Sunrise out here is about 7:40, so it was dark when I hit the road a little after 7. When the sun came up, I was heading west on US-90:
(they didn't have any mid-size cars at Thrifty, so they upgraded me to a "Luxury Car" - a black Chevy Impala. It drives pretty well on the highway, but I'm a little concerned about its dirt-road-capability.)
There sure is a lot of open space out here in southwest Texas. Looking west (ahead of me):
looking north:
looking east (behind me):
looking south:
I reached Big Bend National Park at noon:
Once I got to the Park, I still had a pretty aggressive day planned:
Its nice and warm out here in the Park:
We'll see how it goes the rest of the week!
At the center of Big Bend is the Chisos Mountain Range (yes, it has ITS OWN MOUNTAIN RANGE):
and they make a wonderful, reassuring landmark as you drive around the Park.
At the Panther Junction Visitor Center I got my backcountry permit for the next 3-days/2-nights (just walk up to the desk - no online service - not enough demand). Senior Rate = $5/day. Was asked if I knew about the weather coming in. This is what I had seen Sunday back in Massachusetts:
Well, I've skied in snow ... and when you hike, you're all warmed up ... and I'm in really/pretty good shape ... and I've got my down parka & winter hat & neckwarmer & gloves ...
So we'll see.
Mailed postcards at their Post Office:
And then headed over to Grapevine Spring Road - 6 miles of dirt road, ending at Grapevine Hills Trail:
What a LOVELY desert trail:
(can you see the people hiking?)
The trail goes up to ICONIC Balanced Rock:
which has been on the cover of Frommer's Texas guidebook:
and the Big Bend chapter in a National Parks book:
Google Earth does a nice job showing the hike:
Pretty cool view on the way back down:
Can you see the hiker?
There is a lot of ground to cover out here. I went south down into the Chisos Basin to see what it was like:
and then back out and southwest to do the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive:
Great views of the mountains:
and the valleys:
I made it down to the southwest corner of the Park - Santa Elena Canyon - by 5:50 (sunrise is 7:40 AM, sunset is 6:30 PM):
To get up into the canyon, you have to cross a little mud flat. It had rained here earlier today, so the mud was deep (both my boots went in all-the-way) and very clay-like. Also, I don't know what MapMyWalk was thinking, but I DID NOT GO UP AND DOWN THE CANYON WALLS. I also DID NOT JUMP ACROSS THE RIO GRANDE:
I did get some pretty cool views looking up into the Canyon:
as well as looking back out:
I got out of there just as the sun was setting. The road I wanted to take up to Terlingua is "Old Maverick Road", which is 12 1/2 miles of "improved dirt road". I really don't care how "improved" it is - I'm too old to be driving a RENTAL CAR down an UNKNOWN DIRT ROAD in the DARK!!!
Well, I made it ok, and checked in to the Big Bend Motor Inn at 7:30. Went down the road and had a GREAT steak at la Kiva Restaurant & Bar - good enough to bring me back for dinner for the next 2 nights.
Yes, that means that I got scared and bailed on the whole "camping out in the snow" thing, and was able to book my room (and hot shower and big cozy bed) for the next 2 nights! I'm sure I can figure out some cool hiking out here in Southwest Texas.
Thank You God for these WONDERFUL Adventures, and for getting me here safe and sound!
Driving Music:
Started out listening to KONO 101.1 San Antonio's Greatest Hits:
and then a few miles down the road changed to 104.9 KVOU-FM "Coyote Country":
a surprisingly good country station!
This car did not have any AUX input, but I figured I could listen to my Boom Cube and my green nano:
the Rolling Stones - More Hot Rocks (Big Hits & Fazed Cookies), 1972 double album:
Steve Miller Band - Number 5, 1970
With songs like "Hot Chili" and "Going to Mexico", it is a perfect album for this part of the country.
Paul Simon - Paul Simon, 1972 first solo album
Rickie Lee Jones - Pirates, 1982 second album
Jamie Cullum - The Pursuit, 2009
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