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Week 3 - Corpus Christi to El Paso; Big Bend to Balmorhea

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S	M	T	W	T	F	S
June			22	23	24	25
26	27	28	29	30	1	2
3	4	5	6	7	8	9
10	11	12	13	14	15	16
17	18	July

Sunday 10 July 1994: Still no-one else in the campsite, so we got up quickly and moved on before breakfast to avoid being caught by the rangers after not paying. The first destination was Boquillas Canyon Overlook, which is at the eastern end of the park road. A nearby carpark gives fine views across the Rio Grande to Mexico, with no sign of civilisation to be seen, except when we were there a Mexican was crossing the river on horseback. A short trail (reputedly 0.5 miles, but it seemed rather more) leads from the end of the road down a rocky hillside, through tall expanses of bamboo and out onto a sandy area at the foot of Boquillas Canyon, where there were several horses appearing a little nervous at being disturbed. The river disappeared between two imposing cliff walls; it was not possible to walk further downstream. This might not compare with the scale of, for example, Zion Canyon in Utah, but the remoteness of the scene, and absence of any other people made it a very striking experience. Walking back through the tall bamboo we were temporarily lost; one almost expected to see a tiger ahead as it seemed very much like Africa.

Boquillas Canyon

Big Bend, near the river

Study Butte

On finding our way back to the RV we drove west and south, stopping at various viewpoints before arriving at the busy Castolon store in the afternoon, staffed by an ancient-looking lady, who didn't seem to mind being all alone. 'A quiet day today', she said, 'only about six customers'. Even this number seemed surprising. The shop looked as though it hadn't changed inside for about twenty years; we bought some chicken of the ocean (tuna) for tea (there wasn't much choice), left and drove further west to Santa Elena Canyon Overlook. Here, the river, which had been running parallel to high cliffs to the south, took a left turn and cut at right angles through the cliffs, forming the canyon. Apparently a track went along the walls, but this was reached only by crossing a secondary river. An American couple, returning from the trip said it was well worth it, but the river was slimy, with water up to their waists. So we didn't bother. Our map indicated a 15 mile shortcut along a rough track across the desert which rejoined the main road at the small town of Study Butte. Since we were short of petrol (again) this was tempting, but Mandy decided it was too risky so we went the long way by proper road.

We reached Study Butte just in time to refuel at the general store - this seemed a really cool place, with people sitting around drinking Buds, playing guitars and talking politics. From here it was 79 miles along a rather bleak road until we reached Alpine on US 90. At times the sky became almost dark as more thunderstorms threatened. We continued through historic Fort Davis (the highest town in Texas), stopping just long enough to take a photo, before continuing across extensive bumpy roadworks and stopping for the night at an RV site near Balmorhea, just south of I-10. This boasted 'one of the largest man-made pools in America'; it was twenty feet deep in the middle and was full of fish. Canals feeding the pool ran through the site, but swimming in these was not allowed.

Fort Davis

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