After San Antonio we headed the rest of the way to Big Bend or actually Lajitas Texas where we were staying at the Maverick Ranch RV Park. It was about an hour out from the hike in Big Bend we had planned. It had electricity and a pool and good WiFi so we were all set. But we went from the oven into the furnace as it was brutally hot out. But getting in the pool and drying off outside in the breeze worked pretty well to cool us off. I sat outside most of the time, in the shade and breeze. I still say it at least felt cooler than the camper aka hot box. The rest of the family disagreed and felt the camper with air was better.
Right now I'm in the Grand Canyon typing this post and this was the day we were supposed to be on our big hike to the bottom of the canyon, the highlight of this trip and all we talked about and trained for leading up to this year’s trip. The hike started slipping away in San Antonio when a heat advisory was posted for the Grand Canyon but at that time it ended Thursday so we were still in the clear and we expected it to be hot so I was only slightly worried. On this stop the advisory got extended to Friday and Becky declared that she wasn't going and mama bear'd that she wouldn't let me take the boys as it was too dangerous. Well it was a tense conversation and neither of us left it satisfied with the outcome. So the whole drive to our next stop I plotted my argument for me going it solo. I had it all worked out, argument and counter argument. It was going to be open and shut. Then the heat advisory got extended to Monday and my argument crumbled as I had said before if there was a heat advisory on our day I wouldn't have us go. So anyway super depressed as we should be almost to the bottom of the canyon right now but instead I'm just sitting here typing. Super lame. Now I'm just going to have to look at the canyon like any old tourist.
Sorry about that. I'm jumping ahead here, we're a bit behind but now we'll have some extra time to get caught up as the hike would have taken the next three days.
Check out our pictures of the Big Bend area. I took a ton of pictures of just a few activities. The desert is amazing and so different than what I'm used to. I don't think I could live here as it’s just way too hot but I sort of get it… pretty remote and not many people. I'd like to visit in winter sometime.
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Ocotillo outside our campsite
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Campsite at the Maverick RV campground in Lajitas
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Checking out one of the trails from the campground after swimming the first day
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Marcus in the twilight
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Sun going down
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Becky and Marcus at the RV pool where we spent a lot of time cooling off
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Skull outside the pool house, they had them everywhere
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| The Munschs playing Munchkin in the camper | |
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Start of our Big Bend Hike on the lost mine trail. We got an early start and were the first ones on the trail, dark enough yet that we needed the headlamps for the first little bit.
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I'm lagging behind taking pictures
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This is a good one
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Got light quickly and got some shots of the beautiful landscape with the sunrise
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Timed shot with the camera on a rock. Becky and I found out a bit down the trail that Marcus and Lucas were mad at us for making them stand so close to the edge. It was a drop off but didn't think we were that close. Anyway they got over it.
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Going up
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And up
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And still going up, almost there
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Cool tree at the top by the end of the trail, showing it because Becky gets mad at me for taking pictures of trees
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The couple next on the trail that passed us along the way took our picture for us at the end of the trail
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Becky looking good as always
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Taking a rest at the top
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Time to head back down
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On the way down we had our bear encounter. Becky heard some commotion down the trail and then said Bear! And sure enough, a bear was down the switchback below us. We stopped and watched it for a minute.
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| Then the bear started cutting up towards our part of the trail so we went to the end of our switch back and waited for him to pass. He was going up and we were coming down so that worked out well. It was a pretty big bear. I'm impressed how cool and calm everyone was. | |
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Becky and Sam at the Rio Grande
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Meet the Mayor of Lajitas, TX
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Big sand/rock hill just outside the campground. When we pulled in we saw some teenagers run up there and slide down. I could see the wheels in Marcus' head cranking. The last day there the family was huddled in the camper so I suggested we climb that thing knowing it would have some appeal. Everyone came out and we climbed it which was higher and a lot steeper than I was thinking.
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Becky following Marcus and Lucas' direct path approach. I took a wider trek along the spine and Samus did something in between.
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She's almost made it. I'm sure Lucas is offering words of encouragement. Or maybe a sarcastic remark. Knowing Lucas, probably the latter.
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Walking the spine. Still a ways to go
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Becky and Samus sitting on the spine of the hill
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Shot of the camper from up the hill, my main motivation for going
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Final climb
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And higher so a better shot of the camper and campground
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Marcus on top of the world
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There was more after the top but it got pretty skinny
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Now what the boys were waiting for… sliding down. Marc and Luke went down this way. The rest of us found a way to walk off it.
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Millipede that scurried by me while I was sitting outside, didn't see anything else was hoping to see a scorpion onthis trip but haven't so far.
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