WISHING ANOTHER HAPPY AND HEALTHY NEW YEAR TO ALL Y'ALL!

 We've been in Georgia for two months and we're still pleasantly surprised by how polite and gracious people are here.  More often than not I hear, "Yes Ma'am" or "Thank you, Ma'am."  When I tell the school children on the train that my name is Joan, they refer to me as "Miss Joan."  It's refreshing!  And, I still have to chuckle when Julie, our volunteer coordinator, talks to our group and says, "Would all y'all like to..."

We had a fun experience yesterday.  They asked us to meet at the train to help the local SWAT team run through their terrorist/hostage drill.  We were asked to play the part of passengers, and a "bad man" would be coming somewhere on the train.  Our instructions were to react (or act) however we thought we would if it were a real situation.  But they also told us to do whatever the SWAT team said because if they said to, "GET DOWN" and we didn't, they would put us down (and it might not be too gently) because they weren't playing.  There would be shooting but we were assured that their rifles were only loaded with "paint" bullets, and if we did as told, we shouldn't get hit.  We wore protective masks just in case.  WELL, I CAN CROSS THIS OFF MY BUCKET LIST!

 

SWAT getting instructions

 

They're heading in with guns ready
 

Barb was  getting into the action!!

 

We've decided that the weather here in southwestern Georgia is not as agreeable to us as Arizona.  To me it still feels like winter except there's no sleet and snow.  The trees lost their leaves a few weeks ago so that's kind of drab.  And, while the temperatures are higher here than at home, it seems like it's often overcast or raining.  

On one sunny day last week, I went kayaking on the lake with our friends Don and Barb.  It was neat to paddle under the Spanish moss hanging from the trees, and we could get pretty close to the rafts of coots before they took off.  Coots look like small black ducks with white bills, and when they take off, they stay low, skimming across the water.  

In the weeks before Christmas, there were seven excursions, several with school groups.  On one, Keith and I hosted a group of about forty from the Georgia Academy for the Blind.  And on another, we had a car full of second graders who got off at the Plains lay-over.  While they were out, there was a downpour and they came back soaked.  I handed out paper towels for them to dry off a little.  Some were very upset, others (mostly boys) thought it was fun.

Another first...we were in a parade.  SAM Shortline had a float in the Cordele Christmas Parade and they asked the volunteers to be a part of it.  Thankfully, it was a short parade since I chose to walk.  You weren't allowed to throw candy if you were on the float, and I wanted to be a candy thrower! 

Riding the float to the parade staging area

 
We celebrated Christmas quietly this year with dinner at Red Lobster in Albany (that's Awl-beny' to the locals) and then a visit with Don and Barb who were spending time with their family at Albany's Chehaw Park.  Before leaving, we drove through the park's Festival of Lights.    

The last excursion of the month was called the Supper with Santa/Lakeside Ltd.  It was a 45 minute ride where the train leaves the park and stops on the nearby bridge over Lake Blackshear.  The passengers were given a boxed meal and had their picture taken with Santa; then back to the park. 

There is only one excursion planned for January and one in February, on Valentine's Day.  We'll fulfill some of our volunteer hours by taking inventory at the Depot and taking down Christmas decorations.  Hopefully, they'll find some other odd jobs for us till we leave our host assignment at the end of February.







   

I'VE BEEN WORKIN ON THE RAILROAD...

I had planned to post earlier but ran into a couple of snags.  First, my computer tanked and I had to get a new one.  What a pain getting everything transferred and getting used to the differences between Vista and Windows 8; hours on the phone with 'techs'.  And, if that wasn't bad enough, as some of you've heard, I had an accident on Saturday evening two weeks ago.  While removing a container of hot water from the microwave (located over the stove) I spilled the scalding water down over my chest.  It happened so fast I'm not even sure how it happened, but I sustained second degree burns sending me to the local Urgent Care center.  The first week was excruciating, the second week not so bad.  Now, it just itches.  Needless to say, I didn't feel much like sharing during that time.  Now it's December but I want to finish what I had intended last month. 

November was a time of settling in to our new location, getting familiar with the park and nearby towns, and hosting on the train.  We've hosted on four excursions so far and find that we both really enjoy it.  We have three scheduled this week and five the week after.

The park is relatively flat and great for bike riding.  Keith and I went for a ride to check out the beach on the lake (not that it's warm enough to go swimming).  But, aside from the cool weather, I want to know how the beach is protected from the alligators!!!


