Left Texas with a new appreciation for the beauty of the people and nature

Eds Adventures; April 25 and after 18 days and 9 rivers I left Tx and Big Bend yesterday and made my way back to Highway 10 after a week in the isolated back country of Big Bend. Wow is it big with 265 miles of Rio Grande river bringing the lifeblood of water to the region of harsh desert. To see the color green from a distance and know you must be getting close to the Rio Grande against the backdrop of the mountains with the desert color palletes of greys and all shades of brown from the dark volcanic rock of the mountains to the desert southwests shades of brown all of their own.  

I went to Big bend last weekend driving to Amistad Nat recreation area to spend the night. I made it to the park HQ and came out to my car which would not open with my electronic key, the only way to open the car. My spare key was in the car and the park service spent 1 hr trying to get in with no luck because the car alarm went off and auto locked each time they tried opening. Anyway after a locksmith and $50 bucks and 3 hours later I went back to del Rio for batteries and then stayed in Lake Amistad at a primitive campground. I was so wiped out after the day and my tent was being held up by rocks and hoping it would not blow away in the wind. Still missing that tent pole. Put it on the list for a rv place.

Took off on Mon morning and headed 90 West toward Big Bend. My second camper tire blew. Both originals I am sure had dry rot. Hope the new ones work. Allen stopped righ away and helped me out. The tire was on passenger side and at a angle so difficult to get the jack and high enough to change the tire. Allen was a real blessing as I was struggling and about ready to call triple AAA except no phone service.
Allen is a retired horse shearer and one tough old texan with a heart of gold. he is disabled and I suspect much younger than he looks. What a tough life working with the horses and getting beat up every day. Also a life of freedom and the american dream. Allen had a wonderful wisdom and his son is 32 and in Iraq right now. He would not except any money and said he would never leave anyone stranded in West Tx. I told him I was all about paying it forward and would make sure I stopped and helped people along the way.  What a blessing for God to bring him there for me in time of need.

Well it had been 24 hours and about 4 hrs of being stranded. I try not to question reasons and look at it as an opportunity to grow in patience and persaverance. I have lots of room to grow. Look out!!!
And Monday night made it to Big Bend HQ in the rain and went to Chisos basin camground. I was a mess and decided to to sleep in the car with the rain and my bad tent so ate a bite and layed the car seat back all the way with my sleeping bag and got a little sleep.

Tuesday I went back to Panther Junction HQ to get my mail. Wow three weeks with no mail. I met with Jane Brown Volunteer Coordinator. I had e-mailed to see if there were any projects I could volunteer for. The trail crew had Americorps group out but she gave me the name of Mike Ryan who is the River Ranger on the Rio Grande for 250 miles of patrol and conservation work with the Mexican Govt and their partners. I met with Mike and a volunteer couple who spend a few months each year helping shuttle park rangers around districts and do search and rescue, invasive species control and law enforcement. I interviewed Mike fo about 10 minutes before he got called away. He has been a river ranger for 20+ years and you could see his gentle and caring compassion for the National Park. Especially since it is a joint effort with Mexico to strenghten the partnership between countries in a so violent time of drug and mob wars on our borders and the issue of immigration. He is looking for volunteers for months of May and June to volunteer to do shuttles on the river. I really like and connected with him and am thinking that next year I may think hard about doing that. great experience in disatser relief, search and rescue skills. Keep it in mind. Did not get to see Mike again as he was going into thew field with Mexican partners to survey invasive species. I asked about a treip while I was there but could not with Mx group. I did not get to see Mike before I left but will e-mail from Tucson and let him know how great it was and to keep in touch for next year. I noticed he is a Universal Church Minister and thought what a gentle soul.
.
I just heard that Az govener cracked down on all illegals and will arrest them if they do not have papers. How crazy is that. Give the people a way to come in legally and they will. We need them so do not kid ourselves that they are taking jobs away from americans. I have never seen any american kids or adults in FL doing landscape or manual work in the summer time.

Mike talked about the wildlife and flora and fauna of this unique ecosystem. Big Bend has a number of ecosystems supporting a diverse variety of species. From the desert plants and succulants to the hardwood Junipers and oaks in the mountians. The desert is near sea level and the mountains reach 7500 feet. from 100 degrees in desert to 55 in mtn. I camped down in cottonwood on the rio grande and finally got my kayak in a river for the first time. It was not a long ride as current was swift and river shallow and rocky so had to pull it through a few times. I put in at Santa Elena canyon surrounded by giant srtone and rock formations out of the pleistocene period of dinasaurs. IN fact that are many exhibits and digs gloing on. Tx was a part of shallow seas that cover much of our continent during that period filled with all the terrible creatues of Jurassic Park. Not much good camping if humans were alive back then. The bears and mtn lions that are in the area today seem pretty tame in comparison. I spoke with Don who is the geologist and alkso archeologist about the formation of the area and its millions of years of history. How interesting to look at a different perspective of 100 million years instead of our limited understanding since man came around a couple of million years ago. We are all so very insignificant in the realm of time and space and yet we have this infinite loving God who gives us his spirit and calls us to reflect his spirit out on to this planet making a difference and fullfilling us beyond our human needs but to our Soul and connection to God. Through nature is one of the best ways to quiet the mind and let go of ego. I find a contentment most of the time when I just quit trying do too many things. Just sit and listen to all the sounds of birds, wind, and see the cactus in bloom and the mountains colors all vivid. The comes night and the sky show is beyond any fireworks. No light pollution anywhere and the clear nights brought billions of stars. It is easy to escape all the ugly reality of our country and be A Part Of Nature blending in with and nuturing it rather than controlling and abusing the resources so many go without. I have been conserving in a number of ways. Recycling bags and no shower for a week. Used about 4 gallons all week. Also eating a lot of veggies and fruit so not much meat or chicken. Loosing some weight after all these hikes.

