Life is a hoot. Get you some of it. Be careful. Be courteous. Be Kind.
Capt. Billy L Sandifer
At 4:30 this morning we were rudely awakened by the cry (hoot) of an owl! Really? If only he could have started the coffee!
Well, another night of rain. I had to check and make sure we didn’t float down the river. Today’s destination is the third part of Big Bend, The Rio Grande Village.
Since there was a hint of blue skies, I was heading back to Santa Elena Canyon. All the while singing “Blue Skies from now on” . Can’t a girl dream?
It was here that we got to put our feet in the Rio Grande! It was very unique as this is he border of Mexico! The left side of the canyon belongs to Mexico and the right side the US. So, we stayed to the right.
Once again, we are traveling the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive. This time it is 15 degrees, blue skies and NO ICE! It is so amazing what one can see when it is clear. The drive is appropriately named as it was truly scenic.
Our adventure for today was a nice (2.5 mile) hike to the Homer Wilson Ranch and Red Rock Canyon. This canyon is a series of red rock pinnacle formations. Apparently, the surface of these volcanic rocks has oxidized to give it it’s reddish tinge. It is this red color that showed off the geological features of the rocks as they literally glowed when the sun hit the canyon walls. The interesting thing is that this is not one of the top hikes in the park; but it definitely should be.
One thing for sure; the mountains and the desert combine for some “Awe” inspiring beauty that one cannot describe or capture digitally.
It is not just the scenic beauty of this place that makes it so special. It is also the people you meet and talk to along the way. Today we met a young couple from Nova Scotia, Nic and Beck. We truly hope they continue on their amazing journey. It is their sense of wanderlust for adventure that reminded me of the younger version of Jo and Steve.