Bowmans on the Road: Texas

Showing posts with label Texas. Show all posts

Monday, March 11, 2013

Guadalupe Mountains National Park

Another morning of schoolwork while Shannon fixed the driver's side rv window. In the afternoon we watched a short overview film at the Guadalupe Mountains National Park Visitors Center before walking the easy Piney Trail.

Guadalupe Peak (on the right) The highest mountain in Texas.
El Capitan (on the left) Sentinal of the Chihuahuan Desert.

Drove to another trailhead that wound around past Manzanita Spring up to Smith Spring. 2.3 mile loop.

This family grew an orchard & vegetables and would pack the produce
in wagons & drive all night to sell in the morning at town.

tree cholla

Entered New Mexico! Overnighted at Walmart in Carlsbad.

Downtime

Monday March 4. Almost 3 weeks on the road!
We had spent the night at a roadside rest area along 118. Enjoyed the lovely weather, doing schoolwork and shelling pecans while reading out loud at this quiet spot.

Our first 1 pound of nuts

After lunch, continued north to Alpine for groceries at a Thriftway store. They had several carts full of discounted produce, so I was delighted to (over)stock up on apples, oranges, bananas, grapes, carrots, peppers, squash,and more!

The border patrol coming out of the west side of Big Bend.
There were 2 men that asked how many were on board & if we were all U.S. citizens...
also a man with a dog. They just waved us on past.

These $.99 veggies became supper of....

this!

Drove on to Van Horn, TX where we stayed at a Pilot truck stop.

Interesting sights in smalltown Marfa, TX

Saturday, March 9, 2013

Big Bend Day 5

Most of the morning was spent stowing everything away and hooking up the van, preparing for travel. We exchanged goodbyes with our newfound friends and headed about 30 miles to another area of the vast park: Chisos Basin. At the visitor's center there was a nice paved walk to view the 'window' where water runs out of the basin.

The 'window' is the v opening in the mountains. They circle all around.

After a picnic lunch, we traveled the 3.6 mile round trip Window Trail. It was sunny, bright, and hot; but the smooth, glossy rocks at the window were impressively unique (even scary to this Momma as her children carefreely frolicked near the precipice)!

Starting toward the window

just starting into the water smoothed rock path and empty pools

Riley is at the drop-off. Caroline is preparing to slide down one of the smooth stones ...
so so close to the edge. The brown rock in center picture is across the gorge. No guardrails or fences here!

Refreshed with a couple flavors of shared ice cream, and a short chat with our Italian Rio Grande Village neighbors, we exited Big Bend at sunset.

Big Bend Day 4

We intended to stay at the park 2 nights when we first arrived, but enjoyed it so well, we stayed 4! This was our 1st relaxing campground time, meeting and visiting with neighbors. We encountered some helpful travelers, kind mentors, seasoned RVers, and adventuring explorers from all different states & Canadian provinces, ranging in age and occupations. This was a large expectation of our road trip to begin with....relating with people....and we have been blessed!

Today they had a couple of programs we wanted to check out. The 1st being at Boquillas Overlook where the ranger explained the history of the village; starting as a silver & lead mining town, it depends on tourism in more recent years. The class B border crossing was closed after 9/11, but they're hoping to reopen it soon (the deadline has been passed already a couple times) so visitors can be rowed across and buy chinquaderas in Mexico.

More Mexicanos hanging around

The children wanted to get in the water again, so we spent the afternoon at Hot Springs. Then took 5 minute showers at the store: 1 for the girls and 1 for the boys & baby.

rocks in the hot springs...such fascinating colors & textures

the drive to hot springs cuts through the range S, R, & C climbed over yesterday

Suppertime!

the warning posted on our camp picnic table

After dark, the ampitheater program informed us about light pollution and how it negatively affects people & wildlife. Big Bend is the 2nd darkest National Park, next to Zion- which makes for beautiful stargazing! To wrap up the evening we observed Jupiter and 4 moons through a telescope.

Big Bend Day 3

Friday morning Shannon, Riley, and Caroline hiked 3 miles from our campground over a ridge down to a hot springs.

The rest of us stopped at the little store- the only nearby wifi spot in the park- then drove to Hot Springs to meet them. It was a warm day. The girls splashed in the Rio Grande more than the 103* spring area. We all got sunburned!

Meg kicked and splashed with delight!

Riley & Annie are sitting on the overflow which made a waterfall

A small group came through that was canoeing the river and stopped for lunch & a relaxing dip.

There were petroglyphs and pictographs on the rock walls along the quarter mile walk back to our van.

Shannon and Annie went to the store to do 2 loads of laundry while the rest of us fixed lunch. Later in the evening we tried catching fish in the river, but brought back muddy feet, muddy hands, muddy shoes...a muddy mess instead!

Squishy fun! Cora walked right out of her shoes before she realized she was in mud.

Our camp spot with sun on the Sierras del Carmen

Big Bend Day 2

Finally back in internet service! Now to catch you up on our past week...

On Thursday morning, Feb.28, we peeked outside and saw 3 javelinas (in the wild pig family) grazing in a nearby campsite. (Caroline and Cora love chattering about the javelinas!) We set out to explore Boquillas Canyon, but 1st stopped at the overlook to see the small town perched atop the bank just across the Rio Grande. More trinket souvenirs!

2 nationals & their dog setting out their store

Across the river, the Mexicans relax & observe

Boquillas del Carmen village in the background

The Boquillas Canyon Trail was a short hike to a lovely spot. Shannon and Riley skipped rocks while the girls piled smooth stones for a bridge. Here you could be serenaded by a singing Mexican....for a donation.

This fellow on the right asked if we wanted a Christian song, then hollered across to his friend on the other side who was sitting on top of a boulder that bellowed "Gracias a Dios"

Lessons on skipping stones

Yay! Our stone bridge & island

Riley trucked up a sandy patch to explore a cave-like opening in the side of the canyon.

You can barely see Riley about 1/2 way down the large sandy spot, on the left near the rocks

On our way back to the campground was the trailhead to 3 paths. As we started out a man told us to stay on the dry riverbed about 2 miles until we entered a canyon. It was difficult to walk on the stones so on the return trip 3 small girls rode piggyback!