March’s buzz word …..Go! Go! Go! Starting on March 1st, my 70th birthday, and ending in Austin, Texas for the solar eclipse, this was a month of travel for sure.
We did not have a lot of time for celebrating my birthday because of the recent launch of Joel’s new generation of iTroll, but he suggested a weekend trip to a hot springs in Tacopa, California just outside of Death Valley National Park. Neither of us had ever been to DVNP so it was a great choice.
Desert driving
Unfortunately it was so windy
we did not get to do any hiking.
But the sights were very pretty….
Especially the “Artist’s Palette”
created by the various elements in the rocks.
I had forgotten my Golden Age National Park Pass,
so it was the perfect time for Joel to finally buy his.
Delights Hot Springs were great!
We thoroughly enjoyed each of the four private hot spring pools – naked, of course. But did not use the outdoor hot spring pool because swimsuits are required in that pool
(and it was still very windy).
And the crazy wind persisted
until we were well out of the desert!
The route home took us through Victorville and I asked Joel to drive by Dave McRae’s old house on Redondo Drive. It didn’t look much different than the last time I saw it.
When we arrived home there was a beautiful birthday bouquet waiting for me. Thanks, Kevin & Vanessa 💖
On March 7th Joel’s daughter was in town to celebrate her Mom’s birthday and she took us all to Indian Wells. The highlight….seeing Naomi Osaka’s return to tennis after becoming a new mom!
And at last, our bathroom remodel is completed with the finishing of our floor done by our friend Benson. We are thrilled with the result, both in looks and functionality!
I also had the huge mirror that we had removed from the wall when we moved in cut and hung like I had wanted to do for so many years. The frame won’t be ready for several weeks so it will have to wait until I return to California in July.
We had been having a lot of rain this winter in the Corona area and our neighbor took this picture and sent it to us. A (double) rainbow over OUR little house – how cool is that!?
On March 18th I hopped in my motorhome and headed east. First stop was in Phoenix, Arizona for dinner and a lovely visit with my niece, Michelle. Her parents (my sister) were still in Europe so it was just my niece and I. We talked and had dinner together then I returned to my RV to boondock for the night.
My plan was to keep south as I did not want any possibility of hitting snowy or icy weather. In fact, I did not even want to have very cold nights! I also had never traveled far south in Texas so I planned to stop at both Big Bend State and National Parks, the keep south to Laredo and possibly the Gulf Coast, before heading north through San Antonio on my way to the Austin area.
Big Bend did not disappoint; however, they are both such HUGE parks it was only possible to experience small parts of each park in the limited time I had to spend there. I’d like to go back there someday with Joel and spend more time exploring.
My first adventure was to hike Closed Canyon Trail,
a slot canyon similar to those that are quite common in Utah.
That hike was after just arriving at Big Bend State Park late in the afternoon so I was eager to get to my campground and settle in for the night. The next morning I headed out to the HooDoos Hiking Trail and to see the Rio Grande River.
The word hoodoo originated in Africa and referred to rock structures with strange animal shapes and embodied evil spirits. Hoodoos are also referred to as “fairy towers” because of their fanciful shapes. In other parts of the southwest they are called “goblins.”
Friday, March 22, 2024
(I say the wrong date in this video)
For the first time in my life I stood at the edge of the famous Rio Grande!
There is one location in the Big Bend NATIONAL Park that offers passage to the Mexican side of the border (Visiting Mexico through the park’s Boquillas Crossing Port of Entry is an option for visitors possessing a valid passport.) But apparently there are people who try to do so in the STATE Park……hence this sign!!
On my last day in BB State Park I saw this area which apparently was often used for the filming of western themed Hollywood movies. Easy to imagine why this area was used!!
From the state park it was a very short drive to the national park, but approaching from the west as I was doing you do not enter through the main visitor center. (I would do that as I exited the park on the east side.) Due to limited time I chose to do the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive. I did stop and tried to hike a few times, but my hand-foot syndrome happened to be acting up so it was pretty painful to walk for any period of time. I also came to a spot in one trail that dropped off about 4 feet. Being alone I did not think I could get back up this drop-off on my return so decided against trying it!
