emptyingthebucket

[emptyingthebucket]

Day 65. Mile 4817. Southern-most Point.

On the Bucket List is going to the southern most point of Texas. Back in the day, when I was crew on a 125-foot sailboat that we moved from Ft Myer Florida to Annapolis Maryland and then back each season. My good friend was the captain of this boat. The owner was a wealthy man who owned Pepsi bottling plants on the east coast. He kept his boat on the Severn River near Annapolis and we moved it twice a year. Up to Annapolis for the summer and down to Florida for the winter. I loved crewing on this boat. They paid for my transportation to get to the boat and then back home, they paid for all of my food. All I had to do was sail every day. Perfect job! Why do I mention this? On every trip we would go around the tip of Florida and pass near Key West. Of course, we would stop there. It was Captain Jim's favorite place to party. Key West claims that it owns the Southern-most point of the US. And that Brownsville Texas is NOT the owner of that claim. I want to go to the Brownsville to see for myself.

I am not really sure where this point might be, but I guess that it is near the Sabal Palm Sanctuary. Is this a Sanctuary for Palms? Or a sanctuary for something else? We drive to the area and find ourselves very near the border wall. I am surprised that the wall is not at the border, it is well away from the Rio Grande.

Some fences are open, some not. Why? We encounter a border Patrol Agent. She is kind and tells us that we are relatively safe crossing through the border wall. She assures us that the Sanctuary will put us at the southern most point. Wonderful.

The Sabal Palm Sanctuary is at an old Plantation. It is gorgeous. We explore the house. Very nice.

During the drive back to camp we find these weird towers. What are they? Hmmmm.

Light houses. Don't we just love light houses?

We go to lunch at a restaurant on the water. We have fish tacos. While there several fishermen pull up and filet their fish and go into the restaurant with their catch. Selling their catch to the restaurant? The fish in our fish tacos is wonderful! Did it just get caught? Could be. The Seagulls and the Pelicans are standing by for what they can get.

We return to camp and enjoy a walk with the dogs and enjoy the views.

[emptyingthebucket]

Day 64. Mile 4817. The Coach.

Least we think nothing else has gone wrong with the coach, let me add that upon arrival to South Padre Island, we hired a mobile RV mechanic to fix our windshield wiper. The spring which keeps it tight up against the window popped off. This happened on Day 63 while at Lake Casa Blanca State Park. The mechanic says he would give it a try and if he can't fix it, he won't charge us the service fee. Well, after an hour of jerry-rigging, there is no way he can fix it. Oh well. We remove the wiper and put it in the storage bin (along with all the other parts we are collecting!). We move the good wiper over to the drivers side, just in case we hit rain in the next 16 days. We order a new wiper arm to be delivered to the house. I can put on the new wiper, since the mechanic shows me how to do it.

Next the mechanic unfreezes the Generator latch. I just needed some lubricant. Why did i not think of that?

While the mechanic is here, we are setting up the rig, going in and out of the rig. The motor that extends the steps breaks. How lucky we are that a mechanic is here at our rig when this breaks. AND he has a spare motor in his truck. I am amazed that we are so lucky! We test the existing motor and sure enough, it will not turn. New motor, steps work now.

But I didn't budget all these fixes for this trip. Dang.

We are going to have a new coach, one part at a time!!!

[emptyingthebucket]

Day 64. Mile 4817. South Padre Island.

October 19. We drive the bigger highways so we can arrive at South Padre Island in time to pick up our rental car. The roads are much better, but the traffic is worse. Not too bad though.

We are in Windmill Country. They are everywhere. I am reminded of the winter of 2020, I think. That is when all of Texas froze and the Windmills stopped making electricity. Dang. They didnt count on that happening!

Along the route we are stopped at a border patrol check point. We are not as concerned as the 1st time. Getting to be "old hat" at this point!

What are we growing here? Plastic bags? These fields go along for miles. Hmmm?

The coach turns over to 62,000 miles. Wow!

The camp is beautiful. Our site is on the water. We love it.

And across the way we see Space-X. How about that!

Sunset is lovely.

[emptyingthebucket]

Day 62 & 63. Lake Casa Blanca.

We are delighted to find that the Park we are staying in is lovely. State Parks are generally so nice. We have a secluded spot. No need to pull down the shades. We walk the dogs around the camp. Everyone here is very friendly. The views of the lake are great. We walk to the wharf and enjoy the calm. Well done, Texas, on this state park!

This building, found in the park, is called the Original Texas White House. We don't know why.

[emptyingthebucket]

Day 62. Mile 4579. Laredo & Covid.

We drive to Laredo TX. We take 277. It goes through many small towns, like Egle Pass and Carrizo Springs. Not thriving communities. The roads are rolling hills. We have left the mountains behind.

