SW16: Seminole Canyon to Falcon

Sunset View

This is the evening sky at Seminole Canyon State Park:

Day 29: March 5

Time to move towards the Rio Grande Valley and more birds (we hope). The weather is meant to be hot and sunny.

It was a fauna drive as we saw a Javelina on our way out of the park and an Elk herd farther down the road. This viewing was when we pulled in to view an Historical Marker (they're all over Texas) that noted remnants of a Mexican family's original ranch which was abandoned and taken over by The Texas Rangers who were stationed there “to rid the country of Indians and Bandits” (not MY words):

We stocked up in the cute town of Alpine and continued our drive through areas where the desert trees and shrubs are beginning to flower.

It's quite a barren stretch of land along Highway 90. There are cattle ranches, oil fields, fracking fields, Border Patrol track traps, and not much to see. Why anyone (after being rid of “Indians and Bandits”) would have wanted to settle here is beyond me!

But we did discover that the enchiladas at the Stripes gas stations are cheap and good!

The sky was overcast (the first time in 29 days), but the Yucca was in flower (and goats were EATING the Yucca). And it was 70F.

We stopped for another short visit in Langtry to the Judge Roy Bean Museum:

...and got to Seminole Canyon State Park (Site #27 E/W $20). It was too windy to ride the canyon trails, so we walked some and got some desert flower shots:

Here's the view from my chair (that's Mexico beyond the desert):

Day 30: March 6

It was still windy and overcast, so we decided to move on.

As we drove past miles of track traps and Border Patrol trucks, we wondered why we've never ever seen any Mexicans crossing into the US! Then we wondered if Donald Trump had ever driven these miles that we have. There is NO NEED for a wall! Just sayin'

We hit our first (favourite) H.E.B. Grocery store, AND we saw our first Blue Bonnets:

At the next Border Patrol Station, the officer spoke to me, and it was the first time anyone wanted to look inside (he had said he'd liked our MoHo, so I teased him that he just wanted a peek).

The oil towns were either declining (Carrizo Springs) or booming (Eagle's Pass). We didn't get my BBQ yet, but did get to Falcon State Park and got Site #128 ($16 E/W) and settled in for a hot (88F) and windy afternoon.

We set out oranges and our food and water feeders and saw this little guy:

...but not much else!

Here's the view from my chair:

Day 31: March 7

The night was noisy with wind and what we thought were Javelina eating leftover birdseed.

The morning brought us those Javelinas (seven in total!):

...and a few birds.

It was getting hot, so we rode around the park and didn't see much “new” and came back to the site. But, again, we noted the colour we've never seen here before:

We even put the air conditioner on “for Mandy” (got up to 90F).

We had some visitors to our “new” feeder (we abandoned the “Javelina Feeder” and retrieved one left behind by former campers). It was a great afternoon of reading and birdwatching. Here are some of my favourite pictures:

And here's the sunset view from my chair:

SW16: Hello again, Texas

Sunset View:

Relax; no snakes! Here's the sky, coloured by the setting sun at Davis Mountains State Park, TX:

Day 26: March 2

Here we are, back in Texas. The drive through El Paso was busy, but we survived. We got supplies in Van Horn and headed south on 118 to Fort Davis.

The Saguaros of Tucson gave way to the Prickly Pears of New Mexico, and now we have the Yuccas and Mesquite of west Texas.

We got to the park and decided to buy a $70 pass. That “saved” us $36 for three days park entry and $10 on our second night here, so we're happy! The woman at the office was amazed at how many Texas parks we have visited over the years!

We're in Site #32 ($20 E/W).

We added a lot of Life Birds to our list here over the years, but not any today. But between the old bird blind and the new one, we counted 21 birds our first day here (without really trying!):

Here's the view from my chair:

Day 27: March 3

We got up early and rode to the Primitive Camping area and “The Seep” which we had enjoyed before. Despite several attempts to find it, based on memory and a map, we never did see it. When we returned to the office, we were told that the viewing area had been washed away this fall in a flood. It would have been nice to know!

So, we continued to ride around and visited the bird blinds and “the trough” which we DID find. There we saw this harbinger of Spring:

After lunch, I walked the Montezuma Quail Trail (yikes what a trail) and felt good but quail-less (though not Muledeer-less):

We visited with Colorado neighbours (one set who had been camping in a teardrop trailer for the past TEN MONTHS!). And then David DID see three Montezuma Quail (no pictures). Now we had 27 birds this trip. Here are a few more campsite birds:

It was a 15,000 step and 7 mile ride/hike day!

Here's a view of our camping area from the top of the trail:

Day 28: March 4

After such a busy yesterday, we stayed quiet and enjoyed the coolness of the campsite. Later, I rode to the CCC Indian Lodge, a pretty place you could stay at in the park in the 1930's and today:

We visited the bird blinds and saw three more birds for a total of 30, This was a good tally. Oh, and no Campsite Bunny, just these Muledeer!

Here's a view of David in our campsite from across the wash:

SW16: Bye bye AZ and NM

Snake Alert

Instead of a gorgeous opening sunset, I've inserted this warning to my snake-a-phobic friends. But I have to tell the story! It's on Day 24.

Day 23: February 28

Looks like we're slowly starting East as of today. On our way out of our sweet little site, we measured a 1,000 acre or more Solar Farm and a 10-mile (both sides of the highway) cattle feed lot. There were planted acres and a whole “town” with an array of housing from the “boss's” large house, to nice detached homes, to clean attached homes to rather run-down housing. An interesting few miles.

On our journey, we passed another large feedlot, giant Pecan Orchard and Rooster Cogburn's Ostrich Ranch (did nobody copyright that name?).

As we headed towards Catalina State Park, we passed some pretty fancy new housing (and loads of signs for more). Being Sunday, there were also a lot of expensive convertibles cruising. But a mile or two away is the park and we snagged one of two remaining electric sites (#B38, $30 E/W). It was time to charge everything up, so we paid the price.

After lunch and some campground birding:

...and Prairie Dog watching:

...we rode the bikes to The Birding Trail. The ride and walk was five or more miles, and it was more a flora than fauna hike. Though we didn't see any new birds, we enjoyed the exercise (and the awaiting beer). 

Here's the sunset view from my chair:

Day 24: February 29

I had read about Sabino Canyon as yet another great birding site, so we headed there early this morning. Again, a lot of fancy housing and shops in this area of Tucson. We arrived at the National site, had to pay (!) and fight the crowds.

It was a long hike with very few birds. The reward was a good look at a Cooper's Hawk perched near its nest:

The drive towards the Saguaro Cactus National Monument took us through an older part of Tucson with a 60's feel to it. I liked that better (and loved the name “Lim Bong Liquor”). Oh, and there was another reward after our long, hot hike: Hot and Ready Pizza and ice cream!

We had a crazy drive through the hills to the Gilbert Ray campground (we later discovered that, though our GPS sent us on that route, we really shouldn't have take it!) and arrived at this awesome county park. We chose Site C22 ($20 E) and chilled for the afternoon.

That is until I saw this:

...slithering across the campsite, not 10 feet away from me. I woke David from a snooze with my “Oh, my Gods", but made sure he got his camera. It's a Western Diamond-backed Rattlesnake in case you wanted to know. I couldn't relax again until it went under the MoHo, through the garden and out into the desert (very far away; that's my story!).

Here's a final Arizona sunset view from my chair (imagine a packs of Coyotes howling in the background-it happened):

Day 25: March 1

Last night, we decided we wanted to see more birds, so we adjusted our plans to include Texas! So off we went. It was yet another gorgeous day.

We noted how the houses in the parts of Arizona we visited are all low-to-the-ground and in muted tones to fit into the landscape. It's quite lovely.

As we drove out on Highway 10, we started to see the billboards for “The Thing”: jewellery, moccassins, t-shirts, etc. We stopped. I bought a t-shirt. Little did we know that this company had similar stores across New Mexico, too!

My favourite other billboard was for “Dwayne's Really Good Fresh Jerky”. Like, really, jerky canNOT be fresh!

We stopped at Rockhound State Park in New Mexico and got a non-electric site (#0 $10 no services). I hiked for 1.5 miles, and we birded and bunnied:

...and were able to enjoy our final New Mexico sunset: