool. We decided the best thing for us was to stay put because tomorrow it is supposed to be in the high 50s and Thursday they are predicting low 70s. Weird!! Marv managed to thaw the water line and we filled the tank with water so we can put away the hose. We’ll go to the closest town and get some groceries and hunker down for the rest of the day. This just puts us off schedule by one day and, since we haven’t planned much past San Antonio, we should be fine. It's fun to see the palms and cacti full of snow and it just makes for a better adventure story, right?

Day 29--City of Rocks State Park, NM

Daylight showed us the wonder and majesty of the rocks within which we were camping! They are fanciful monoliths of ancient eroded volcanic ash that can be up to 40 feet high that tower all around in strange shapes. Some are balanced on their sides or on top of other rocks. Others were obviously used as grinding stones by the prehistoric people who first lived in this area. One was worn all the way through an eight or ten inch slab! We had a great time climbing all over and around them. But having spent an hour or so in them we felt it would be best to be on our way to avoid the coming storm. We drove east and south on I10 through Las Cruces and El Paso. We considered a state park with unusual sand dunes on I25, but it was mid-afternoon by the time we got to where I25 split off. It would have taken us a good hour and a half north of where we are heading so we decided instead to go to Balmorhea State Park, where they claim to have the world’s largest spring-fed swimming pool. It is interesting to see the 1.75 acre pool which was built in the 1930s, is 25 feet deep and stays at 72-75 degrees year-round. There are also canals that now lead to a restored ciénega (wetland). Like all the other Texas State Parks we’ve stayed in they have electricity and water at most sights and rates are usually around $15.00 which is quite reasonable. But having seen the pool, and not being interested in swimming with the air temperature in the high 50s, we’ll make do with another one night stand here and move on to South Llano River State Park, which will get us closer to our next major destination of the San Antonio-Austin area.

Day 28--leaving Arizona

For the first time on our trip we had to take down the camper in the rain. We got up at 7:00 so we’d have plenty of time before meeting Aunt Mary at their Arizona church, Gold Canyon Methodist, for the 9:30 service. And it didn’t rain the whole time, but it came down pretty hard at the prime moments for closing so we ended up pretty wet and cold. The church has 8:00, 9:30 and 11:00 traditional services plus a 9:20 Praise service (in the old sanctuary) and a 5:00 Western service!! Despite the new sanctuary which holds 2000, the 9:30 service was basically packed and we had to meet Aunt Mary (Uncle Don didn’t feel up to attending and being out in the rain) at 9:00 to have seats together. The congregation is largely made up of retirees and the children’s time only had about 3 or 4 kids. But it is hard to say how many families might have been in the Praise service instead. It is a beautiful church and it was an enjoyable service. It was nice for us to be able to listen to their 60 member choir rather than singing in the choir ourselves for a change. After the service we drove southeast on Highway 60 and then Highway 70, not meeting up with I10 until we were back into New Mexico. It was a very pretty drive through some mountains, along canyons, across valleys and passing through the Salt River Apache Reservation. We passed several snow covered peaks but the temperature was in the high 50s or low 60s most of the way. We stopped at Globe, AZ to see the Besh-Ba-Gowah archaeological site. The area was originally inhabited by Hohokam, who established a pit-house settlement around 900 AD and abandoned it around 1100AD. Approximately 1250AD the Salado Indians began constructing what became a 400 room, three story pueblo. Shortly after 1400AD the pueblo was abandoned and the Salado people mysteriously disappeared. Part of the site has been reconstructed and part has been left unexcavated. It is a haunting and fascinating place and we were happy we took the time to visit it. However, we had underestimated how long it would take to reach our destination of “City of Rocks” State Park in New Mexico. As a result we arrived after dark in one of the poorest signed parks we’ve ever seen. As far as we could tell in the dark, all of the electrical sites were taken. So we set–up in what we think is a non-electrical campsite backing up to enormous rocks. As we ate dinner we found out the area is under a Winter Storm Watch for Monday evening and into Tuesday. So we’ll close up the camper and see the rocks in the morning and then head further southeast and to lower elevations before the snow hits. Tonight it’s cold (40°) and clear at 10:00.

Day 27--Scottsdale

So much for our gorgeous Arizona weather. We dropped the camper tire off at a Discount Tire. As we drove to a tribal cultural center and museum near Scottsdale it began to rain. To add to our disappointment the museum, which includes a walk-up window for food made by native women, was closed. We decided to drive to Scottsdale and find the historical museum and library near Old Scottsdale. We had a terrible time getting there because of closed-off streets, which we deduced must mean there was a parade. Passing the staging area, we knew it involved a lot of horses. By the time we got to the general area, parked the truck at a mini-mall and walked the right direction we figured we must have missed the parade because everyone else was walking towards us. The rain had let up and we approached a dripping wet young police officer who asked us if we had enjoyed the parade. He told us it was the Rodeo del Sol parade. We continued on to Old Scottsdale where they were having a street fair and had lots of signs welcoming the rodeo. We found the museum in the Old Red Schoolhouse and then walked around the area and went to the Farmers’ Market. On our way back we stopped by the Scottsdale library and admired the architecture. We picked up the tire and returned to the campsite where the temperature was 53° but the clouds were breaking up a bit. Marv wanted to put the new tire on and move the spare over to the other side but encouraged me to go to the hot tub. As the sun came out more, the temperature eventually climbed into the mid 60s. I went back and forth between the very hot tub and sitting in the somewhat cool sunshine. Marv joined me, quickly followed by our new next door neighbor, an interesting guy from Preston who welds nuts and bolts into little people and sells them at craft shows and online at www.boltpeople.com. Soon we had to get changed to go to Uncle Don and Aunt Mary’s, where Mary served us a nice spaghetti dinner and we visited. While there we could hear a couple of heavy rainstorms go through. But it was just sprinkling as we returned to the campsite to begin getting ready to leave tomorrow.

