Back just in time looking at the weather!

I have a friend who loves a road trip and a good hike - she drove the entire 12 hours to BBNP and back!  I was the navigation and co pilot.  We went on a few nice hikes!

Here is the Wiki link:  Big Bend National Park - Wikipedia

We stayed about 70 miles away (this area of Texas is spread out and pretty isolated and the places in closer Terlingua, TX were booked up!) in a cute little Western Texas town called Alpine - we did a walking tour when we got there Friday afternoon.  

The next day we went to the park and the Ranger Station and got some maps and visited the Eastern most corner of the park, the Rio Grande Valley.  On the way there, we saw a fossil display area - really cool.  Describing how millions of years ago, this area that is now a desert was a shallow ocean.  The archeologist who discovered T Rex (unsure where) came here and found more T Rex and there was a dinosaur discovered here called Alamosaurus.  The display said (I think) in 1940 it took 6 men and a horse drawn wagon several days just to get the head removed and preserved!

This picture shows an TRex head (replica) a Deinosaucous (I think closest head) and a flying dinosaur replica - I almost think that flying one would scare me the most!

We drove past the Boquillas crossing (into Mexico) and saw the Rio Grande for the first time from the overlook near Boquillas, Mexico.  Then we hiked the Boquillas Canyon trail.  It was pretty!

We spent the entire first day seeing the desert portion of the park.  We went to lunch area and had our car lunch on a picnic table under the large cottonwood trees.  Then we started the 3.5 mile (one way) hike along the southwest trail, which was already pretty warm.  We hiked all the way to the overlook about 1.5 miles and enjoyed that pretty view and walked back.  Then we drove to the shorter 1.4 hike near the hot springs.  

The hot springs are a popular spot, we felt like we would rather sit in the 100 degree spring early in the morning or late in the day!

I was lucky enough to spot a road runner on our way driving to the closer hike to the springs.  I did not catch him with a photo though.  On our way driving to the park we also saw coyote, a wild boar and antelope.  The next day we would see mule deer, javelina and couple more road runners.

After the hot springs, we drove by the centrally located Chisos Mountains station to plan our 2nd and last day, on our way to catch the sunrise at Santa Elena Canyon, which is closer to the west side and also along the Rio Grande.

This is a pretty popular spot to see pictures taken in this park.  The taller cliffs on the left are Mexico and the cliff on the right is USA.  There is a hike that runs along the canyon on the right with steps and railings for a pretty overlook hike, but it was getting late in the day and although we both had lights, i was not really up for trying to walk more in the dark!

So we drove back along the very pretty scenic Ross Maxwell drive along the Nail and Wilson ranch sites, the Mule Ears mountain, the Tuff Canyon, etc to a really pretty vista called Sotol Vista Overlook where we finished up seeing the sunset and stayed until 9pm to see the dark sky light up with the stars, plants and part of the Milky Way Galaxy - next time I will take a good camera for that!

The 2nd to the last photo in these 4, the split in the canyon in the middle level of the horizon showing the cliffs is where Santa Elena Canyon is.  Just amazing to see!  This park is a designated "dark sky" area, where this is almost zero light polution, allowing one to see the stars all around, almost like a snow globe effect!

Hope you enjoy.  I will post more next week about our hike in the Chisos Mountains!

Getting ready for a road trip

 So, I am happy to say that as of Friday, I am getting 4 days off.  At least, I hope I am.  I requested 2 weeks ago, and of course have not received confirmation from work yet.  Jeez.

Last week I had 2 full days where I was on the phone literally ALL DAY with the help.

 desk.  The department help desk was trying to outsource my problem to a contractor who in turn, was referring me back to my department help desk.  So frustrating!  Essentially I was told I need a new computer, but evidently the federal government has a shortage of laptops - go figure!

Anyway, I need some R and R badly.  I am going on a 12 hour drive with a hiking friend to Big Bend National Park which is in Western Texas, where the Rio Grande River (which separated Texas from Mexico, makes a "big bend".  It is fairly isolated and already warming up, so we will be taking lots of layers and water and sunscreen!

Here are some pictures I found online and an article about the park Attractions in Big Bend National Park (usatoday.com)

I will hopefully be back safe and sound next week and will post photos.  

More Winter

 Well, we got about 6 inches of snow last week and it has stayed pretty chilly, but warming up slowly.  We still have some patches here and there, but the sun is making short work of it. 

I am trying to go strict on keto, want to lose a little weight in case I get to go on a little vacation with my cousin to Mexico.  This is Rocky Point Mexico, so she will be driving down from her home if Phoenix.  She has been many times over the years.  But my DH is a little nervous, what do you think.  It includes driving about 60 miles from the Mexican border down to the gulf.  It may not be an issue, because I have to send in my passport to be renewed, so I will pay for the expedited but it's anyone's guess whether it will come back in a timely manner...stay tuned.

I have made some pretty decent keto recipes...one for a dessert called Sex in a Pan...you can find it on Pinterest.  I found the addition of a 1/2 cup of finely chopped almonds really helps the "crust".  I gave the recipe to my girlfriend in Florida and she and I both discussed it could be made easier with sugar free-instant pudding and cool whip.  But I am proud of myself for making homemade pudding and it was really good (rich).  

I also made a good "mock" potato salad made with roasted cauliflower.  It was pretty good too.  And a decent bread, made with almond flour and baking soda.  I will definately make these again.

The other day they were spreading chicken waste in a field and there were vultures, crows and eagles everywhere.  I took a photo of 3 eagles sitting in a tree...hope you enjoy.

Winter is Coming

Reminds me of the old Game of Thrones memes.  Did you watch Game of Thrones?  I watched very late, in 2019 after DH and I retired (I am now un-retired) and working a gazillion hours a week.  I asked off for this Saturday to go on another hike and still have not been told if I am going to get the day off.

Today it is getting cold and windy and gray.  Supposed to be snowing this evening.  People i am friends with on Facebook are talking about the snow they are getting and how the stores are all busy and running out of milk and bread.  Isn't it strange that is what everyone buys when the weather turns bad.

I got a wagon full of wood so we can have a fire in our woodstove tonight.  Supposed to be cold through Friday and fairly typical Saturday, so I am still going to go on that hike if I get the day off.  If not, I will take a long weekend the weekend of President's Day and go on a roadtrip to hike in TX with a hiking friend.  Go ahead employer...make my day.

So, Sunday was a pretty sunny day and i enjoyed a 5.5 mile with with some hiker friends on a golf course in Bella Vista.  Was such a pretty course and pretty day.  I missed the first half of the Chiefs game, then hurried home with tacos.  Just in time to see the sad ending...booooooo.

Oh well, guess I don't have to stay up late and watch the Super Bowl and be tired the next day.  Ha - gotta look at the positive.  

I did get a chuckle out of this i saw on FB: