Big Bend Ranch State Park to Presido, TX

We awake to being surrounded by a herd of horses, mules and donkeys.  I try to make friends with a carrot but they are to skittish.  They aren't branded or shod and we later learn they are wild.

We continue following the Rio Grande up river to Presidio.  This area is thought to be the oldest continuously cultivated area in the US.  The flood plain here is wide and ideal for farming.  Evidence shows it has been farmed since 1500 BC.

We take an RV site so I can watch football.  The Redskins win again.  Yes!!!

Good morning!

Wild horses, mules and donkeys at Grassy Banks campsite.

Big Bend Ranch State Park, TX

Today we do domestic stuff and then head for Big Bend Ranch State Park.  This park is NW of the National Park and about 1/3 the size (300,000 acres).  It also borders on the Rio Grande.  It contains a ghost town called Contrabando that has been used for several movies including "Lonesome Dove."

We have supper in Lajitas and resupply at the general store.  Peggy takes a fancy to the local group of chihuahuas.  Do you realize that every chihuahua in Mexico is a Mexican Chihuahua?

We take a campsite at Grassy Banks, right on the Rio Grande.  Again we are the only ones in camp.

Terlingua, TX

The storm never materialized here and neither did the end of the world according to the Mayan calendar.  However, it is the winter solstice, the shortest amount of daylight for this year.

We visit the ghost town of Terlingua which supported the mercury mine of the same name.  The town today is alive and well with an outfitter, a campground, a mercantile and and the Starlight theatre, converted into a restaurant, all housed in original stone and adobe buildings.  We stay a second night in Study (pronounced Stoody) Butte.

Poudre is glad for this short day after touring
Big Bend National Park

Long-billed thrasher at the campground in Study Butte

Terlingua Cemetery

Terlingua Campground, lobby is in the school bus

View from Terlingua

Remains of a adobe and stone house

Internet Cafe

Restored and renovated adobe and stone houses

Beautifully renovated stone and adobe house in Terlingua

Starlight theatre dating back to the 1900's and is now
a restaurant

The end to another wonderful day

Big Bend National Park, TX

Peggy rides her bicycle 10 miles along the park service road.  It is chilly this morning so she bundles up.  We take the dogs down to the Rio Grande for a swim and then we take a hike into Santa Elena Canyon.  It's unbelievable that the Rio Grande was able to cut through 500 vertical feet and a 13 mile length to create a riverbed through the mountains.

We travel the dusty Old Maverick Road for 14 miles and exit the park.  It has been an incredible adventure to visit Big Bend.  We have practically had the place to ourselves.  We have seen several road runners, a vermilion flycatcher and many javelinas.  The cool mornings and warm afternoons under cloudless skies were very enjoyable.  The land is arid and the mountains are beautifully stark.  Not very much ranching or farming has gone on here.  It is just too dry.  There was mercury mining during WWI & II.  We take an RV site in Study Butte and hunker down for the coming winter storm Draco.

A little chilly on this day

Santa Elena Canyon

Rio Grande flowing out of the Santa Elena Canyon

Peggy hiking into the canyon

Remains of old dwelling

Alamo Creek, Gilberto Luna's homestead

Big Bend National Park, TX

A strong wind from the south greets us this morning.  Peggy tries to ride her bicycle into it but gives up after a mile.  We turn down the road to Castolon and take a campsite in Cottonwood campground overlooking Santa Elena, Mexico.  We are the only ones in camp.  We search for the Rio Grande and find it is only four feet wide here.  With a short jump we could be in Mexico.  The night is quiet and the stars are so very bright.  This park has the distinction of having the darkest night sky in America.

Cotton Campground

Peggy happy to be bicycling

Vermilion Fly Catcher

Road Runner

Big Bend Cactus

Big Bend National Park, TX

Peggy rides her bicycle 14 miles across the desert this morning while I drive the support vehicle.  We tour the Panther Junction Visitors Center and I buy an arm load of books.  We drive down into the Chisos Basin and take a primitive campsite in the shadow of Casa Grande.  We have supper at the lodge overlooking Emory Peak (7,832 feet).  Peggy is served what she calls a multi-cultural salad.

Peggy enjoying the day

Cactus of Big Bend

Scenic Big Bend

RVing in Big Bend

Hoodoos (also called a tent rock, fairy chimney, and earth pyramid)

Mule Ears

Chisos Canyon

Big Bend National Park, TX

We drive out to the Boquillas Canyon overlook where we look across the Rio Grande to the small town of Boquillas, Mexico.  Placed on top of certain rocks we find scorpions made of copper wire and hand made jewelery for sale.  There is no one around and the park service warns about buying these illegal items.  We buy two.

We hike into Boquillas Canyon.  Once we reach the river we hear a beautiful voice singing a Mexican song.  As we come closer we see a man atop a rock across the river.  He is the singer and he bids us good day.  There is a plastic jug on the beach and he asks us to donate money to the Boquillas school children.  We decline and continue into the canyon.  On our return he sings us another song and again asks for donations.  I tell him I will give him all the money I have.  He says "OK."  I leave eight dollars in the jug.

Peggy rides her bicycle down to the hot springs beside the Rio Grande while I watch for bandits.  We take a campsite in the Rio Grande Village and attend a Park Service program about the history of the Big Bend National Park.

Banded limestone cliffs

Copper wire trinkets brought across the river from Mexico

Rio Grande River

Boquillas Canyon

Mitch hiking on the Boquillas Canyon trail

Native American created these holes for grinding grain found along the
 Boquillas Canyon trail

Rio Grande River

Boquillas Canyon

Finally, I'm standing in the Rio Grande river

Beautiful stone tunnel in the park

Stunning views

Remains of town dating back to the 1900's

Hot Springs Historic District dating back to the 1900's

Hot Springs Historic District dating back to the 1900's

Hot Springs on the Rio Grande river