Day 26--Superstition Mountains

This morning we drove to Lost Dutchman Mine State Park and hiked around 5 miles along several parts of trails in the Superstition Mountains, some of it very steep. We decided not to try the Siphon Draw trail that climbed to 4300 feet, just below “The Flatiron”. We were satisfied with the view over the entire Phoenix valley from 2580 feet Green Boulder. At the beginning, the desert looked very much as it had in Tucson. But as we climbed we saw less saguaro, Cholla and ocotillo. The desert floor is also greener here than it was in Tucson. Back at the trailhead we enjoyed our picnic. We then drove along Apache Trail Highway, named for the Apache workers who put in the road in the 1930s to take materials to build Theodore Roosevelt Dam. It climbs and twists and turns up the side of the mountains and into the lake area of flooded canyons. We saw Canyon Lake and Apache Lake. We stopped at the kitschy town of Tortilla Flats, where the Lost Dutchman set-up a hotel and restaurant, and which was the last stagecoach stop along a true Wild West frontier trail. After a prickly pear ice cream cone we returned to the campsite to read and enjoy the sun, spa and pool. We visited with Uncle Don and Aunt Mary at the hospital and were relieved to find that he was being released. We made plans to see them tomorrow evening and then walked to the Sundance Restaurant by the KOA for their all-you-can-eat beef Bar-B-Que ribs.

Day 25--leaving Tucson

We took time to ride our bikes around the campground before we finished closing up the camper. While we were working I got a call from Aunt Mary saying that she had taken Uncle Don to the hospital. We agreed to check in with her later today to see how he was doing. We took I10 part of the way and some “back roads” to get to Apache Junction. On the way, we called the Lost Dutchman Mine State Park in the Superstition Mountains and were disappointed to find out that they had no openings right through the weekend. Instead we made a reservation at the KOA right near Don and Mary’s. We were setting up by 2:00. Luckily, they have the little RVs and tents tucked into a corner away from the lined-up big rigs and near the bathroom, pool and hot tub. After we were set up we took a swim, went in the hot tub and then took showers. We found out that Uncle Don has a kidney infection and will be in the hospital at least another day but was responding well to antibiotics. It was an uneventful evening with taco salads, some shopping and then a chance to watch the Olympics for the first time. Since we’re at the “western terminus” of our trip I think it’s time for some reflection. We have traveled just over 4000 miles and ridden our bikes over 22 miles. I can’t even guess at how many miles we’ve hiked. I feel like we have joined a new and exclusive group which I think of as the R.H.M. for Retirees of Health and Means. Thanks to Marv’s good planning we do have the means to make trips like this. And we took our first chance to retire because we are in good enough health to take on fairly rigorous hiking and biking, and even more mundane requirements, such as being able to walk a distance to the closest bathroom or be willing to sleep in below freezing conditions. We had heard enough sad stories of people who have retired because of poor health or retired and then experienced declining health that we hoped not to join their ranks. So far, so good! And for our younger friends or relatives, who feel like their time will never come, fear not! We are definitely on the young side for R.H.M. membership and surrounded by people in their 60s, 70s and even 80s. My advice is your time will come but take your first opportunity!

Day 24--Beautiful Tucson

We had a quick breakfast and made it to the Museum by about 8:45. What a difference in crowds!! A tour was beginning at 9:00, so we decided to go along with the docent, who took us through about 2/3 of the 1 mile main trail. We were pleased with how much we already knew about what we were seeing, but also learned some new things. The “museum” is actually as much a zoo, with wonderful displays of animals in their native habitat. Since so many desert animals are nocturnal to escape the heat, they have several areas where the viewing areas are both above and below ground, with glass windows so you can see the animals in either part. The docent ended her tour at 10:30 so we could attend the “Raptor Free-Flight” demonstration, which was fascinating. We then went through the half mile desert trail and the remainder of the main trail on our own. We got to the theater just in time for the 12:15 live demonstration and talk about Gila lizards and rattle snakes—both very informative! We ended by going through the hummingbird and other pollinator exhibits and left the museum about 1:45. We had toyed with the idea of driving to Pitt’s Peak to see the observatory today. But instead we went back to the campground to enjoy lunch there, get some things done and just be leisurely for once. We want to wash the truck and some laundry, and have some time on the internet so we’ll do that this evening and begin to pack-up to leave Tucson tomorrow morning. It would have been nice to spend a bit more time here but we need to travel on to Phoenix. For those of you who know me well, you’ll know what I mean when I say my Chaco tan is back!

Day 23--Gilbert Ray County Campground near Saguaro National Forest

We both put on socks during the night, but otherwise appreciated sleeping in temperatures that only got down to the low 40s instead of below freezing. We took a 9:00 desert hike with a volunteer naturalist (a marine biologist, in her work life!) to find out some of the unique features of the Sonora Desert. It was especially interesting to us since we just left the Chihuahua Desert, but even neophytes like the two of us are able to see the differences. We learned about two of the main varieties of Engelmann’s prickly pear found here; sprawling and upright. We can identify teddy bear, pencil, and chain fruit Cholla, palo verde, Gila woodpecker, barrel cactus, and mistletoe on the ironwood trees, to name just a few. Then we packed a meager lunch (we really need groceries!) and went to the Sonora Desert Museum, about which one guide book said, “If you can go to only one museum in Arizona, make it this one.” When we got there at 11:15 or so the parking lot was quite full and there was a long line of people waiting to buy tickets. We talked to a docent outside who said it was unusually busy because of some things taking place in Tucson this week, but that it would be better at 8:30 when it opens in the morning. Since we’re camped only about 2 miles away, we decided to come back tomorrow at opening time. We went on about a mile further and entered the Saguaro National Park (West). After looking around their visitor center, we took a nature hike and a hike along a wash, right behind the center. We drove to another short interpreted nature hike and walked along it. Then we took the scenic Bajada Loop Drive. We ate our picnic near the beginning of the drive then followed the rocky, primitive, dusty road to two more hikes—Valley View Overlook Trail and Signal Hill. The ocotillo was just beginning to bloom in the area and a lot of it had tiny green leaves and we got some good pictures. The ocotillo in the Chihuahua Desert won’t bloom for a while and in both places it only gets leaves when it has had rain. The rest of the time it does photosynthesis through its greenish bark, just like palo verde. Signal Hill is notable for the 1000+ year old petroglyphs on the rocks at the top. Once again we were indebted to CCC workers who put in the paths and steps which made it possible to access the petroglyphs. Having done all but the wilderness trails in the park, we went “back to civilization” and bought groceries. Then we went to Judy and Don Sawyers’ for a great evening of catching up on each others’ lives. Judy made a wonderful dinner of salmon, spinach salad and roasted carrots, and we talked until it was time to head back to the exciting Gates Pass Drive over the Tucson Mountains and back to the trailer.

Day 22--leaving Las Cruces for Tucson--Happy B'day, Chuck & Mom H.!!

Ahhhh… Tucson! Sunny and mid-seventies predicted for the next 10 days or so. Marv was first in line this morning at Discount Tire in Las Cruces. The bad news was they didn’t have the same tire for us. The good news was they had a like-new passenger car tire that would be okay as a spare, which they mounted and balanced, for free. It would do in a pinch if we needed it. When we get to Phoenix we’ll go to one of the many Discount Tire places they have and get the real thing. Once again, they have won our loyalty. We were back on the road by 9:30. The temperature by then was in the low forties, after below freezing overnight. It was another pretty unremarkable day of driving, but we were interested in the many warning signs about dust storms. All we saw were a few dust devils, luckily. As we approached the border between New Mexico and Arizona we saw more and more mountains with snow on the top. We stopped for a picnic at a rest area about an hour from Tucson where the temperature was still in the low 50s. The rock formations there were fascinating. They looked as if a giant child had scattered handfuls of giant boulders, with some ending up balanced precariously on top of others. It was unlike anything else we have seen before this. We drove on to Tucson and to Gilbert Ray County Campground in the Tucson Mountains, about 3 miles south of Saguaro National Park (West). It’s going to be a great place to spend our time in Tucson. We are camped on the outside of the loop again, surrounded by Sonoran Desert and giant saguaros. Marv took some classic pictures of the sunset, many from our “backyard” at the sight. We have a lot to look forward to here.

Day 21--Happy Valentine's Day from Las Cruces, NM!

We awoke to a heat wave—instead of being below freezing as it had been for two mornings, it was 38°. We closed up and were on the road by 9:15. The only excitement for the day was when we had an impressive tire blow-out on the camper. It happened on our way to Alpine, on a straight part of the road with plenty of room on the side to change it. We were a bit delayed but on our way again in good order. We couldn’t have made Tucson today anyway so it didn’t matter much. We found out that there was a Discount Tire in Las Cruces, NM so we made that our destination for tonight. We checked in at Sunny Acres RV Park needing its showers and Wi-Fi after three nights without electricity or water. We’re watching our first Olympics coverage and getting back in touch with civilization and heading to Tucson tomorrow. Because we don't have pictures to show for today, I thought I'd just include a few more for Big Bend.

