Faded Love in Turkey Texas

Late Blog Post from Late April 2018

Nearly 3 months ago we camped at a sweet spot in Palo Duro Canyon not far from Amarillo.  Flowing by our campsite was the Prairie Dog Town Fork of the Red River.  If you happen to be that one blog reader who remembers (time warp factor) you'll see the satisfying circle back to land carved by that little river fork.  We're about 80 miles southeast - that is a lot of carving. 

Now on our journey towards home we are southeast of the Red River in a beautiful escarpment carved certainly for our delight.  Caprock Canyons State Park is gorgeous and peaceful in spite of being home to the Southern Plains Bison Herd.  

We spend the sunset hours watching a big dark boulder with a tail that occasionally swishes.  The bison roam free here, but apparently are not very interested in camping humans.

When we first noticed him, it wasn't clear whether he was huge boulder or bison.  A swish of the tail made it clear.  He munched his way almost into camera range.

The clearer photo above is from Q's window.

The red cliffs certainly make a gorgeous backdrop for the gorgeous beast.

From Caprock Canyons we head eastward through a surprising little town, Turkey, TX.  We are missing the Bob Wills annual festival by a week.  You can listen to Bob Wills' radio show to get an idea of why he is still appreciated.  His friendly critics say that his music continues to be heard because he included jazz licks and hot (take off)  licks and fine rock guitar beats

He grew up here in Turkey showing early his extraordinary musical ability. As an adult, he moved to Fresno, and then lived outside of Sacramento, but eventually returned to Texas. 

His band traveled in this sweet bus whose name (Faded Love) may tell you something about being married 5 times before he found his true love.  His same friendly critics suggest that his best music came in the difficult times before he met his true love.

Cousin Love

Out of Turkey we head towards sister & cousins in NW Arkansas.  It is as close to home as we can get without being home!  And so ends this journey - if this blog was real time instead of warped. it would look like it is bumping into the next one.

A Bloated Corpse in the Rio Grande (Seminole Canyon)

 A late blog post from late April

This is a second stop for us  here at the Seminole Canyon State Park in Texas. During last year's gypsy wandering we stopped overnight on our way to Big Bend.  Our timing then meant that we missed the guided tours and so missed seeing the rock art.  Hikers are not allowed into the caves without a guide.

Now we're back fulfilling the promise to ourselves.

As soon as we pull into the highest and windiest campsite (#26), we return to HQ for the first cave hike.  Alex shows our tour guides the value of D-Stretch software for revealing the fading paint.

(One of them sits to download it on the spot.)

The evidence (of 2,000 archaeological sites in this part of TX & Mexico) suggests that people lived here 12,000 years ago, but the pictographs date from about 7,000 years ago. and there are layers of painting.  The rangers tell us that the tour narration includes what can be surmised from the pictographs about the native people as well as the history of ranchers and the railroad.

This is the Fate Bell Shelter - named for an early rancher.  The kiosk is an enhancement of the pictographs. But they aren't nearly so clear in reality.

D-Stretch enhancement

It is easy to see why this land appeals to humans.  The rock shelters are cool and pleasant even during this hot Texas day - and there are pools of water and big rivers nearby.

The second day's hike takes us on a five mile loop down, through, up and around.  Our guides include natural history as well as the cultural history. Both are school teachers in nearby towns.  Hikers most appropriately dressed for a hot summer day in TX won bruises from rock climbing and deep scratches and pokes from thorns.  These two gypsies dressed in protective coverage enjoy a fine shower at the campground to wash away the heat of the hike.

Our third day excursion is by boat.  The Pakboat is assembled on the boat ramp in Amistad National Park at the edge of the Pecos River early morning.

We aren't on the water long before a family of river otters come to investigate.  The little ones are more curious than cautious.  We paddle along the Pecos until it meets the Rio Grande.  Along both rivers we see cliff swallows picking up mud to build.  There seem to be designated chores for the construction work, but the mud collectors are the most vocal in a mass flying choir of hundreds.

Our destination is Parida Cave.  We read that it is sometimes accessible by boat (never by foot).  We know the approximate location but are relying on being able to spot the wooden dock that signals an entrance.  This is a cave that has been in use by humans for thousands of years.  As recently as the 1880s it was used by (dramatic pause here...) the railroad.  A traveler on the Southern Pacific RR would have a rest stop at the Painted Cave Station.

We paddle for miles looking for anything cave like.  This one tempts us, but there is no dock in sight.

Each bend in the river takes us further than we think the cave could be from our turn off the Pecos River into the Rio Grande.

At one point we spy a wake of vultures and let our curiosity take us to see what their meeting is about.  The smell warns us that the sight may be grim.



We've been reading Death in Big Bend, so our minds are quite prepared for grim.  But this isn't the next chapter in the book.  The sorry meal of the wake is a bloated deer carcass.

As we turn around to search again for Parida Cave, we give the vulture community room to continue their clean-up.

There is one point in the river that we consider the most likely location of the cave, and we both are ready for a stretch.  Alex climbs and discovers the remains of the dock high in the rocks.  Parida Cave found!









The reward is beautiful views of the river from high on the bluff.  And the big surprise is a lush growth of ferns.

The pictographs are faint.  Our photos look like beige cave walls - just as you see behind the ferns.

But D-Stretch reveals more:

It isn't heavy for you because I am carrying it!

[Mid April]

We add another Big Bend to the adventure with 3 days in Big Bend Ranch State Park (TX).  The most coveted back country campsite is Guale [Wall-eh] #2 where one can see for miles in all directions.  Though we miss getting it by mere minutes, we camp nearby in Guale #1 and drive to watch the sun set.  

BBRSP is huge and quiet.  It is another dark sky place that attracts star gazers.  


From Guale #1 we drive west through the park.  The road through Fresno Canyon heading south is alternating narrow brushy two-track with sandy river bottom.  

D-stretch enhanced hand prints at Manos Arriba

We stop to see Manos Arriba on our way to the Vista del Bofecillos campsite.  The hand prints are inside a small cave.  It isn't difficult to see why this cool spot attracted visitors.  It is hot outside and pleasantly cool inside.  The prints are estimated to be >thousand years old...with some as recent as 300.








There are more pictographs to be found on the Cinco Tenajas trail.

The trail origin takes us to an overlook of the tenajas (jars) from the high canyon walls above the wash.  The trail then descends to the canyon and follows the wash to a place where people rested and took shelter - leaving their art for us to admire. we opt to do the hike to the petroglyphs before tenajas so that cooling will follow the heat of the desert hike.

One of the Cinco Tenajas

"Use caution as the smooth rocks around the tenajas are very slippery when wet and the pools can be difficult or impossible to get out of alone." - Texas Park hiking guide.  

It is with caution that I tuck the camera into a pocket and tether it to a belt loop. Alex provides a hand up for the less agile hiker - and stands as a road block when I am heading down the slippery rocks. Much appreciated! 

First view of this part of the Rio Grande River

One more night in BBRSP before heading for Big Bend National Park. The ranger mentions that we will likely find the Rio Grande riverside campground warmer than either of the other the higher elevation camps.  Another night with doors and windows open.  In the morning we find fresh tracks in the sand.  Bobcats perhaps?  Mom and little ones - guessing from tracks.

It is a short distance to Big Bend Natl Park.  We stop in Terlingua to inquire about the guided trip through St Elena Canyon as well as livery options.  Big bucks.  Nice that we have the Pakboat handy - and that the volume of water has slowed since spring.

We save many miles by heading for the ranger station at Castolon.  It looks like we will have to get used to disappointment as the Castolon ranger station cannot issue back-country camping permits.  Boat permit, yes.  

However, Ranger Daphne tells us that it is too hot to be in the back-country anyway.  "Stay at the Cottonwood campground. Enjoy the shade." We did. We discover another use for the collapsible dishpan (which has not yet been used to wash dishes in or outside of Quiggy). It makes a terrific cooling foot soak.  I shower in a sun dress using Q's outdoor shower and then sit in a camp chair with feet in cold water.  No A/C needed here.

Blurry Vermilion Flycatcher

It is a desert oasis not far from the river.  Lots of big trees, and with doors and windows open all night we listen to great horned owl music. It is a known birders’ hang-out, many campers walking around with binoculars hanging around their necks. Alas, I missed getting a photo of the beautiful vermilion flycatcher. However, the roadrunner posed often and well.

Incredible views around every bend

In the morning we are the first on the water in Santa Elena Canyon so speedy is the putting together of the Pakboat.  It is a short walk from the parking lot to the water.

Shallow water hike

We still speak of the people who met us at the river's edge. I wish, wish, wish I’d had the presence of mind to get their contact info. He came up and took my end of the boat and kept saying the most hilarious things in his heavy Indian-British-English accent. He is a chemical engineer/researcher who may have been in high demand over his career as they have lived all over the world, but now in Austin.

People coming down the path asked about the trip. He answered “it was great. We had fish and chips and margaritas.” I know this is one of those, you-had-to-be-there moments, but he was just so very funny. His spouse was just lovely, too. I said something about the boat not being that heavy. “Of course, you’ll say that. I’m carrying it!”

 
  

Thanks and Hueco Tanks

[Early April]

Hueco Tanks Ranchero

From 95 degree desert heat we drive across AZ to climb the backside of Mt Lemon to a chilly overnight camp at the top.  On the way up a motorcycle passes us.  The road is bumpy and Q handles it well, but two wheels are easier than four on this road.  It is that rough.  As we begin seeing a nice mix of manzanita and ponderosa pine, something in the middle of the road grabs our attention.  It looks like the biker lost a case.  A heavy case.  

Before we travel much further we see the bike heading back downhill.  After more than adequate thanks and assurance that he is okay, he describes the tumble he took.  The case fell without notice, but a few miles thereafter his jacket fell and caught, stopping the bike and sending him flying.

From Mt Lemon we head for a fav spot from last year's trip, the Chiricahua Mtns, near Chiricahua Peak.  It is another chilly camp at >8,000 feet of elevation.  It is a site that shows evidence of appreciation by other campers: a terrific fire ring with shelter, a nice store of fire wood, and no litter.

Camp at Hueco Tanks

We exit the Chiricahuas by way of Portal and are soon in New Mexico.  We drive Highway 9 across NM to TX often hugging the border with Mexico.  From El Paso it is a short drive to Hueco Tanks.  We pass a grocery store to which we will return, the Vista Market.

Hueco Tanks is a state park with possibly reactionary rule formation.  The park road locks at 6pm and all campers must be set up in assigned campsites by 8 pm.  Hiking permits are issued daily - the day of use - at 8 am. 

We somehow earn ranger trust and obtain hiking permits – and the map to a secret cave, Cave Kiva. The instructions are hilariously misleading, From picnic shelter #10 climb the boulders to the crest.  As you come over the crest find the duck.  Look over the duck's shoulder to locate the alligator.  Staying level with the duck work your way across the boulders around the valley to stand under the alligator's nose.  Follow the alligator's gaze to climb over the ridge to the cave entrance.  As a caveat at the bottom of the page it states that the duck and alligator are not actually green.

After hiking to the top of the hill, we return mid-way down where Alex spots the duck. Minutes later we locate the cave entrance and scoot inside on our backs to view the beautiful art work inside.

Once inside the cave, there is ample room to sit and even stand.  The stone floor is worn smooth. Inside the cave it does feel magical - or spirit friendly - or peaceful. Or all of the above.

It is also much cooler inside the cave than outside in the hot desert sunshine.

Hueco Tanks has been a stopping off place for people for thousands of years. Huecos are large and small rounded out bowls in the rock that hold water - some hold water year around.

We return the secret cave hike instructions and retrieve the hostage drivers license at the ranger station.  As we are again settling in under the ramada to admire brilliant sunset colors, our neighbors walk by with Izzy, their furry child. It turns out that Izzy and I share a fondness for Trader Joe's triple ginger cookies.  His people, Ella and Knapp Hudson, allow me to share a few nibbles.  

We share a few travel stories and in the process discover that they are photographers by avocation.  Ella is retired from professional forensic photography.  You owe it to yourself to visit their website and take a look at their work.  
https://www.stonecoastphotography.com/

Other valuable info we gain from Ella and Knapp is that the Vista Market we passed on the way to Hueco Tanks, is worth a visit. And so it is! It is our new favorite grocery store.  While i wait at the bakery counter, a friendly local customer teaches me to request ginger pigs in Spanish: Marranitas, por favor.  

In the morning we take the official guided hike with two New York special ed teachers, Tish and Dar. They (have temporarily) left teaching, but their  teaching skills make them wonderful hiking guides.

They mention software called D-Stretch. We heard about it from Ben at the Desert Tower. It is a collection of light & color filters which makes it easier to see and photograph pictographs – even if graffiti obscures ancient art work. We bought the book from Ben, but didn’t know until now that the software is a free download.

Volunteer Ranger Dar tells the story behind the dancers

This cave is not so difficult to enter and holds many pictographs and petroglyphs as well as more recent graffiti.