First stop is urgent care. I think I have Bronchitis. The OTC meds I've been taking are not making me any better.

I'm diagnosed with Covid, an ear infection, and my cough is more productive. But my throat is no longer sore! I'm given a dose of antibiotics. Wow ,that hurt my butt. Prescriptions for a z-pack, Paxlovid, an inhaler and cough medicine.

We find a pharmacist who fills my Rxs. I wait 30 minutes. No English is spoken here, just Spanish. The exception is when they talk to me. When did we cross the border into Mexico. I missed that! They report that the side effect most notable for the Paxlovid is a bad taste in your mouth. I will discover others!

The coach continues to challenge us. I can't unlock the Generator latch. I don't so much need to get at the generator, but this is where I access the windshield washer fluid. It is not streaming right away. You have to hold the button down for nearly a minute before it streams out. If it eventually does come out, then it can't be empty. Something is gumming up the works. We both try to pull the latch. No go. I crawl underneath the coach but I cant see the latch, just feel it. Grrrr.

[emptyingthebucket]

Day 61. Mile 4386. Del Rio.

We drive to Del Rio. We head to a camp called Hidden Valley. Yes, it is hidden. At the end of a dead-end street in a residential area. The owner asks us to text her when we are 15 minutes away. We arrive within 4 minutes of our stated ETA. She is waiting for us. She is very welcoming, friendly. She watches as we hook up, making sure we don't stop on top of her water lines. Makes sense. Don't want to crush the water lines. They have 80-pounds of water pressure so we tack on our pressure meter and notch it down. One night here. We feel safe. There is a compound of high-end houses across the street, walled in. I don't think we have anything to worry about. The owner reassures us. The park is old and needs some upgrades, but for one night, we don't care. Del Rio is a small town, nothing distinguishes it from any other.

[emptyingthebucket]

Day 60. Other Sights.

[emptyingthebucket]

Day 60. Hiking in Big Bend.

My goal today is to take a hike. I want to see if I can find the view that is often depicted on the souvenirs, magnets, t-shirts and the like. I ask at the office where the trail head is. They direct me to the NP campground next door. We walk the dogs to the campground. This is where we didn't have reservations. It is nearly empty, but a sign at the entrance says it is full. Hmmm?

Barry doesn't want to take the hike, so after our dog walk and breakfast, I take off to see what I can find. It is poorly marked, but stubborn me, I walk til I can find it.

I come across some camp sites that are being refurbished. The construction sites are messy.

According to the NP map, the trail is .75 miles round trip. I told Barry I would only be a little while. So I start on the trail and quickly come to a swampy area.

Very adequate boardwalks cross this area but they are not well maintained. Much of the vegetation is overgrown.

Finally I find myself on solid, dry ground. I begin to walk up hill and then down. I discover 2 places where there are hand-crafted items sitting next to a donation can. Take an item and donate some cash for what you think it is worth. I really don't need any of these things, so I pass by.

The path has steps made of the local wood. This is the same wood the Navajo used to make their Hogans. I love it.

I hear talking in the distance and a family of about 5 people walk by me. They have been to the river and are now making there way back to camp. I continue on and see a man in the distance behind me, checking out the donation spots. Are they his?

Finally I see the river, The Rio Grande. Yes, I rafted on this very river up in New Mexico. But this is at the border. I'm seeing Mexico across the river. I see the iconic mountain top depicted on the souvenirs. But this isn't the right perspective. I'm not in the right place yet!

I enjoy the vegetation all along the trail.

I'm walk beyond the brush, now it's almost all sand.

I walk a couple of hundred yards across sandy soil and make my way to the rivers edge.

I touch the water. It looks clean, smells clean, and is a perfect temp. A few photos and I begin to walk back.

Every thing looks the same so I am glad I took photos along the way to be sure I entered the brush in the same spot I left it. It's nearly 45 minutes since I left camp. Will Barry be worried? Hope not. I come to a fork in the trail. One way is back to camp, the other is "The Overlook Loop Trail."

I haven't seen THEE VIEW yet, so I take The Overlook Loop Trail. I am rewarded by my effort, THEE View is at the summit of this trail.

I see a man on horseback crossing from Mexico to the US. I can't see his clothes clearly. Is he a Ranger? I don't know.

I return to camp. Yes, Barry was worried. I was gone for an hour and 15 minutes for what was reported to be a three-quarters of a mile hike. It was over 2 miles.

[emptyingthebucket]

Day 59. Mile 4125. Dark Sky.

Sunset is beautiful. I am so excited to see the dark sky I can't even think about dinner. But to help the time pass, we have a nice meal.

I finally gets dark enough to see the stars. Ambient light from some of the campers' rigs is annoying. I ask the camper closest to us if they would close their shades and turn off their porch light. They do. I take my first photo of the milky-way! It's not very good.

I fiddle with the settings on my camera and get better shots.

The wind picks up so I move to the front of the camper where the rig blocks the wind. Barry has seen enough. He's in for the night. I get a blanket and create a shield against the wind. WE might be in a parking lot, but the sand is eveerywhere. Including in my mouth. I perservere in the hopes that I will get a better photo, or I will see more stars. What was I expecting?

Enough sand in the mouth. I'm going to bed!

Billions and billions of stars!

Another bucket list item has been completed!!!

[emptyingthebucket]

Day 59. Mile 4125. Big Bend.

We are on our way to Big Bend. I'm so excited I could spit. There is no highway to Big Bend, just smalll roads. we decide to drive to MArathon and then go south on 385 to enter the park on the north side instead of the west side. AFter more hours than Barry prefers we finally get to the entrance.

I'm not really sure where the campground is, but I've been told not to use GPS; it will take you to some remote place. "Don't go on any dirt road." So the crazy thing is at home i was able to see exactly where the campground is. however, while driving, the campground mysteriously moves around the park. welcome to the Twilight Zone! We stop at the first ranger station. It is closed.

There is a map on the wall. The campground is not indicated. This is crazy!

Today is the eclipse. We think it starts at 1pm. That is in about an hour. The day seems not bright enough, so I ask Barry to pull over. I look up to the sun with my too-expensive paper eclipse glasses. Sure enough, the eclipse is happening.

The drive seems to take forever. The scenery is getting better by the mile.

We arrive at the only ranger station that is open. The eclipse is nearly over. How did we miscalculate so badly?

The rangers have reassured us of where we are going. We are still very far from camp. Did we reserve at the NP camp or the independent, vendor operated camp? I guess we'll find out when we get there.

We come upon wildlife. Wild horses. They are beautiful and graceful.

A tunnel is unexpected!

We are reserved in the vendor run campground. The guy waiting on us was on some kind of hallucinogen. He made no sense. "May we wash our windshield?", we ask. "No, well, yes." "How is that?", we ask. "You can wash it as long as nothing hits the ground. Well I don't care if something hits the ground. I won't report you. So wash all you want. The rangers don't want anything falling on the ground. So yes, wash your windshield." We decide not to wash the bugs off the windshield.

The "Camp", if that's what you want to call it, is a parking lot, Divided into spacious sites. Each site has water, electric and sewer hock-ups. We are only here for 2 nites. We are here to see the certified dark sky! I want to see the Milky-Way.

[emptyingthebucket]

Day 59. Alpine - Drugstore

October 14. We leave early to drive to Big Bend. We will be staying there for 2 days. I need to get more cough meds and a decongestant. I also need the makings for chili. There is no cell coverage and no grocery stores in Big Bend. I parallel park the rig. I'm impressed with myself.

Then I look more closely. I missed the tree by a few inches. I didn't even see the tree. Oh Geez. Wake up, Sooze! Feeling lucky, tho.

The drugstore is a real drugstore and the pharmacist gives me some recommendations. We begin our drive south.

[emptyingthebucket]

Day 58. Mile 3966. Observatory.

We break camp in the morning to drive up the mountain to the McDonald Observatory. This is another bucket list item! I used to listen to the podcast from this observatory when i lived in North Carolina. I'm excited about seeing their really big telescopes.

Our alternatives to driving the rig are to rent a car at $200 a day. There are no cars available. Anywhere around! The other alternative is to uber up to the Observatory. That is priced out at $70 each way. We won't spend that much in fuel using the rig.

We park at the visitor's center.

We have no cell coverage up here. We take a guided tour which we reserved yesterday.

We get to see 2 of the telescopes. 107" and HET. Unbelievably large!

First we check out the 107". It is still used for research. They have added computers and other technology to improve its value. Our guide is very knowledgeable. This is terrific!

We all have coats on because the temperature inside is at the expected night temp . This allows them to open the roof without having to wait for the telescope to reach the temp of the outside. It is 55 degrees in the room.

Next we visit HET .

I learn that Robert Eberly '39 Penn State was involved in the HET telescope. Penn State's logo in outside the HET.

I read about Lunar Laser Ranging. It uses a reflector that is on the moon to measure distances and other things. It accomplishes much more than its original intent. I am impressed with its accomplishments.

We look down towards the visitors center and we see our rig parked in the lot. Remembering the dogs, we are anxious to get back to walk them and give them a break from being locked up.

After our tour we are surprised to see wild pigs. Or so I think that is what they are. I'm wrong. They are not pigs, or bores. I can't access the internet to find out.