The Magdalena House gives visitors a glimpse into what life was like in the early 2oth century in this Castelon area. Mexican & US citizens created a peaceful bicultural, binational, agricultural community that thrived here at the edge of the Rio Grande.
More lovely hiking areas and another glimpse of the Rio Grande
Friday, March 22, 2024
(I say the wrong date in this video)
The region was named Big Bend for the drastic change in course of the river from a southeastern to a northeastern flow. Looking at a map it appears the big bend is approximately at this point in the river.
I finally reached the main visitor center at Panther Junction on the way to my campground for the night. It was another 30 minute drive to my campground!
How appropriate on the way to the eclipse that this is a designated “Dark Sky Park”
Once I got to the campground a ranger told me that there was a short walk to an area where many campers like to view the sunset. I decided to take the walk once I was settled at my campsite.
It was worth the walk!
I was also lucky enough to see quite a few hawks circling this area at dusk.
And on the way back to my campsite I had another great surprise……
You leave them alone and they do not bother you.
After leaving the Big Bend area I stayed the night in the nearby town of Terlingua. It is a beautiful part of the country with so much to see and do. Big Bend State Park is more than 300,000 acres in size and the National Park is more than 800,000 acres! The several small towns around that area – Terlingua, Lajitas, and Marathon are worth visiting as well. One area of the national park I was unable to see was the Chisos Mountain area. My RV is at the upper end of size allowed on the road to the mountain and I decided not to do it alone. I’d love to rent a jeep to climb the mountain some day! There is so much still to explore I can hardly wait to return here with Joel in the future!
My next stop was over 250 miles away from Big Bend so I needed a good night’s sleep and to get on the road early the next morning.
I was planning to visit Kickapoo Caverns State Park because I wanted to tour their bat cave. But when I arrived there on a Monday afternoon I was told that the tours only take place on Saturdays and that they are already booked through June. Also, the park was much further out of the way than I expected so all in all it was pretty much a bum deal. At least the park was quiet and comfortable for the night.
I had to hike to the top of this trail to get cell reception to say good night to Joel 💖
Back on the road the next morning I realized that I probably did not have enough time to get to the Gulf Coast for a worthwhile visit before needing to turn north toward Austin. The streets of Laredo and the beaches near Corpus Christi will have to wait for my next trip……..
I re-routed myself through Matthew McConaughey’s hometown of Uvalde, Texas (darn, he was not there when I was 😏) and then through San Antonio. My engine kept telling me I needed an oil change soon and my awning had refused to work since leaving California so San Antonio would be a place to get those two things taken care of, as well as grocery shopping for the coming week in San Marcos. Good thing I did this because the awning motor was burnt out ($575, ugh) and I found a Ford dealer in New Braunfels that was quick and reasonable for the oil change.
The night before my oil change I boondocked (as I often do) in a truck stop parking lot. I feel very safe tucked between those huge 18-wheelers!
San Marcos would be my last stop before meeting Joel, Kevin and Vanessa, and everyone else in Horseshoe Bay (Austin) for the Total Solar Eclipse. A week at the RV park near my son’s house and lots of time with my granddaughter, Eva…..what more could I ask for?!
By March 27 th I was settled in my campsite at Pecan Riverside RV Park in San Marcos, Texas (just a 3 mile bike ride from my granddaughter’s house) with a full refrigerator, a working awning and a weary body ready for some downtime before the eclipse….. and ready to hangout with my lovable Eva for sure.
It just happened that the weekend I was in San Marcos Eva was scheduled to play in a junior disc golf tournament. I was happy to go along and watch.
Warming up for the tournament…..
and climbing the nearest tree for YinYin to take cute photos!
The Flying Armadillo Disc Golf Club in San Marcos has the most creative tees I’ve ever seen!
For 9 years old Eva can sure throw a mean disc. Of course it helps that Dad & Dad’s GF are excellent players and coach her all the time!
Eva really seems to love the game and each time I see her play she gets better. This tournament she also won her division – just icing on the cake!
I left the RV park the following Wednesday
to pick Joel up at the Austin airport.
Meandering Momma / Annie's Journey 