We got a new trailer tire in Fort Stockton and by 11:30 we were on the road south to Alpine, TX (pop. 5000+). It was very windy, and so the diesel gobbled fuel like crazy - we only managed 10 mpg! Usually we get at least 15!
Our campground is in the town of Alpine, and is called The Lost Alaskan because the original owner was from Alaska and never went back, so his friends called him "the lost Alaskan". The facilities are very nice and the work campers are great sources of info on what to see. After setting up we drove downtown to the grocery store to restock our freezer and pick up other goodies.
The town likes it's donuts -- three donut shops in town and a hidden gem - Judy's Bread and Breakfast which makes cinnamon rolls and sticky buns to die for! It's the Amboy Cottage Cafe of Texas! In the afternoon we went to the Big Bend Museum on the campus of Sol Ross University here in town. It's very well done -- and FREE! Ok, we're CHEAP!!!!
Experienced campers suggested we leave our trailer here and get a hotel room in Terlingua and drive down Hwy 67 to Presidio and the "river road" which runs from Presidio to Terlingua which is right outside the Big Bend National Park. The river road is desolate and climbs and drops almost as well as a roller coaster! It follows the Rio Grande, and is considered one of the 10 best scenic drives in the US. Along the way there's a Fort Langdon and a deserted western movie set to explore. It's 85 miles at 35 mph. Checked into our hotel in Terlingua, ate lunch and then headed to Big Bend National Park.
We toured the Castolon scenic route, about 30 miles one way, and while we were there, we hiked to the Santa Elena Canyon. Along the way we met 3 people from Austin, TX whom we kept running into at various stops along the road. We had fun teasing each other about following each other. They beat us to the Castolon Visitor's Center and when we arrived they were sitting in the shade eating ice cream. After the hike to the Santa Elena Canyon, we drove back to the hotel.
Thursday we got up early and after breakfast we headed back into the park. We took a lot of pictures, and I worked on pictures of the various cactus we saw along the way. It's spring, and the cactus are blooming! We ate lunch at the Rio Grande Village and ten drove to Boquillas Canyon and walked the trail. As we were approaching the top ot a hill who should we meet but our 3 Austin friends coming back down! We also met and climbed with a couple from New Bern, NC. We took turns taking pictures of each other at the Rio Grande. The climb and descent to the river were worth it -- very pretty. We had an additional reward of seeing wild borros on the Mexican side of the river and a horse. From there we headed back to Panther Junction and headed back home. Our last Visitor's Center volunteers were from Cloquet, MN, so we enjoyed a few minutes of chat before we headed north back to Alpine.
Friday morning after breakfast of sticky buns and cinnamon rolls, we drove 25 miles north on Hwy 118 to Fort Davis, a key post in the defense system of west Texas. From 1854 until 1891, troops stationed at the post protected emigrants, freighters, mail coaches and travelers on the San Antonio-El Paso Road.
Today Fort Davis is one of the best remaining examples of a frontier military post. In June 1891, as a result of the army's efforts to consolidate its frontier garrisons, Fort Davis was ordered abandoned, having outlived its usefulness.
In 1966, Lady Bird Johnson dedicated the fort, along with Big Bend as part of the National Park Service.
Saturday we will leave for El Paso, TX.
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