The beach



A few hundred feet from the beach???

   
 






























As we were traveling in the area, we noticed fields of something that looked like miniature corn, it was about 2' high with a tasseled top.  I later found out that it is Sorghum, an important world crop, used for food as grain and in sorghum syrup, fodder, the production of alcoholic beverages, and biofuels.  It is the fifth most important cereal crop grown in the world.  Fields of cotton were being defoliated in preparation for harvest.  The farmers are now in the process of picking the cotton and we're beginning to see the large rolled bales lined up in the fields. 


Sorghum

Cotton bales



About five miles west of the park in Cobb is what was once the world's largest pecan grove.  They say that some of the trees are over 100 years old.   Nearby Plains is known for it's peanut crops.  In 1995, Georgia designated the peanut as the official state crop.  Georgia produces almost fifty percent of the total US peanut crop and more than fifty percent of peanuts used in the production of peanut butter. 


Pecan grove in Cobb, GA

Peanut bush from Plains



Cordele (pronounced Cor-deel) is known as the "Watermelon Capital of the World,"  but it is also one of the most popular rail fan cities.  In addition to the sixty or seventy trains a day that pass through the town, it has what is known as a "Diamond,"  one of only three in the United States.  Three railroads -- Norfolk Southern, CSXT, and the Heart of Georgia (HOG) -- interlock at the same location.  The interlock is controlled by CSXT from Jacksonville, FL.  It works on a first come, first served basis, and trains have just ten minutes to clear the interlock,  The SAM Shortline has to call Jacksonville for clearance prior to crossing the interlock.  We also run on HOG tracks and have to get clearance to use them for our excursions as well.  When SAM isn't running, it is diverted to a siding at Georgia Veterans Memorial Park.

The Diamond

Two weeks ago, the entire volunteer team spent two days decorating both the train and the depot for the holidays.

 

 Last evening, we hosted the "Plains Festival of Lights" excursion with a full capacity of 400 guests in six cars. Santa and his elves were on the train greeting young (and old) passengers until we arrived in Plains where they rode atop a fire engine in the parade.  President Carter and Roslyn were on hand to turn on the town's Christmas lights and then view the parade from the balcony of the Plains Historic Inn.  (This picture didn't get very good...Pres Carter is wearing khaki slacks and a tan jacket so he hardly shows)

 

The center pole separates President & Mrs. Carter

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

FA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA!   

 

THE ROAD TO GEORGIA

September was so full of activity that it was hard to think about getting ready to leave for our volunteer assignment in Georgia this year.  We were fortunate to see so many friends and family during the last few weeks.  Kim even moved up Dan's 50th birthday party so we could celebrate with them (even though it's really not till the end of Nov). 

The last week in Sep, we spent a few days with Gwen and Ric at their Lake Carey home.  The lake is the second largest natural lake in PA.  The weather was perfect and we had a great time.  Keith wanted to tap Ric's fishing expertise since he's decided to try his hand at fishing at the park's Lake Blackshear. 



Early morning mist over the lake

While the guys fished, Gwen & I shopped at TJ Max!!

 

One afternoon, we went to see the nearby Nicholson viaduct.  When it was completed in 1915, it was the world's largest concrete bridge serving the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad Co.

Luckily, this year the only glitch we had before leaving was a little rain so we lost one day of packing the trailer.  We were able to leave as planned on Thurs, Oct 10.  We spent only three nights in route and arrived at Georgia Veterans Memorial Park in Cordele GA on Sunday. 

We met our new neighbors before we even parked the trailer, and they invited us to join them and other train volunteers who were going out to dinner.  After dinner, Tim and Gail built a fire and we went over to continue getting acquainted.  Big Mistake!  About 4 am I woke to burning and itching on both ankles.  I was told that they were Chigger bites and I counted 20 to 30 bites on each ankle.  I was trying everything that anyone suggested but wasn't getting relief.  On Friday, after buying two different types of ointment and still itching, we were in a local grocery store and I mentioned to the clerk that I was suffering from the bites, and she suggested a cream called 'Chiggerex' that they sold.   Finally...relief! 