Day 20--Rio Grande Village in Big Bend

Today we started with two short nature hikes along the southeast road to Rio Grande Village, including one at the visitor center at Panther Junction, before taking a one mile, interpretive hike about the desert at Dugout Wells. By the end of it we could identify Engelmann’s, purple-tinged and blind Prickly Pear cactus. We also found out that lechuguillo is a relative of the century agave, and like its cousin, blooms only one time after 25-30 years and then dies. Unlike its cousin, new plants grow from the roots of old ones, not from seeds. On the east side of the mountains we were seeing much less sotol and more of the “traditional” cactus we were expecting. Leaving Dugout Wells, Marv accelerated to 35 mph, put it in neutral, and we coasted for just over 7 miles! Clearly we were going down to the Rio Grande again. We took a 1.4 mile trail into Boquillas Canyon, which was up a steep hill, down to the river side and along a sand dune. Here the canyon walls are 1500 feet above the river. People by the river are completely dwarfed in photographs taken from the top of the hill. There are Mexican nationals along the bank there with goods for sale on our side. They have cans for one to pay a “donation” for the goods. There were also two men serenading hikers from their side, with cans on our side. They apparently come from the nearby village of Boquillas and ride their horses across the Rio Grande to collect whatever is donated. But there was a reminder in one of our brochures that it is illegal to purchase anything from Mexican nationals. In general, it reminded us of our good fortune to have been born on the north side of the Rio Grande. From the canyon we drove to an overlook for the canyon and then on to Rio Grande Village. There wasn’t much to see there but we ate our picnic at what turned out to be the group camping spot that is right on the river. As we made our way back up the drive we took the spur to Hot Springs. This very interesting gravel road leads to the spot where J.O. Langford made a desert oasis for people to come and “take the waters”. He built a house, a 7 room motor court, a store/post office, a primitive campground and, most importantly, the bathhouse, right on the bank of the Rio Grande. There is an interpretive walk through the area and past ancient petroglyphs and pictographs which show that people have “taken the waters” for thousands of years. All that remains of the bathhouse is the foundation, because anytime the Rio Grande goes over three feet, the area would flood. But lots of people still go there to soak in the waters. There seemed to be a men’s retreat or something going on there, with about 16 guys who all knew each other. We satisfied ourselves with just soaking our feet before heading back to the truck. By then it was 73°, the highest temperature we’ve seen on the trip. We returned to the campsite where surprisingly it was in the low 60s and the camper was warmed by the sun. After cleaning up a little bit we hiked a half mile up the mountainside to the lodge to enjoy a dinner out and ended the evening, once again, with a Northern Exposure. We feel like we have done a pretty good job of Big Bend in three nights here but will leave with some things to do should we ever return.

Day 19--Ross Maxwell scenic drive in Big Bend

We managed to dress in the 34° camper, eat breakfast, and make a lunch, and still make the 8:30 ranger hike entitled “There’s a bear (or a mountain lion) in my sandbox!” The ranger led us on an informative hike of the 1.8 mile Chisos Basin trail illustrating what makes the area ideal habitat for both bears and mountain lions. Despite his careful searching, we didn’t see any of the hoped for signs (scat or tracks) of either one. Since there are only about 2 dozen of each in the park and most of the bears are hibernating while their food sources are low, it wasn’t that surprising that we didn’t see them. It was still an interesting hike with fantastic views, the first of many for today. I bought a sotol walking stick from the Gift Shop at the lodge with my Christmas gift card from Mom, a decision for which I was grateful all the rest of our time at Big Bend. Leaving the basin, we took the Ross Maxwell scenic drive south and west all the way to where it ends at Santa Elena Canyon. After eating our picnic lunch we set off on the 1.9 trail into the canyon. We had to cross Terlingua creek, which was very shallow and hardly running today. Then we headed up a switch back trail that climbed along the U.S. side of the canyon. At the end of the trail we scrambled down and over huge boulders that had fallen from the canyon sides. There is a small beach there on the very narrow Rio Grande. Across from us and beyond this point the canyon walls rise 1050 feet straight up! As we made our return trip on the Maxwell drive we hoped to stop at each of the many interpretive plaques and walks along the way. By now the temperature was up to 71°. We drove through the Cottonwoods Campground on the Rio Grande, stopped by the Castolon ghost town, and did some short trails to see Mule Ear peaks, Sotol Vista Overlook, Tuff Canyon and several other stops. When we got to Burro Mesa Pour-off we decided to take the 1 mile trail to see the dry waterfall in the box canyon. This easy trail ended with the spectacular towering scoured wall that attested to the large amount of water that must cascade through after summer thunderstorms. By then we were feeling pretty conversant about the Chihuahuan desert including plants such as sotol, ocotillo, Century Agave, and lechuguillo; volcanic terms like tuff, dikes and silicate rich lava; and the habitats of bear and mountain lions. After a quick dinner in the camper we walked to a ranger program at the amphitheater on “The Four Seasons at Big Bend”. We marveled at the incredible stars on our walk back and finished our evening with a Northern Exposure on the computer. It was a very good day.

Day 18--Chisos Basin Campground in Big Bend National Park

OK, words are beginning to fail me now that we are in Big Bend National Park. Amazing, awesome, magnificent; none of them are adequate. We are camping in the Chisos Mountains Basin at 5,300 feet, under the looming Casa Grande, a 7,325 foot volcanic peak. After paying (gulp) $3.06 for gas this morning we headed south from Marathon into the park. The campground is not recommended for trailers longer than 20 feet (which is what we are) because of steep grades and tight curves. But we got in without a problem and had a large choice of campsites. As expected there is no electricity, but there are flush toilets and cold running water in the rest rooms. We set up under the watchful gaze of 6 deer lounging two campsites away from us. The campground host assured us that food in a hard sided camper like ours would be safe from the bears and javelinas that are also visitors. We decided to take the 5 mile Window Trail, which begins at the campground. The first .25 mile was down steps which were put in by CCC workers. We could only imagine what coming back was going to be like! The rest of the trail was a more gradual descent of about 800 feet passing through an interesting mix of desert and mountain flora. The final .25 was a scramble over slippery rocks, lightly running creek bed and impressive rock steps. We clearly couldn’t have gotten in there without the steps. And then we were at the top of the Window pour-off, where the water drops 200 feet to the desert floor. Through the fissure canyon created one can see for miles across the desert to other mountains in the distance. The so called “Window” is a stunning view. As we got our pictures it began to drizzle and sleet a bit so we began the trip out. And what a climb it was! But the magnificent scenery all around made it worth it. After we recovered a bit at the camper we drove up to the lodge, which is about a mile up the hillside. We found out they have Wi-Fi and a restaurant up there, so we plan on celebrating an early Valentine’s Day on Saturday night with a meal out. We took the very easy .3 mile Window Sunset Trail for views of the sunset, which was becoming more interesting as the clouds began to clear. Later in the year the sun must go down right through the gap, but this time of year the spectacular vision is the color of the pinnacles surrounding us as the sun turned them bright red. Back at the camper we made dinner and ran the heater enough to keep it about 50° inside, as the temperatures slid down into the thirties.

Day 17--Seminole Canyon Pictographs

Hurray!! Although we heard a bit of precipitation before sunrise, it was cold (41°) and windy but dry when we got up and took down the camper. We made it easily in time for the 10:00 hike to see the pictographs. Our guide took a group of 19 down into the canyon and along the mostly dry, rock, river bed to Fate Bell Annex, which is almost directly below the Visitor Center. We learned there are 3000-4000 year old pictographs throughout a 50 mile radius which are done in what is called the Pecos River style. Most are on private lands but these are some of the easiest to access. They are also very well documented because a couple in the 1930s trekked into the area and made painstaking copies of them. The park does less frequent hikes to the Panther Cave and to the cave we could see to our left, where the canyon takes a turn. But these are magnificent and were what we had stayed to see. They are in good shape, considering their age, partly because no sunlight shines on them, but the Amistad Reservoir to the east of here has raised the humidity in the area, which is taking a toll. As we had noticed in the area before, there is a lot of pock-marked limestone, very much like what we found on Drummond Island. It is full of fossilized sea shells and creatures, and that in itself is interesting to see. But the mysterious pictographs drew us into their spell. No tribes in the area claim their makers as ancestors and so there is no oral history to explain them. Careful analysis shows that some that were drawn 4000 years ago were painted over 3000 years ago, but no one knows why. Everyone from archaeologists to school children enjoy making up their own stories and interpretations but they remain, as they have always been, a mystery to enjoy. After our hike we drove west on Highway 90 to Marathon. We decided to stay at the motel/RV park there so we could do laundry and use their Wi-Fi to update the blog and check email for a night before heading to non-electrical camping in Big Bend National Park. We were surprised to find many of the people we had just hiked into the canyon with, all with the same plan. However, the Wi-Fi was down and they couldn’t say if it would be fixed before we leave tomorrow. L We borrowed a cable and hooked into their cable TV and learned of the latest blizzard to hit the east coast. As everyone we have talked to, from Pennsylvania, Quebec, Nova Scotia, Wisconsin, etc. agrees, it may be unusually cool here but at least we don’t have to shovel this!

Day 16--Rio Grande Trail at Seminole Canyon

The temperature got down to 34° last night but we stayed cozy. After oatmeal we went to the visitor center and looked at the display of the history of the region from prehistoric hunter-gatherers through the railroad builders to the sheep and goat ranchers of today. It was sunnier and warmer than predicted so we decided to pack a lunch and ride our bikes on the Rio Grande Trail. It turned out to be a highlight of trip. We first took the left hand trail to an overlook of Seminole Canyon of the Pecos River. It was magnificent and we spent a long time scrambling over the rocks at the canyon’s edge. From there we continued on the main trail to the overlook of the confluence of the Pecos River and the Rio Grande. At that point we were about 160 feet over the river with spectacular views up the Pecos and up and down the Rio Grande. We also could see into Panther Cave across the Pecos which has some of the most remarkable pictographs in North America. We couldn’t see them with our bare eyes and we had forgotten the binocularsL. But Marv got a great picture which does show them. We had shared the path with two other couples on bikes and two couples hiking, but there was no sign of them now. We had our picnic overlooking the two rivers, with no sign of civilization. We walked along the edge of the area and got more pictures before climbing on our bikes for the trip back. We rode about 7 miles in all, most of it a mixture of rock surface and dry mud, but some of it broken pieces of rock that was pretty rugged. Back at camp we spent some time sitting in the sun and reading, enjoying 62° temperatures until high clouds came in and dropped the temperature quickly. We finished the trout fillets and had red beans and rice for dinner.

