Encounters

Wednesday  20^th October 2010  Rio Grande Village

Leave room as have to move for the next 2 nights!! Only 25 mile drive to  the river but lots of stops and 45 mph limit.  Dugout Wells first turn off. Site of school in 20’s with a few homesteads around. The ubiquitous water/wind mill without which no settlement would be possible. Nothing else remains but the mill is kept going for wildlife. A grove of cottonwood trees stand out in the desert to make the site easily identifiable. The desert trail from the mill was very good and we spent a good hour identifying shrubs and cacti with the help of the trail markers. Now know our 3 species of prickly pear and our creosote bush! Another tarantula, they must be quite common so no no no to camping! On to the Bochodillas overlook looking into a poor town in Mexico. There are  home produced goods for sale by the tracks with pots to put the money in. The Mexicans can be seen across the river and must come to collect the money  when the border patrols have gone. We went on a trail by the river where a Mexican with a canoe  was singing with his collecting pots scattered about!. We later saw him cross back with his takings. Had a picnic by the river and walked back up the cliff in 91 degrees. Driven to the only store in the village for  a cold drink both so hot! On to  Rio Grande hot springs – did not need more heat and nearly gave it a miss! A walk along a trail by a failed motel site and Indian hieroglyphics.. The spring was tiny and silted up from the river overflow but to sit in it with a small wall separating you from the muddy, cold river was an experience. One leg in the hot spring at 105 degrees and the other in the river was very different! An air con drive back to book in again to a new room with a cup of lemon tea was bliss.  More heat with chilli for dinner, spoke to Matt before  which was nice. People next to us at dinner saw a bear today so maybe us tomorrow. Saw a deer walking down to dinner so our tally is mounting.

Thursday21st October Chisos Lodge

Off before 9 to do a steep ascent before it gets too hot. The lost mine trail goes up 1300 feet in 5 miles. Start well seeing a large, brightly coloured lizard and a herd of deer in the pine forest. Good labels enable us to distinguish our Mexican droopy juniper from the alligator juniper from our one seed juniper! Canyons open as we get higher and the views beyond the Chisos in the early morning light are spectacular.  2 hours later at the top, 7400feet up we meet an amazing couple, Dina and Jim. About 10 yeas younger than us they have been coming here for 13 years. They are full time guardians for a granddaughter and great nephew of 7 and 8. Dina’s mother is  looking after the children for 2 weeks whilst they have a break! They did not go into detail but the background to the circumstance together with the hard work must be difficult for them. They had just come from the Davis mountains and pointed us there for our next stop as we obviously like the same things. Could have talked for hours, 2 very special people. Met our next tarantula on the way down, getting quite blasee about them now. Back for late picnic lunch outside our lodge and then down to the centre to do admin. Spoke to Jen who has a cold but sounds bright and e mail from Laura, very cheery. Manage to book Indian Lodge In Davis mountains for 2 nights and shall try to go to a star party at the Macdonall observatory as recommended by Dina and Jim. Back for a cup of tea and meet our neighbour Jo from Austin. She has been coming here for many years and confirms what many people have told us that most Texans do not know about Big Bend. She has a 100% disabled son from the war in Afghanistan and obviously has a hard time. She works in the governors office in Austin for the disabilities section. Meeting such people and seeing how they cope with such misfortune is very humbling.