D-Stretch enhanced pictograph mask

D-stretch enhanced cave wall showing layers of artwork and graffiti

As we leave Hueco Tanks early morning we see the long line of hikers waiting outside the ranger station - waiting for the door to open at 8 am so the hiking day can begin.  

We are headed for Big Bend Ranch State Park and Big Bend National Park, but on the way we will camp at Davis Mt State Park with a visit to admire the McDonald Observatory.

A VIP donor event cancels the star party – a night-time event for viewing stars and planets, but the campground has flushing toilets and showers. Deluxe.  We will catch the star party next trip!

My Green Friend

We head west again to see the Gigi.  Joshua Tree National Monument is a favorite, but we find every campsite filled and end up camping just outside the park boundary - along with another hundred or so campers.  Camping near Gigi is easy as we return to the Lake Jennings campground.  No key limes this time, but still pretty and friendly, and a mere 10 minutes from Gigi’s place.  

The first night we find ourselves in a campsite that invites other campers to stroll through on their way to the bathroom and showers.  It is almost as if we are invisible so close to Q do they stroll. The staff graciously move us to a secluded site well off the unofficial trail to the bathroom.

We leave the Gigi knowing we are heading homeward.  But wait...it won't be a straight line (or even an interstate highway route). Our first stop will be to check out the hot springs at Jacumba [ha-KOOM-ba].  If there are not archaic ruins, there is at least a lot of history to explore.

Jacumba Hot Springs

Though they may not have called it Jacumba, the first people must have had reasons to appreciate the hot springs just as do we.  The first known residents were Kumeyaay.  In the twenties, this was the hot spot for movie stars and celebs before Murietta and Palm Springs were developed as spa resorts.

All that remains of the original hotel is the fireplace.  The hotel we occupy is one built in the 1980s and renovated after the turn of the century.  It is quaint. This is the first non-Quiggy overnight of our 3 month journey! 

Jacumba is right on the border with Mexico.  And there is a massive fence.   The fence went up in the 1990s with the result that the small community was cut in half. Devastating to both halves.

We hike looking for vortexes and possible petroglyphs, but instead find a defunct railroad museum.  This seems to fit with the Road to Ruins theme for our road trip.

The vortexes are behind locked gates, and petroglyphs well hidden. The return to Q brings appreciation for great mattress and pillows.  One should not expect those in a quaint hotel i suppose. As we head for Yuma, Alex suggests breakfast in Old Yuma. Note this recommendation for you: The Twisted Kitchen in Old Town Yuma is a terrific place for brunch. It is packed - and yet we dine outside at a peaceful sidewalk table.  The only traffic on the main street of Old Town Yuma seems to be cars and bicycles bringing twisted diners.

A few more miles of road and we opt for a stop at the Painted Rocks State Park in AZ.  The campground that was nearly full when we visited in February is empty except for the camp host and a couple from Alberta who we meet when they drop by to talk a bit. They are vegetable farmers, they say.  It is not yet planting season in Alberta.

Palo verde tree

Is the campground empty because people just don’t care to camp in 95 degree weather?    We shelter in Q’s shade when we’re outside - or under the palo verde tree.  The palo verde tree is a marvelous desert adaptation. When it is too dry to support leaves, it can photosynthesize through its green bark.

Adjacent to our campsite - an opportunity for a horseshoe tossing rematch. Ringer!



For the first time this trip we open all windows and doors to allow fresh desert breezes to circulate through Q all night long. The night sky view is incredible so far from city lights.

Stay out, stay alive

[Late March 2018]

From Death Valley we head southeast towards the water of Lake Mead. Lake Mead National Rec Area includes lots of shoreline above and below Hoover Dam and along the Colorado River.  We get conflicting info from rangers on the Nevada side, the AZ side, and in a phone call to park HQ.  We stop asking after we get the answer we like - yes, dispersed camping is fine on park roads #42-47, and no, we don't need a boat permit for our canoe.  

At the exit from 95 onto the El Dorado Canyon Rd we see the remains of a semi-truck-trailer fire.  The clean-up crew is there with a loader scooping up burned remains of snacks and beer. From the way the load is scattered there were a few miles between fire start and the driver's awareness of it.

We drive each of the 4W drive dirt roads just because they are pretty and wild.  We eliminate one for camping because the sign warns of unpleasant consequences. Danger: abandoned mines and quick sand.  We approach the sign just to get a photo.  Danger! Stay Out - Stay Alive!

We return to park road #44, driving the two-track up and down the kind of hills that don’t give a clue about where the road is until you crest. From our campsite we have an unobstructed view of the Colorado River - no other humans within view.

In the morning we drive as close as we can to the water's edge.  We promise ourselves that we'll launch the canoe from the Willow Beach camp on the east side tomorrow - when the weather forecast is for merely a little wind.

As we return along El Dorado Canyon Rd to head north on 95, there is little evidence of the big truck fire.  There is just a bit of charred roadside litter.

The drive north takes us through Boulder City - altogether too close to Las Vegas for traffic averse van dwellers.  But here we find a grocery store with plenty of variety and portions acceptable to Q's pantry & refrigerator.

Willow Beach

The manager of the campground and dock at Willow Beach is sympathetic to our collection of conflicting answers to questions about camping and boating.  She sets us straight as a long time employee at Willow Beach.  The park straddles the NV-AZ border and the park entrances are miles apart.  We enjoy campground showers and remote camping; and take the Pakboat for its first paddle.

The PakBoat is a terrific solution to having a boat without pulling a trailer. It stores in two duffel bags that ride on top of Q without bumping against the solar panels.  Our first practice put-together took hours.  Alex is now really adept, and we're on the water early morning, paddling south since the forecast says there will be a south wind in the afternoon.

It is work to paddle this canoe, but it is beautiful to be on the water.

Rest stop - turn around point

The mallard duck pair that escorted us to the beach wait for us to get back in the boat.  How do they know that i have a snack in my PFD?

We get glimpses of catfish and trout in the clear water as we paddle.  And there is a beautiful birdsong with clear descending notes that we don't identify until we visit Seminole Canyon.  Thanks to blog time warp, i can tell you now that the song belongs to the Canyon Wren.

As naturalist Ralph Hoffman wrote, “The Canyon Wren pours out a cascade of sweet liquid notes, like the spray of a waterfall in sunshine.” - from Bird Notes, where you can hear the audio file. Or see this sweet YouTube. The stony canyons around the water provide excellent acoustics for the wren concert.

Desert Bighorn Sheep

As we return to Willow Beach we sight Bighorn sheep high on the ridge above the water.  

The desert is starting to bloom in incredible colors.  (More desert wildflowers on FB.)






We step cautiously around the tiny flowers, and keep some distance from the spiny sort.

Sunset brings a bit of cloud cuteness.  It looks like a shadowy hand supporting the pinkish-orange.





In the morning we drive north again to hike to Arizona Hot Springs (6 miles with a soak in the middle).  This photo looks west into the mountain climb.

As we approach the springs, the canyon reminds us of our Titus Canyon drive.

Near the hot springs water seeps from seams in the rocks and along the trail. This hot spring feeds three pools constructed by bathers over years.  If you enter the pools from the river side, there is a ladder up into the lowest pool, the coolest temperature pool. We remove boots to wade into the first pool on the canyon side - and step into nearly scalding water.  A brisk walk through takes us to nicely hot water soothing for tired muscles.

We find the pools full of mostly young adults - including those attending a bachelor party that began with a river float trip to the springs; and then camping, beer, and a lot of laughing.  One of the bachelor's party tells us that we are putting them to shame by hiking in - and offer hands to assist us back through the scalding pool to our boots.

AZ Hot Springs is a hike labeled strenuous in the park brochure.  Yes, there is some climbing/descending - and a little smugness at completion. It is as we complete the hike that we see signs warning of Naegleria fowleri, an amoeba that is potentially present in the hot springs. The sign cautions us to plug noses if we put our heads underwater.  Hmmm, perhaps another sign nearer the water?  It is not at all tempting to dunk in the hot pools.

At the parking lot we encounter a group of kids who intend to hike to the hot springs.  We suggest studying the kiosk map and a cell phone photo of the map to guide their way.  

As we are driving away we notice that they are heading away from the trail to the hot springs and into disappointment in the opposite direction leading to the mountains.  We do a quick course correction for them and see them on the way towards the springs, wondering if there is anyway that they will make it there and back before dark.

We complete our visit to Lake Mead Natl Rec Area with a visit to Grapevine Canyon and Spirit Mountain at the south end of the park.

This is a sacred place holding hundreds of petroglyphs on nearly every boulder.