Day 15--Arriving at Seminole Canyon State Park

Seminole Canyon is amazing and we haven’t even seen the pictographs yet. Our drive today was pretty long and mostly unremarkable. We stopped along the way for a picnic by a dry creek bed. The sun was out, it was breezy and the temperature was in the mid-60s, so it was a bit cool in the shade. We passed within 3 miles of the Mexico border at Del Rio and so, west of there, we went through our first Border Patrol inspection. They had the dog sniffing out the truck in front of us pretty carefully before it drove on, but they just asked where we were going and if we were both U.S. citizens and we were on our way. The vegetation became increasingly sparse, with more yucca, Spanish dagger and prickly pear cactus. We were setting up at the canyon by about 4:00 and loved what we were seeing. The Ranger chuckled when I asked about safety, sighting the warnings we had gotten. He said they hear that all the time but they are so remote it is really no problem. The camp ground is on a plateau about half a mile from the visitor center, which overlooks the canyon. There are only 31 sites and we are on the outside of the second loop, overlooking miles and miles of desert high country. It was oppressively windy and we were warned not to put up our awning. It was sunny and still mid-60s so we sat and enjoyed the view for a while. Then we hiked along the Rio Grande Trail for about 3 miles or so. We didn’t take it all the way to the River because that would be about 7 miles and we wanted to be back for the sunset. And it was magnificent, with just a few clouds above the mountains in the far distance, so the sun set into the clouds, peeked out again and then set behind the mountains. Afterwards we enjoyed leftover chili and were grateful for the warmth of the camper as the temperature dropped into the 40s. We have electricity here but no phone service, TV reception or even much radio. But, incredibly, we have Wi-Fi and so we can check email and update the blog from here in the wilderness! That’s all the good news. Now, for the bad: This big wind is bringing in a cold front. The temps could drop to freezing for a few days. We can do OK with that, but it may bring rain, sleet and/or snow, too. One can only see the canyon petroglyphs with a guide and they only do the tours Wed. through Sat. at 10:00 and 3:00. They will not do them if there is wetness because the rocks become too slippery. So we will stay here for two nights, close up the camper and hope that we can do a tour at 10:00 Wednesday before we leave the park. Keeping our fingers crossed!!

Day 14--Full day at Choke Canyon

After a nice breakfast of French Toast and maple syrup (with Bob Gibbs’ picture on the label) we repacked the back seat of the truck, which had gotten a bit junky in two weeks’ time. Then we set off on our bikes to explore the park. The reservoir appears to be about the size of Elk Lake in Michigan. The campground hugs the shore and there are also cabins to rent and a large recreational facility with a gym, nature center, swimming pool, and basketball and tennis courts, all of which are closed in the winter. There are many trails honeycombing the area, mostly for bird watchers. They were wide and pretty smooth, which meant that we could bike and look around as we rode. We passed many deer, which were clearly quite comfortable with people. We also saw a large flock of wild turkeys. Along one path we saw copious amounts of scat and well worn paths, which were riddled with rooting holes—a clear testament to the javelinas that live here. We rode to 75 Acre Lake and found 4 or 5 groups of people with high powered binoculars trained on one area of the shallows. When we asked, a woman told us it was a very rare Mexican bird called a Northern Jacana. (Interestingly, when back at the camper where I was reading Barbara Kingsolver’s La Lacuna, she mentions the same bird when the boy explores the sea cave’s hidden world!) Later we got some good pictures of a large bird roosting in a tree and figured that it was meant to inhabit the many large dome-shaped bird houses we saw along the trails. In all we rode over 6 miles within the park. We got out our chairs to do some reading after our ride. Cloudy skies, a breeze, some drizzle in the air and 64 degrees seemed much colder than yesterday’s sun and 70, but it was still nice to be outside. While we read two javelinas came through the campsite, about 20 feet from us. A little while later there was a deer munching the grass between us and the next site for about 30 minutes. Later in the afternoon we drove into Three Rivers, the town about 10 miles from the park. We parked next to their county administration building and found that we had a nice strong connection through the county’s access there to check email and update the blog. It was also near the grocery store we had been seeking. And it was across the street from The Rialto, the old, restored movie theater in town. They were projecting the Super Bowl beginning at 5:00 for free! We thought that sounded better than a smoky bar filled with drunken fans. We got a couple of chili dogs, drinks and a bucket of popcorn from their concession and watched the New Orleans Saints beat the Indianapolis Colts 31-17 with about 20 other fans. Most people were pretty quiet for the first half but there was a bit more cheering and partiality shown in the second half. It was a great way to see a Super Bowl.

Day 13--Leaving Goose Island, arriving at Choke Canyon

This is what we drove all this way to find! It is quarter to 6 and I am soaking up the last of the rays of a brilliant sun at 70° and enjoying a discreet beer; public consumption of alcohol seems to be prohibited in all Texas State Parks. Since we awoke to such a beautiful day we decided to take our time and enjoy it at Goose Island State Park until we had to check out at 2:00. We rode our bikes to the fishing pier and walked all 1500+ feet of it. There were a few fishermen and some other folks just walking it, like we were. Back at the camper we sat in the sun and read and planned how we would proceed from here. In reading about Granger State Park and Choke Canyon State Park we became concerned that either or both of these popular parks might be full on a Saturday night. Back we went on our bikes to see if the park office could give us any information on them. They couldn’t, but we found we had enough of a signal to call Choke Canyon. They said they had plenty of sites available so we decided to go there since it was closer. We made a picnic lunch and rode our bikes back to the pier to enjoy it by the water. It was fun to watch the pelicans diving for their lunch just off shore. As we rode back we stopped to take a picture of the pelicans and gulls begging for scraps at the fish cleaning station. The guy cleaning his catch called to us and asked if we’d do him a favor. He had run out of his zip lock bags and couldn’t leave the table long enough to get more out of his car for fear the gulls would take the whole catch. We laughed and stood in his place for the five seconds it took him. When I asked what the fillets were, he told us they were trout and offered us a bag. How could we say no?!?! Back at the camper again, we folded up and put away everything and left the park at 1:54. J We drove two-lane and divided highways the whole 2½ hours to Choke Canyon and watched the Live Oak, Black Jack Oak, and palm trees give way to Live Oak, Mesquite and prickly pear cactus. The land went from being at or below sea level on the GPS to slightly rolling hills. Our camp site backs up to the Bird Sanctuary, from which comes a symphony of calls and whistles, and we can see the very large reservoir beside the loop across from us. There isn’t much in the way of shade trees here, but since we don’t need shade, it really isn’t a problem. As the sun sets and the air is quickly cooling, I am ready to go inside and cook those lovely trout fillets for dinner. This is truly the good life!