Monday morning we started setting up the midway for the Thomas the Train event.  The SAM Shortline has been holding the Thomas event for a few years and are very organized with about 150 volunteers; many from the local community.  Julie, the volunteer coordinator, said that they had 6,000 advance ticket sales this year.  Since Keith and I haven't had our training yet, we were assigned to different midway stations during the five-day event.  We met visitors from as far away as FL and LA.  Several people told us that they had gone to other Thomas events and this one was the best.

This sign made me laugh.  I said, "You know you're not in PA when you have to explain what a Funnel Cake is."

We worked again on Tue and the only thing left to do was clean the train on Thur.  It was the first time Keith and I had a chance to get on the train.  It reminds me a lot of the Strasburg railroad.  There are two premium cars featuring wood and leather decor, four coach, and a commissary car.  The cars are from the 1940's and they're named after towns along the route:  Cordele, Georgia Veterans, Leslie, Americus, Plains and Archery.  On Friday, we decided to take a drive and stop at the towns on the route to familiarize ourselves with what they have to offer.  I had a chance to talk with the Thomas the Train coordinator and he told me that Mattel actually has seven 'Thomases' that appear at events across the country between March and November.  When not in use, they are housed at Strasburg (because of the large facility) and they do any maintenance that's necessary. 

Bright and early Saturday morning, we were at our station assisting the photographer taking pictures with Thomas while he was at the station.  There was a diesel engine at the other end that would take the train out for a 30-minute run.  Thomas would blow his whistle and smoke comes out of the stack, and the kiddos get so excited...he's real, he's really real! 

Keith with Thomas



Sir Topham Hat

Sunday, we were assigned to help dress Sir Topham Hat (a young girl from the local high school).  She wore an ice pack vest and another ice pack on the back of her neck.  I would guide her out to the photo spot since it was difficult for her to see wearing the large head.  She could only be out for 20 min every hour.








The event will continue next Fri, Sat, and Sun but we have off this week, except for and hour of 'host' training with one of the veteran volunteers on Mon.  Any time that we're around the train, Keith has found an opportunity to talk with the engineer or a couple  of the conductors.  I'm sure he'll find his way into the engine before the winter is over. 

Sunset over Lake Blackshear

"DON'T CRY BECAUSE IT'S OVER, SMILE BECAUSE IT HAPPENED" -- Dr. Suess

It's a week from Labor Day and again the summer has flown by so fast.  But, thinking about the time we've had with our family and friends makes me SMILE.

About six weeks after we got home this spring, I decided that I really did like the freedom of not working, even if it was only to be occasionally.  And, since they still hadn't found any clients for me, I called Special Care and asked them to take me off their roster.

In the middle of July, Gwen and I spent a couple of very hot days in Cape May with Mare at the Merry Widow.  The ocean temp was nice, and I believe that it's the first time I've actually been in the ocean in several years.  We realized that of all the times we've been there, this is the first time that we went during "the season."  Good times!

The Merry Widow

At the end of the month, we drove to Maine for a week with Rod and Ellen.  We couldn't find our driving directions from our trip there two years ago, so we relied on the GPS...big mistake!  It took us on the turnpike to NJ and then north to NY and right through the Bronx.  We were just glad that we weren't towing the trailer.  

We arrived at Sebago Lake on Monday just after 6pm so we had to wait for the ferry to return at 6:30 to take us over to Frye Island.  While we waited, it began raining which made it hard to read the house numbers, but it was easy to pick out "The Bear's Den" sign.  A glass of wine and one of Ellen's tasty casseroles was just what I needed after the long drive.

We woke to the sun rising over the lake; a beautiful view from their deck.

Joe and Sue arrived after lunch.  Tony and Donna came later...in time for 'happy hour.'  We had a really good time catching up with everyone.  The food was amazing.  The gals sunbathed on the dock.  Rod took us around the lake on their motorboat.  It was a very relaxing time. 

Friday, we all left the island and Keith and I spent the weekend with Rod and Ellen at their home in Raymond.

 

The sky was a little overcast on Saturday but we decided to take our chances with the weather.  We traveled to the Mount Washington Cog Railway in the White Mountains of NH.  This was the world's first mountain-climbing cog railway, invented and built by Sylvester Marsh of Littleton, NH in 1869.  The steepest part of the railway is just past the treeline with a grade of 37.41%.  On the left is the Great Gulf ravine which has a drop of nearly 2000 ft...better not to look.  The summit elevation is 6,288 ft.  It was 45 degrees, windy, and so foggy/cloudy that we couldn't see more than 50 ft.  They say that on a clear day you can see four states, Quebec, and the Atlantic Ocean...which means, we'll have to come back another day.

Mt Washington Cog Railway

Hikers in the mist follow the cairns (rock piles) that mark the trail.

In keeping with our train theme, on Sunday, we headed to Portland's Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad Co. & Museum.  We rode the train along the waterfront at Casco Bay.  It was a beautiful sunny day for lunch at Dimillo's on the Water and a stroll along the cobblestone streets of the old port town.

View of Casco Bay from the train

We had a much better drive home on Monday by following Ellen's directions and avoiding the Bronx this time.

 

HOME AGAIN!

I was told that I haven't posted that we made it home...well, we did. 

We spent another night along side the Mississippi River at the same park in West Memphis AR where we stayed on the way out last fall.  But this time the river was running fast and much higher than before.  News reports said that there was flooding along the rivers running into the Mississippi further north.  I was enjoying watching the river until Miss Kim from Sun Valley sent me a text saying she hoped we got across the river before it flooded.  After that, I had a little trouble sleeping knowing that we were sitting just twenty feet from the river's edge...on the wrong side of the levy!




Mississippi River at Memphis in Fall 2012

Mississippi River at Memphis in Spring 2013

You can see that the water is up to the tree line where there was so much bank showing last fall.

The next two nights, we made stops near Nashville and Knoxville.  We planned to stop two nights in Virginia and get back to Sun Valley on Friday, April 26, but when we started out from Salem VA on Thursday morning Keith said that he was feeling good and anxious to get home so we cancelled our reservation for Winchester that night and got home in time to go out for supper.  I had to agree, as we were driving through Virginia and seeing all the green leaves and red buds, I was anxious too. 

Red buds along Interstate 40 in Virginia

I was disappointed to find that the leaves on our trees were not as far along as VA, but it only took about a week for it to start turning green here. 

We've been home for almost a month and I'm happy to see my family again -- planting flowers for Mother, watching Noah's basketball game, seeing Shawn, Kristi and the boys before they left for Disney World.  We're enjoying catching up with our friends too. 

I called Special Care to let them know that we were back and I would be available if they had any clients within a reasonable distance.  They said they were happy to have me back but I haven't been called to work yet and I'm beginning to really enjoy not checking my calendar each day to see if I need to be somewhere.  I may just have to tell them to take me off their roster!!!

We have some exciting news for this winter.  Keith has been saying that he'd like to go South instead of West for a change; it would be half the driving distance.  After talking with Joe and Sue about their experience volunteering at a Georgia State Park, we decided to apply at two -- Skidaway (south of Savannah, on the coast) and Veterans State Park (site of the SAM Shortline train).  We also applied as Lighthouse Hosts at Hunting Island State Park in SC.  Last week, we got a call offering us the Train Host position.  Veterans Park is in the southwest quadrant of GA and the train runs from Cordele to Plains (Jimmy Carter's home) to Archery (President Carter's birthplace).  The train only runs on weekends so we'll have most of the week to explore the area.  The park also has a large lake and an 18-hole golf course. 
 

We have neighbors who spend their winters in FL and said that they volunteered at Disney World which really sounds like fun too.  So, who knows, we may be working with Mickey one of these years :)

  

THE WEATHER CHANGES OUR PLANS

Our plan was to leave Galveston on Thursday and drive to Lafayette LA for two nights, but the weather forecast was calling for thunder storms and high wind gusts, and even the possibility of tornadoes.  With that, we decided to stay put for another day and check out the Ocean Star Offshore Drilling Rig Museum located in the harbor next to Fisherman's Wharf.  After the tour, we went next door for a scrumptious crab cake dinner.  From our table outside, we could watch the pelicans swoop down to grab their dinner from the water.

Keith working on the oil rig

Friday, we finally woke to warm sunshine but it was still gusty.  When you're towing a trailer, you can really feel the gusts, especially on the bridges.  I'm not thrilled about bridges on a good day, so I was a little white-knuckled till we got away from the coast. 
 


Louisiana Bayou

Travelling through the Louisiana Bayou country was much calmer.  We were disappointed that we wouldn't have the extra day to explore the Lafayette area but I had already made reservations for the next five nights at five different parks and really didn't feel like changing them.  We did, however, take advantage of the opportunity to savor some local Cajun cuisine.  I'm always ready to try something new...Keith, not so much!  I was curious about the "Cajun Boudin" on the appetizer list. Our server said that it was one of his favorites so I had to try it.  Basically, boudin is a combination of cooked rice, pork, onions, peppers and seasonings stuffed into a sausage casing.  These were shaped into balls, breaded and deep fried and very spicy. 

