David’s Trip to West Texas

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As promised, here is David’s account of his holiday week in West Texas while Sherry had an ocean front week alone at Gamble Rogers State Park.

I’ll start with thanks to all who made this unlikely trip happen for me. First, thanks to Sherry for taking me to the Orlando Airport on our 1st day in our beach-front site at Gamble Rogers State Park in Flagler Beach & staying home to keep an eye on Winnona. Park managers frown on having the RV unattended.

Then a huge thank you to my brother Roger who invited me and agreed to meet my plane very late at night & take me out to west Texas & back for Thanksgiving dinner in his new home in San Marcos.

Our plan was to drive west to his daughter Amy & her partner Angela’s latest project, a totally off-the-grid hideaway near Terlingua where we would help put some finishing touches on their “Javelina Hideout” & in the afternoons visit Big Bend National Park on the Rio Grande. That is a lot to spin into 5 days, but here is how we did it.

First day our drive west was about 8 hours from San Marcos to Terlingua. Much to my surprise we were driving up onto a high plateau as we went west and soon were at an elevation of 4900 feet – who knew? As we got further west we began to see big cuts through the high ridges & high buttes and mountains on the horizon. Much to my surprise a line of wind turbines on a high plateau. I was not expecting to see any other form of energy production in Texas other than oil.

We made it to the Javelina Hideout just before dark Sunday evening & next morning we were all at work finishing up some projects to get the place ready to rent on Air BnB. For better pictures and more about this gem in the desert, see the Javelina Hideout website.

Brother Roger’s back

Angela’s smile

Niece Amy and help

Roger’s other side in the “off the grid” kitchen with solar powered full size refrigerator

In the afternoon we took our first trip into Big Bend National Park with Amy as our guide. Here are some views we took in there.

David and Amy beside the Rio Grande

On various trips in & out of Big Bend, we took some comfort in Terlingua with a breakfast at the Bad Rabbit Café & dinner/drinks at the Starlight Restaurant & Bar– two of the few establishments in the area.

Sherry would definitely like many of the boots on display.

Terlingua Cemetery

The stars at night were phenomenal at the Javelina Hideout owing to the super dark sky and new moon the first night of my visit. I could not capture that sky adequately with my camera but suffice it to say I have never seen any night sky as clear and bright as I did there. It was truly spectacular, more stars than I have ever seen and a clear view of the Milky Way – every constellation and more. The sunsets there were also fantastic each night.

A couple more pictures from Big Bend of me at their fabulous new fossil exhibit.

On our return trip to San Marcos – another 8 hour drive east this time, we took a short break at the LBJ State Park & Historic Site and a slow cruise through the little town of Fredericksburg where the German settler influence is still in evidence.

Then after a good rest, I shared Thanksgiving dinner with my brother, his wife Carol and their other two daughters Abby & Karissa at his new home in San Marcos.

Food preparation from left to right, Roger, Karissa, Carol and Abby.

Next morning it was a red-eye flight back to Orlando which my brother was gracious enough to get me to on time. It was a fabulous trip for me and I cannot thank everyone of those who made it possible enough.