Big Bend

Ahh, that big bend in the Rio Grande River where the river's pearl-ized sea green water wraps itself around the southwestern "bump" of Texas. Lyndon Johnson helped make this area a national park in 1964. No wonder. The Chisos Mountains tower over the heart of the park. Prickly pear, yucca, ocotillo, and sotol  plants fill in the desert landscape down to the river.
 We stayed three nights in Big Bend - two nights in Rio Grande Village campground on the east side of the park and then a third night at Cottonwood Campground on the southwest side.
 Driving to our first campground we spotted a small flock (herd?) of mountain goats resting on an upper canyon ledge. A couple of young ones cavorted from rock to rock. The watchman-big guy standing at attention alerted us to their all but camouflaged presence.


 Heading off from the campground is a Nature Trail that winds over a backed up pond area that's part of a stream running to the Rio. We were greeted by a great blue heron. We watched it high stepping- it slowly through the water, then fly off in front of us. Later on it sat at the very top of a tree near the pond. The trail continues either down to the river or up a rocky hill to an overlook and a great view of the whole area. From the top,
you see the campground on one side and the river and the little town of Boquillas on the other side. BTW there are a few enterprising neighbors from that town who keep a display of beaded items - ocotillo cacti, road runners, peacocks along with painted walking sticks - on the trail where it divides. A donation jar sits there, too.

 



The Honda Dream lives!! It passed its first 2-person transport to Boquillas Canyon about 6 miles from the campground. That included a pretty good short but steep incline and a few twists and turns. We then walked and climbed down (and back up) a mile to view the narrow entrance to the canyon with its majestic walls and the peaceful Rio Grande

meandering through. Another neighbor serenaded us from the other side of the water. The river is narrow there. A donation jar sat in the middle of the trail. It was HOT in the canyon at mid afternoon. Michael found a little shade under a mesquite tree at river's edge. We watch a black phoebe and a Says phoebe darting for insects. A couple of snapping turtles sunned themselves on nearby rocks.

Seminole Canyon

 This was a new stop for us in southern Texas. The Seminole Canyon campground sits out in the Sonoran desert 40 miles west of Del Rio, a large city where we stocked up on groceries.
Our first morning at the campsite we toured the adjacent cliff dwelling remains with Guide Jack and 7 other adults (plus 3 kids who were all coughing and sneezing, but still cute.) We climbed up into two cliff overhangs that were used 4000 or more years ago by early Pecos River inhabitants. The paintings at least date to 4000 years ago. A somewhat common pictograph found in these caves as well as others along the Pecos River Valley is an image of what is believed to be the Deer God. Deer was, of course, the main source of protein for these indigenous people so was very important,

but also, the bumps on the ends of his antlers are thought to represent peyote buttons. The Deer God legend has him bringing peyote to the first people of the earth.

When I stepped out of the Pickle our second morning there I was greeted by three deer standing close by and then I looked up to see to see an absolutely glorious sunrise. No peyote connection here, but I couldn't help but feel some leftover ancient vibe hovering.


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  We also hiked about 3 miles along the rim of the canyon and the Presa Overlook Trail. It was mid afternoon and WARM! Shirtsleeves!

The Pickle Revisited -- South by Southwest -- 2015

 All was still except for the semis traversing the stark farm scape along Hwy. 24 south of Toledo. Semis..... and one green and white 1977 GMC motor coach headed SW to Indianapolis, to St. Louis and beyond, seeking a temperature change -- above 10 degrees would be nice.

Wednesday, January 14, in 4 degrees, Michael and I left Ypsilanti, MI. Nina had commandeered her front perch under my feet.

We are not towing the old Volvo this time around. Instead Michael strapped Uncle Bob's 1965 Honda Dream motorcycle to the Pickle's backend and we plan to use that when we need to get away from a campsite without the RV.

  Flat Ohio was a frozen wonderland that morning with 5 or 6 inches of new snow. Filtered sunshine low in the sky illuminated the groves of ice encased trees that dotted the landscape.
We finally lost the snow. Indianapolis had a slight dusting of white and south of that -----none.

 Wednesday night found us at a rest stop west of St. Louis on Hwy. 44, warmed by our furnace, lulled to sleep by the diesel murmur of 20 or so nearby parked semis. Thursday afternoon and night we spent a delightful time with my brother and sister-in-law, Paul and Vivian in Springfield MO. Hearing about their daughter's family's recent 2-week excursion to Morocco over one of Vivian's fine dinners was a highlight.

                                                                 Nina's Tale
                   Thursday morning in the parking lot of a Cracker Barrel restaurant, Nina chased a ball. Nothing unusual there, except this time she must have run into the curb with her mouth. Neither Michael nor I actually saw it happen - just that Nina came back to Michael with a bloody mouth. One of her lower canines was chipped and cracked. As the day went on, she seemed fine. There was no change in her ball-catching, stick-retrieving obsession. However, everything we read on line pointed to the need to tend to the splintered tooth to prevent the risk of infection.
   Once we got to Ft. Worth, TX, we located an animal dentistry hospital and made an appt. for Nina to have oral surgery. That occurred two days ago, on the 20th. The vet was able to save some of the tooth with the equivalent of a root canal and some extra bone grafting below the gum line. I think she'll be fine and she now sports a canine that has the value of a small gemstone!!!
  

The Pickle visits Ft. Worth

                    Our extra time in Fort Worth was more than comfortable due to the graciousness of Michael's sister Sharon and her husband Gary. Four beautifully sunny days in the high 60s helped, too.

Gary & Michael bike the neighborhood.