Ellen had suggested that we might enjoy travelling the Natchez Trace Parkway on our way back so we headed north from Lafayette.  This was our first time in Natchez, MS.  The town sits high on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River.  Prior to the Civil War, it was home to several extremely wealthy Southern planters.  Their fortunes allowed them to build huge mansions, many of which remain today.  We took a carriage ride tour downtown to see a couple of these historic homes and buildings.  I'd like to go back during their Natchez Pilgrimage Tours held in the spring and fall. 

Antebellum home



Looking across the Mississippi toward Natchez at dusk.  Tugboat, barges, paddle boat

We decided to take the Trace as far as Jackson, about 100 miles, and then hop off and head to Memphis to pick up Interstate 40 East.  The Trace was a two-lane road through woodland and meadow with no power or telephone lines and very few homes.  We actually didn't pass a lot of other traffic; more bicycles and motorcycles.  The Trace is 444 miles long and crosses three states, ending near Nashville.  The speed limit is only 50 mph and we were told that this is strictly enforced. 

The Trace (My Enchanted Forest
 

For the next five days, we'll be heading East on the interstate with overnights in Nashville and Knoxville in TN, Salem and Winchester in VA, and then HOME. 
We're still enjoying the ride but we're ready to see our family and friends again!

THE DIVERSITY OF TEXAS

Since entering Texas, we've traveled the Texas Mountain Trail, the Hill Country, and the Texas Tropical Trail.  We joke about how boring it is to drive through Texas for three days, but that's really if you're only travelling the Interstates.  Once you get off onto the blue highways, you see just how diverse this huge state really is.

We continue travelling with Rod and Ellen and met up with Joe and Sue Rokowski in Bandera for a few days.  They've been scoping out the area for two weeks and showed us some of the places they liked best.  Bandera has dubbed itself the Cowboy Capital of the World.  This laid-back town on the Medina River retains the authentic flavor of the Old West by maintaining and repurposing a lot of the old buildings around Main Street.  I was a little disappointed that they've turned so many of them into clothing and jewelry boutiques.   We were there during the week, but we were told that on weekends, Main Street reverts to its Old West roots.  Cowboys ride through the streets, musicians serenade, and storytellers spin their yarns.  Sounds like fun.

Our second day there was cold and windy so we opted for some indoor sightseeing.  The Camp Verde General Store and Post Office was originally built in 1857 to offer goods and services to the soldiers stationed at nearby Fort Verde.  The store is now a 'home and body' boutique but still uses the old store and post office interior furnishings.  Very nice.

An interesting part of its history was the Camel Experiment.  In 1854, Secretary of War Jefferson Davis petitioned Congress to appropriate $30,000 for the Army to experiment with using camels for supply transport and other military purposes.  The bill passed and the first shipment from Egypt arrived at Fort Camp Verde via naval supply ship in April of 1856.  By the time the Civil War had begun, there were over 50 camels at the Fort.  By 1865, there were more than 100 camels.  They passed every test of their ability - carrying heavier loads and traveling longer distances than the mules  and horses used in the area.  However, the War Dept needed funds for reconstruction after the Civil War, and the Fort was deactivated in 1869 ending he experiment.  We were told that there were still some camels in the area.

Before heading back to the campground and some local Bar-B-Q ribs, we stopped at the Museum of Western Art in Kerrville .  While the paintings and bronze sculptures were really good, the architecture of the museum was equally amazing.

Our last day in the Hill Country was spent in Boerne (pronounced "Bernie"), a small town along the Cibolo Creek.  It was founded in the mid-1800's by a group of Germans and their influence remains today.  We strolled down Haupstrasse (Main Street in German) through the town's historic district with its specialty and antique shops.  We took advantage of the warm sunny day by enjoying an outdoor lunch at the Epicure gourmet market and a walk along the Cibolo Creek's river walk.


I think this is Calvin telling us to get on the road!

On Friday, we said good-bye to both couples as we all struck off in different directions for a little more sightseeing before heading home.  Keith and I drove to Corpus Christie along the Gulf of Mexico.  I was anxious to see Padre Island so I was a little disappointed that the paved road ended so soon after entering the National Park.  I convinced Keith to drive onto the beach for a short distance but is was really bumpy so I wasn't upset when we turned around.