P.S. As we prepared to fix dinner a “herd” of 6 javelinas walked through the back of our site!

Day 12

When we stopped by the front gate office to add another night at Goose Island they told us that 10 Whooping Cranes and a couple of roseate spoon bills had been seen near “The Big Tree”. Since it is just a mile or so from the campground we decided to check it out. The Big Tree is a thousand year old Live Oak. It is well worth seeing by itself. There was a woman working there who said that the cranes were down by the pond, so we left the truck and walked the direction she had pointed and towards a group of vehicles and people. Although some of them thought they were seeing Whooping Cranes in the distance, we think they were mistaken. We drove slowly around a wet area across from St. Charles Bay and on the other side we saw another group of people. We went there and, sure enough, we found four Whooping Cranes in the field not far away. They are apparently drawn to the area by a cattle feeding station that throws corn out the bottom. It wasn’t as thrilling as seeing them truly in the wild, but it was good to see them so much closer. We left there and drove south, towards Padre Island. Just as we came off the causeway that is near the campground I saw a flash of pink to the right. We circled back and found a wading group that included a Great Blue Heron, a Great Egret and a Roseate Spoonbill. After taking plenty of pictures we continued south. We took the ferry at Aransas Pass and drove on to Mustang Island State Park. The park is situated right on the beach, with no trees or anything taller than the grass on the dunes. One can camp in the paved lot on the back side of the dunes or by pulling over anywhere along the beach. One of the roads was still flooded over but the woman at the gate told us that the other road had just opened 15 minutes before we got there. We drove to a mostly flooded parking lot and got out to walk up the beach. By then the sun was blazing in a brilliant blue sky and it was about 60°. (It is amazing what a completely sunny day can do to ones mood and outlook!) We walked along the beach as the tide receded, picking up shells and marveling that there were no other footsteps in the fine white sand. After sitting/laying in the sun for a while we decided to return to the truck and drive farther down the beach. We found a secluded spot and enjoyed our picnic lunch in the warm sun. After lounging a while longer we got back in the truck and drove about ten more miles south to Padre Island National Seashore. There is a modest visitor center there with a short video about the area. The most exciting thing about the Seashore is their successful efforts to save the gravely endangered Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtles. In 1978, it was feared that the Kemp’s Ridley would become extinct. Padre Island is now its primary nesting site and they have gone from identifying 42 nests along the Texas coast in 2004 to 197 in 2009, with 117 of those found at the National Seashore. We walked the beach for a ways, took their short Grasslands Nature Trail and, since it was 4:30 decided to head back to the campground. We stopped on the way at the Rockport Library to update the blog and check email. Arriving at the trailer about 7:00 we fixed chicken and couscous for dinner and fussed around the camper until bedtime.

Day 11

This was a pretty laid back morning for us. Drizzle continued for most of it, and the temperature stayed in the high 50s. We walked back to the park entrance and paid for our site then went on to a spot where they thought we might see Whooping Cranes. We didn’t see them there but we saw a small herd of deer, which seemed pretty undisturbed by our presence, and a pair of Great Egrets. After getting things done around the camper and eating yesterday’s leftovers for lunch, we drove down to Rockport to look around. We found the Public Library and spent some time updating the blog and checking email. We drove slowly north along the shore and then took off for Aransas Wildlife Refuge. We arrived about half an hour before the Visitor’s Center closed at 4:30. Then we took the 16 mile loop to see the wildlife. The sun came out in time for some nice sunset color. We walked on a few of the short trails they have and read all the interpretive signs. One trail wound through Live Oaks (including one estimated to be 500 years old), then along a boardwalk through a salt marsh and ended with a raised platform/lookout. Along the driving loop we saw a raccoon, two wild pigs, a feral pig, several Great Blue and Little Blue Herons, Great Egrets and snowy Egrets and innumerable deer. But best of all we saw either two pairs of Whooping Cranes, or the same pair twice. These endangered and awesome birds winter in the Refuge and then return to Canada for summer breeding. We considered ourselves very lucky to have seen them since there are less than 300 in the area. Back at camp we had a late supper of chili and did the dishes, as totally unpredicted, heavy rain began to fall. Will it ever stop raining?!?!

