April 23, 2025

Have you read any good books lately?

As a full-time RVer, we usually read our books on tablets but Kate always has to snap a shot of the Little Free Libraries wherever we go! Did you know that there are over 200,000 LFL worldwide?

April 21, 2025

Goodbye Texas hello New Mexico!

Travel day again! We have arrived in Carlsbad, NM! Total time in Texas was 3 months + 1 week.
Carlsbad is still in the Chihuahuan Desert , so the landscape is very similar to Terlingua, TX.

April 19, 2025

There is so much amazing hiking in the Big Bend area

There is so much amazing hiking in the Big Bend area! On one of our last days here, we hiked the Closed Canyon Trail , a trail in Big Bend Rank State Park, about 20 miles west of where we stayed.

April 17, 2025

Big Bend National Park Part V

Our fourth trip to Big Bend during our stay in Terlingua, TX led us up the Chisos Mountains to a second visitor center. As you head up the mountain, you see the landscape change from desert to forest. It’s a slow change, but once you realize the change, you’re awestruck!

April 16, 2025

Peregrine Falcon of Big Bend

While reading up on Big Bend, we found out that from February through May each year, parts of the park are closed to protect the nesting Peregrine falcons . These incredible birds were listed as an endangered species until 1999 and are still considered a threatened species in Texas.

April 15, 2025

Hiking the Santa Elena Canyon was AMAZING!

The Santa Elena Canyon hike itself is about two miles, but the first part of the hike is difficult to get to. We walked through a dry creek bed, then climbed up the 6’ tall sand walls of the creek bed to get to the trail. Once on the trail, it was a vertical climb up the north canyon wall with switchbacks in full sun and without much in the way of handrails!

April 14, 2025

Big Bend National Park Part IV

Back at Big Bend National Park again! Today we decided to take Maverick Road (unpaved and not maintained year round) down to Santa Elena Canyon for a hike. We stopped at several locations along the way to the canyon, including Luna’s Jacal . It’s amazing that this mud and ocotillo built structure is still standing, as its resident, Gilbert Jacal, passed away in 1947 at 108 years old!

April 13, 2025

Some local flora of the desert

One of the things I always find interesting is the flora and various colors in the landscape. While you may think being in a desert would lack color, I found that the color was just very muted while in the Chihuahuan Desert . This photo shows a prickly pear next to an ocotillo cactus and various other plants.

April 12, 2025

Big Bend National Park Part III

Big Bend National Park and the surrounding areas are one of the DARKEST skies in any national park in the continental US. The rangers here put on an amazing evening program that allows visitors to view the night sky and learn about the stars and constellations.