We drove to the other end of the island and took the short ferry ride from Port Aransas to Aransas Pass before heading back to the campground.

Sunday's visit to The Texas State Aquarium was more fun; we even petted a stingray (it's kind of like petting a snake...not what you'd expect it to feel like).  We enjoyed the dolphin show and the turtle and otter exhibits.

Around the log...

and back again, and again, and again!

 

Following the coastline north, Jamaica Beach RV Park on Galveston Island was our next stop.  We really liked this park; it was right across the road from the beach.  Unfortunately, the weather was overcast and windy and it was extremely humid. 

Calvin checking out the 'neighbors'

 On Tuesday we took the 'Duck' tour of Galveston and then viewed the film about the hurricane of 1900 that destroyed the town and killed 6000 residents.  But, I think the highlight of the day for Keith was dinner at Zack's Mac Shack.  Mac n' cheese with Lobster!

Another overcast day but that didn't stop us from going back into Galveston for the day.  Today, we went to Moody Gardens.  They have a huge 1.5 million gallon 10-story blue-glass Aquarium Pyramid and they have a Rainforest Pyramid of equal size.  Our decision was which one to see because we found that they were each about $50 for the two of us.  Since we had just gone to the Texas Aquarium, we chose the Rainforest.  It was a good experience but I still think it was a bit pricey. 

Moody Gardens

The illusive Two-towed Sloth

 

Scarlet Macaws
 

Afterward, we went back downtown to walk around the Strand historic district and the wharf.  And, on the way back to the park, we stopped to walk on the beach; I wanted to at least get my feet wet in the Gulf.  I was surprised that the water wasn't very cold, but I guess, location-wise, it would be more comparable to the Florida coast than New Jersey's.

Tomorrow, we leave Texas and stop in Louisiana to spend a couple of days in Lafayette before heading North.

...AND WE'RE ON THE ROAD AGAIN!

Arizona, New Mexico, Texas...we're heading East.  We left Salome on Tuesday to miss the Easter Monday traffic.  We got to Deming, NM around noon on Wednesday.  Ellen suggested that we drive down to Pancho Villa State Park in Columbus near the Mexican border.  The park visitor center has the interesting history of the town and Pancho Villa's raid on it. 

Pancho Villa State Park

Rod and Ellen had been to the area several years ago and had eaten at a little Mexican restaurant that the park ranger recommended to them.  It's on a side street and if you drove by, you probably wouldn't stop but the food was delicious.  La Casita Restaurant...if you're ever in Columbus NM...stop in for good authentic Mexican grub.

La Casita Restaurant

On our way to Terlingua and Big Bend National Park on Friday, we headed southwest to the town of Presidio and from there took the 'Texas Mountain Trail,' a 50-mile scenic drive that follows the Rio Grande River.  The river remains one of the most disappointing sights we've encountered on our travels, but we learned that Mexico has been diverting the water for their use which has left it almost dry in many areas.  The mountains, however, more than made up for it here.  Our guys did a fantastic job of navigating the hills and curves, even pulling off to picnic along the Trail while enjoying the majestic view.

Texas Mountain Trail

Following Rod & Ellen...down and around the next curve

The Rio Grande...not so grand

Teepees cover picnic tables at rest stop

Big Bend National Park encompasses over 800,000 acres and is the last great wilderness area of Texas.  It offers both mountain and desert scenery and a variety of unusual geological structures.  Elevations within the park range from 1,840 ft. along the Rio Grande to 7,825 ft. on Emory Peak.  We spent Saturday exploring the park stopping at several visitor centers to learn about the history and habitat of the area. 

Looking down toward Chisos Basin in Big Bend



Dagger Yucca at Panther Junction, Park Hdqrs.

 

 

Beware of the BEARS!

 

 

At Boquillas, we found handmade items for sale, left by Mexicans from the little town on the hill on the other side of the river.  We could see some people sitting along the river's edge and riding horses down from the little town on the hill above.

Handmade items for sale.  Mexican standing by tree on other side.

Boquillas del Carmen, MX sits on hilltop across the Rio Grande

  

Next stop...Bandera, TX to meet up with Joe and Sue who've been there for two weeks and, hopefully, have scoped out some cool new places to explore.