Day 10

The wind increased overnight and at some point the rain began. So we considered ourselves lucky that we woke up and had a window of time with no rain in which to take down the camper. We pulled away from Lake View Resort before 9:30, never having had a chance to try out either the indoor or outdoor hot tubs. L We drove in a light rain part of the time as we sought out the George Ranch Historical Park. This working ranch of over 20,000 acres was left by the Georges, the fourth generation to live on and work the ranch begun as a land grant from Steven Austin. The Georges had no heirs and so the entire operation is now run by a Foundation in their memory. We found large, empty parking lots, somewhat like what we found at the Space Center. Although the temperature was in the mid-fifties the strong winds made it feel much colder. We probably wouldn’t have known about nor bothered with the Ranch, but it was one more item on our Houston Day Pass, so we decided to make the best of it. Our visit began with a private roping lesson given by a laconic cowboy who fit the stereotype in every way. But he did manage to teach us both well enough that we could twirl the lariat over our head and then drop it around the horns of the straw bale “calf”. He brought out a couple of horses to show us and then we went through the tack room and the leather working room in the barn. By then 4 other people had shown up (they got a roping demonstration, but not a roping lesson) so the 6 of us were given a tour of the “1930” house, which was built by the fourth generation on the same site as the first two houses were built. It is a Prairie Style Ranch house and was the last home of Mamie George, the final owner of the ranch. From there we walked out to the (rebuilt) log house which was built by the Jones family, who were the original settlers. They raised 11 children in the small two room cabin with a second story for the in-laws and the kids to sleep. When it burned they built a much bigger Federal-style home on the same site, but Mrs. Jones died before it was finished. Polly, one of the daughters, and her husband ended up living in the bigger home as she bought out as many siblings as she could and expanded the ranch. She was smart enough to have a pre-nuptial agreement drawn up so that, when Texas became part of the U.S. her vast holdings weren’t given over to her husband, who was happy to just run the farming operation on the ranch. We were shown through the replica of that “1860” house by a young man dressed as the master of the house. Polly’s daughter, Susan, married a banker and they built a beautiful Victorian mansion “in town”, where they had two children. Susan died of tuberculosis when the children were just 5 and 7. Susan picked out her cousin Belle to be her husband’s second wife and step-mother to her children. An older man looking very much the part of the southern gentleman showed us through the “1895” house, which was moved onto the ranch in 1971. It is just gorgeous, but like all but the “1930” house, had no indoor plumbing. It really was a fascinating look at a family who passed down the huge ranch through four generations and always with a daughter becoming the heir and expanding the ranch. We climbed back in the truck and headed towards Corpus Christi, hoping to warm up soon. As we passed through a small town we found a Mexican taqueria and had the special of the day, a large chicken fajita platter. It was good and a lot of food. There are no freeways to get to Corpus Christi from Houston so we continued the whole way on mostly two lane highways that occasionally were divided for a short way. The countryside was totally flat and had vast fields that we guessed were cotton at other times in the year. There were live oaks hung with Spanish moss, which made us feel like we were getting somewhere as the rains continued off and on and the temperature reached 60°. It was nearly 5:30 when we arrived at Goose Island State Park, which is on a protected bay of the Gulf of Mexico north of Corpus Christi and at the bottom of the Anasas Wildlife Refuge. The friendly and talkative host for the campground came by while we were setting up and told us the mosquitoes are fierce when it warms up a bit and the birding is what draws visitors. We had to set-up in a slight drizzle and dodge the many puddles under the big live oaks. There is no phone service and no hope for Wi-Fi connection here, but it looks like it will be an interesting place to spend a few days.

Day 9--Houston

Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow this morning and so we have 6 more weeks of winter coming. No surprise there! But it was in the low 50s when we woke up and was predicted to hit 60° and be sunny today so we weren’t too worried. Three things really struck me today. One was how really huge the Houston area is. Herb told us it’s the 4^th largest city in the US and that was easy to believe as we drove around. Another was that we really had chosen a good location for the camper to be close to everything we wanted to do in this large metropolitan area but still be able to stay in our camper. The last was to marvel once again at how easy traveling in unfamiliar territory can be with a GPS. For the most part, all we have to do is input an address and “Mabel” tells us exactly how to get there. She is sometimes thrown by new construction or unexpected U-turns (especially along the freeway here in Houston), but can usually recalculate and find a way. We used it many times today as we found a CVS Pharmacy, a Kroger store for groceries, two museums, Betty and Herb’s for a second time, and then finally home again. After running our errands we went to the Museum of Natural Science. This was one of the passes we had on our “Day Pass” booklet. Had it been a beautiful, sunny day we might not have been so interested in visiting it. But the sun never did make an appearance today and, in fact, it rained several times. The museum has an extensive paleontology exhibit, an informative area on Energy (especially gas and oil, of course), a whole floor devoted to North and Central American Native people, and a dramatic display of gems and minerals. There was a special exhibition on Faberge jewels but since it was an extra $22 each we decided to be satisfied with the ones we had seen. After manufacturing a quick and simple meal from our new groceries we walked to the nearby Museum of Fine Arts, also on our Day Pass booklets. At that point the booklets had more than paid for themselves. Throughout the museum there was a bit of a theme on the use of gold in cultures all over the world and since ancient times, including Korea, Indonesia, Africa, and pre-Columbian America. It was pretty fascinating. We also perused photographs taken by a class of high-schoolers in the Third Ward, a depressed area of Houston, with accompanying narrative of their reflections on the world in which they live. As we wandered through the American Art exhibit in the second building, we became aware that we were being shadowed by a couple of guards. We wondered about that until we realized it was moments from closing and they were securing the areas as we walked out. So we took our leave of the museum without getting to see the six hundred years of European art on the next floor. It was then time to find our way back to Betty and Herb’s for a delicious dinner of beef tenderloin, brown rice and fennel salad prepared by Betty. I did a load of laundry as we enjoyed our delightful evening and then we returned to the camper, to begin straightening up to be ready to leave tomorrow. It was still in the high 50s and was a bit windy as we went to bed.