Tucson, AZ - Day Four

We have been spending time visiting with Huguette in rehab and getting caught up on laundry and other chores. Today we did a trail ride through Gunsight Pass south of Tucson. While easy by western trail standards, it was much more than anything we get in Florida. It was a good warm up for more challenging trails.

Gunsight Pass Looking NW towards Tucson.

Gunsight Pass Looking SE the way we came.

In the evening met my sister Patricia and her husband Marc at Huguette’s rehab facility where last minute packing was being completed. Huguette leaves tomorrow for Santa Barbara and an assisted living apartment there where she will be close to my other sister Jocelyne. After getting Huguette settled for the night we rejoined Marc and Patricia at their home overlooking Tucson, enjoyed one of Arizona’s famous sunsets, and wonderful dinner.

Tucson, AZ

We arrived at the FamCamp at Davis-Monthan AFB in Tucson, AZ mid-afternoon. It was an easy drive from Demming, NM.

While changing drivers at a rest stop in eastern Arizona we were approached by an electrical contractor with a dilemma. He had driven forty miles to the rest stop to run a video camera inspection of the state’s septic lines to the drain field. Once there he realized that electrical power was not available close enough to the farthest inspection access, despite a hundred feet of extension cord. He was embarrassed that he had failed to bring his portable generator.

After some thought, I found a way to get turned around (can’t back up when towing the jeep) and present the side of the motor home with an electrical outlet to the curb near his work area. We fired up the genset and had him in business quickly. Once powered up he was able to complete his work in minutes, and we were on our way.

The FamCamp here is one of the best campgrounds we have been to, military or commercial. The grounds are very well landscaped, and while the sites are close together, they are very nice. There is an open house at the air base this weekend, so we are to be treated to a performance by the Thunderbirds!

Notice aircraft graveyard in background

We had dinner with my sister, Patricia, and her husband after visiting her mom (my stepmom) who remains in a care facility since suffering from heart failure and pneumonia in December. Huguette will be transferring to a more permanent facility in Santa Barbara where she will be close to my other sister, Jocelyne. The restaurant and care facility were both in the Catalina Mountains above Tucson, and the nighttime view was spectacular.

Demming, NM

We have stopped for the night in Demming, NM. That leaves only about another 250 miles to Tucson, our next planned stop of length.

We had a decent drive, but the winds were blistering strong. Those winds cut into our gas mileage causing us to pull in for fuel a little earlier than originally planned.

We are overnighting in an Escapee’s RV Park. The Escapee’s Club is a group of like-minded RVers. They own a dozen or so parks, and have other parks that offer discounts to members. Like Good Sam and FMCA, Escapees is at its heart a social club and they made us very welcome here.

Our neighbor to the right is a Winnebago Journey like ours. On our left is a 5^th wheel pulled by a semi. Seems like a little overkill, but I bet is up the mountain highways like a rocket.

 

The back of his trailer is even with the back of our coach.

No side trips today. We took advantage of the early arrival (due to gaining an hour due to the new time zone) to do laundry (me) and give Nia a much-needed bath (Barbara).

Davis Mountain SP and the McDonald Observatory

Day two in Fort Davis was divided between Davis Mountain State Park and the McDonald Observatory.

Anyone on the road in this part of Texas owes it to himself or herself to spend a little time in this state park. The setting is a canyon a few miles out of Fort Davis. The campsites are very nice, and there is plenty of hiking to keep you exercised. The CCC produced these trails during the depression. They also built a large lodge, which is now a very nice looking hotel. So if you are not a camper, there is still a way for you to spend a few days here. We drove the overlook road to the top of the ridge forming one side of the canyon. The road had many picnic areas that afforded magnificent views. We could see down to our RV on the southwestern edge of town.

 

RV Park is just to the right of the curly part of the antenna.

Looking towards Marfa, TX. Marfa is a story for another trip.

Park campground in foreground, Lodge in the distance.

The wind has been blowing hard all day, but in the canyon it was peaceful. By the time we got to the McDonald Observatory several miles away it was hard to keep a hat on. At an elevation just under 6800’, the observatory sits on the highest mountain served by the Texas highway system. There are several telescopes at the facility, but the largest are 82” and 107” in mirror size. The 107” telescope was finished to support the NASA solar exploration of the late sixties, and using the reflector left on the moon by Apollo 11 astronauts, used laser technology to accurately confirm the exact distance between earth and the moon.

 

Approach to McDonald Observatory

Lots of great scenery. Looking back the way we came.

82" on left. 107" on the right. The whole dome rotates in sync with stars.

We did not have time to take advantage of the full tour because it is two and a half hours long, but we were able to drive around the grounds and take in the displays and videos at the visitor center. Oh, for you NPR listeners, this is the group that does the "Star Date" pieces on astronomy.

It turned out the Overland Trail Museum was closed today, but here is the story. 

 

It was a good day, and we topped it off with a rib eye steak in downtown Fort Davis. There are a handful of small family restaurants on the main drag. Thankfully no chains, just locally owned and operated. We were guided to the Drug Store for the rib eye, but Lupita’s for Mexican food was highly recommended, too. There are no chain hotels, either, which is part of the charm of this small town. There are a number of small B&B style accommodations, and the lodge up in the state park.

Fort Davis is really a nice quiet place to visit. Just ignore the blowing dust.

Fort Davis, TX

This morning we packed up and drove to Fort Davis, north of Alpine, TX. The town of Fort Davis grew up adjoining the cavalry fort of the same name established in the 1800s to protect the Overland Trail from Indian attack and provide some semblance of law and order to the frontier. 

Officer's Quarters

Looking from parade field to ruins of stables.

The Buffalo Soldiers, African American soldiers under the command of white officers, staffed it. You do not hear much of these units, but they should get more recognition. Of course, most of what we know of this time frame we picked up in the movies. Those are not known for correct historical portrayals, are they? A quick read of “I Left My Heart At Broken Knee” will show how poorly the movies portray the expansion of the west.

The fort is on the original road that linked San Antonio and El Paso.

 

Original road to El Paso.

And San Antonio is 400 miles the other way.

We plan to see more of the area tomorrow and visit Davis Mountain State Park. Oh, the fort and town were named in honor of Jefferson Davis while he was secretary of war.

Big Bend NP, Day Two

Day two in Big Bend National Park was a full one on the trails. We did eighty miles through the southern portion of the park. Half of that was on dirt roads labeled for high clearance vehicles and the rest for 4X4s. As off-roading goes these were all easy, but your Prius would not fair well.

This route took us along the Rio Grande River, where it forms the border between the United States and Mexico. Because the road is above the flood line of the river we could not see it through the vegetation in most places.

Rio Grande

Rio Grande

Our first stop, Rooney’s Place, a ruin down by the river. Rooney was a settler in the early twentieth century. There were stone walls (without mortar) along a rock outcropping. It was originally several rooms, but the two walls where we had our picnic was all that was left.

 

Rooney's Place

Rooney's Place on the Rio Grande

 

Nia is a city girl and not sure of all this.

In the 1800’s hardy settlers tried ranching and mining here under the threat of Indian attack and rustlers marauding across the boarder. Cinnabar (quicksilver) and silver mining were profitable into the early 1900s, but by 1947 all mines were shut down.

Mariscal Mine (Smelted mercury was originally taken by mule to El Paso).

Now, as we drive through the park, we can see cattle on the Mexican side of the river, but no homes along our route. This is a very lightly populated area on both sides. It takes a hardy soul to make a living down here, but the people I spoke to that live here love it.

Before leaving this morning Barbara took a few pictures of where we were staying. This is Callie Stillwell’s store and now museum. Callie made a life here in the early 1900s after her husband died. The store supplemented the meager earnings of the ranch. Her decedents now run the place.

Hallie Stillwell Museum

Stillwell Store and campground.

Texas Bluebonnet?

Big Bend National Park, Day One

We had a great day in Big Bend National Park. We spent the day on Old Ore Road, an unimproved road that follows the original path of the ore wagons that supported the mining that took place here in the 1890s. Silver, cinnabar and quicksilver were mined here. This is the reason we bought the jeep. We wanted to get off the beaten path and enjoy the backcountry.

 

Ore Road

Once back to the Stillwell Store we enjoyed a beer on the front porch before getting things put away for the night.

 

Rocking out with a Lone Star!

Back to the mother ship.

Tomorrow will be spent on the river road along the Rio Grande. Weather here has been excellent. While in the nineties, it has been comfortable since the humidity has been low. This is also a great time to be here since so much of the desert plant life is blooming.