Driving back to the Lost Alaskan is a bit more difficult because alot of it is downhill. We use the engine break to keep our speed under control.

On the ride down the mountain, I find out that the "wild pigs" are Javelinas (members of the Peccary family, a distant relative to a Hippo).

[emptyingthebucket]

Day 57. Mile 3928. Alpine TX.

Now we drive on to Alpine. More hills and murals.

This mural in Alpine is more to my liking.

We are staying at the Lost Alaskan RV Resort. We have to ask why the name. After all, we are VERY FAR FROM Alaska. The owner moved here from Alaska. He decided to stay. He purchased this RV Camp and changed the name to Lost Alaskan, since his friends in town had given him the nickname "Lost Alaskan."

[emptyingthebucket]

Day 57. Mile 3901. Marfa.

On the way to Marfa, we catch a Route 66-type sign. This is for the Stardust Hotel/Motel. The sign is so worn, it is hard to tell what it is!

As in many other towns we see another mural. I'm not liking this one as much as the ones in Gallup NM!

Our 1st stop in Marfa is the Drugstore. We are looking for some cough meds. My throat is sore. But the Drugstore Hotel is just that, a hotel called Drugstore. It is more like an Airbnb. It is all automated. From the windows, the drugstore part looks like an authentic 50's soda fountain. Neatooo!

Nearby is the Hotel Paisano. It is gorgeous inside.

After exploring this lovely Hotel, we go to the end of the street to check out the courthouse.

Another historical site. Look at this woodwork and interesting lighting fixtures.

The roof reminds me of our house in Riverton. This store has an interesting name. Right?

Excellent experience in Marfa. We are glad we stopped.

[emptyingthebucket]

Day 57. Mile 3864. Prada storefront?

October 12. We leave San Elizario to drive to Alpine Texas. Our friend from the first Fantasy Tour recommended that we take in a few towns before we head down to Big Bend. We have 2 days to spend before going south to the big, dark skies of Big Bend.

Our first stop is Border Patrol. In the middle of nowhere, we are directed off the highway and stopped. Dogs approach the rig and walk around it. I understand heat sensing devices are used as well. We are asked how many people are in the rig and are we US Citizens. Two and Yes. We are waved on. They know more than I do. I will not judge this.

Our next stop is near Marfa TX. There is a store front for Prada along the road. We stop for the obvious photo op. It is Art. Right!

The drive is pleasant enough, but the terrain begins to change. There is less to see.

We pass by a radar balloon. At first I think I am seeing things, since I just spent 5 days immersed in all things Balloon! But Google Maps confirms this as a Border Patrols radar.

The next town is Marfa itself.

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Day 56. Mile 3724. San Elizario TX

The Harvest Host we arranged to stay in is in a small town south of El Paso. We drive around the block a couple of times. Some of the roads are one way, others are close to traffic for repairs. This adds to our frustration as we can't find the establishment we are looking for. Oh, we can't find it because there is NO SIGN. We park in the middle of a dead end street, contemplating our situation. A gal comes up to us, greet us, to say that we are in the right place and the parking lot is on the other side of the building we are next to. We had scoped out this parking lot, but concluded this can't be the right place. It's so untidy.

This doesn't look safe. She assures us. Ok. We park the RV. We walk the dogs and discover a line of art studios.

The artists are there and engage in conversation. It is San Elizario's attempt to upgrade their historical district. Good effort. The dogs are invited into most of the galleries. I am so enjoying this. I see a painting a immediately fall in love with. I buy a small (reasonably-priced) print of it. I'll make a frame for it when I get home.

We really don't feel safe at night so we have our loaded guns at our besides, just in case. I am awakened several times during the night with footsteps way too close to our rig. Fortunately, nothing happens. Our rig is untouched when we inspect it in the morning.

[emptyingthebucket]

Day 56. Mile 3607. Pistachios?

We leave at O'Dark-Thirty AGAIN! To drive south near El Paso TX. Along the way we stop at a Pistachio farm to see the largest Pistachio. It's not real. It's a statue, a tribute to the founder of the farm.

Mr Barry likes his pistachios so its an obvious stop. We have pistachio ice cream for lunch. Yum!

We enter Texas shortly after the farm as we make our way to the Harvest Host Stop in San Elizario.

The terrain is flat with distant mountains, just like ABQ. We stop for fuel at a truck stop. This is best for 2 reasons: 1. We get a discount, a substantial discount thru Open Roads; and 2. The fill up is so much faster than car lanes. However, there is always a long wait. This guy spent about $990 filling up his 2 tanks! And it took about 20 minutes. We must be patient!

After our fill up we pass a store called Hanna Banana. Since my name is Nana Banana, I must take a photo.