I did the Lost Mines trail 6 miles RT and climbed about 1500 feet on Wed. It was part mtns so not too hot but very windy all days in  Big Bend.  There has been a siting of mother mtn lion and cubs in the area and was hoping to get a glimpse. It seems about 20-30 lions ahve been in this area for years. It seems the farmers and ranchers are the bigest threat to them. also bears just coming out of hibernation for the winter in the mtn area. Everything is bear proof.

Cottenwood Campground was very warm reacing 100 one day but breeze helped with bugs and comfort. The campground was unbelievable. The serious birders come to the campground and have their 500 MM lenses looking for the birds. They are a nice group around the camp and have chatted with most of the birders. It seems I found the best campsite with tres and a grassy area where we were visitied each day by a herd of javelina graziing. It was such a great site as you see the pics. The vermillion flycatcher red and grey and beautiful to wahtch it catch bugs in the fly right in front of me. Just amazing the evolution of species to survive with unique adaptations. We saw a grey hawk which is rae in US mostly Mx that has nested the past few years. All kinds of cardinals, verdents, western tanagers. Slowly learing names and got a nice briding card to help me.

Friday I hiked the chisos basin loop and the Leguna Meadow trail. about 10 miles and 1000 ft change in elevation. Staring to get in good shape. The trials are marked great and have had no problems which for me is REALLY BIG knowing my history with directions. Thanks holy spirit for guiding me. This is the area where the bear and mtn lions habitat is favored with a mix of desert and the turns into hradwood with Juniper, oaks, Az and Douglas fir which are very rare in this area. I was one of only a couple of people I saw all morning. So quiet and p;eaceful getting aborbed into the habitat. I could hear ther slightest sounds and bushes rumbling hoping to hear the low purring of kittens or sounds of a bear jsut far enough away to get pics. YEAH GET REAL ED, okay no sightings but a wonderful hike, and awesome day of hiking. Back to campsite in the afternoons to rest up and relax. It is about 30 miles to anything including gas or water so I had to plan ahead. I visited Rio Grande village on the river and checked out spot to put kayak but not really good kayaking river.

Tx has been  awesome with perfect timing for spring bloom of desert and mtns and full of the wild nature. I have been =watching the Natl Parks videos oin my laptop as daily entertainment. It has been so interesting to see the history of the people and parks 150 years ago and today. There visions of the parks and how society and culture placed little thought or concern on something with no intrinsic value. They could see the reality of what would happen if not to save some of these treasures to give evryone the possibility of seeing who we were as a young nation growing in new ideas and values which are more important now than ever before. This economy and future of our country looks a lot like when FDR took office and decided the best way out of a reciession is to build infrastructure and to take care of our national treasures adding more and more parks the vision of Nat Parks. All across the globe countries hve found ways to save their treasure and benefit economically by saving instead of destroying the treasures for short term gains. I think Pres Obama should look at the parks with no budgets anymore and lacking in trails and maint. Back in the FDR days ihe found the way to give jobs to thise who would build roads, trails buildings bridges in our Natl parks and be able to send back money to famileis duriung the depression. As they interviewed these people many lives were changed and the parks became part of our culture and a legacy for generations to come. I think that idea would go over great right now. I would sign up in a heart beat. Oh well for my poniutifcations on our environment.

Well it is Sun morning in Motel 8 in Las Cruces NM. I had a shower and meal last night at Mx restaurant. I sure appreciate the simple things more now. Alos a bed that does not shake from 40 MPH gusts of wind. Great night sleep. Updating e-mail and pics etc this morning and on to S Az and coranado Nat forest south of Tucson for a few days and then to civilization and Richard and Tucson and Phoenix and family. It will be so great to spend time together with richard and David in tucson. Richards parish and courtyard are all finished and have not see it yet. Also can not wait to attend mass with Richard celebrating. I have been listening to his homilies at Corpus Christi parish near Saguaro Nat Monument. It gets kind of lonely after a while so it will be special to catch up with family and friends lives. It has been 4 years since I moved from Scottsdale and is great blessing to get back this year.

Okay noone will read this far anyway but had to get caught up on the journey of wonderment. Now for some great pics from Big Bend NP