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.