Exploring Texas from Lajitas … A Week Flies By

Sunday, 21 February 2016
Maverick Ranch RV Park — Lajitas, Texas
Temps: Hi 78F (26C) / Lo 52F (11C)

I know … I need to stop saying that time is flying by … but it is … and that’s a fact.

Hard to believe that it was a week ago that we left our site at the Rio Grande Village RV Park on the east side of Big Bend National Park to continue our explorations further west.  What a send off we had … thanks to wispy clouds, a gorgeous sunrise colored the beginning of our easy travel day.

A glorious sunrise bathes the sky in a pleasing array of colors.                           

The short drive to the Maverick Ranch RV Park at the Lajitas Golf Resort was just 62 miles (99 km).  Most of the drive was through Big Bend National Park … the first part through familiar scenery, but once we passed the Chisos Basin turnoff our eyes got to enjoy some new landscapes.  Despite the short distance to get to our new base, we were on the road before 9:00a … primarily so we could get to the Cottonwood General Store in Study Butte [stoo-dee-byot] before the parking lot of the only decent grocery store in the area was filled with vehicles.  Turns out that we didn’t have to worry as there was a long strip of empty space across the road to park the Phaeton.

Left: Mui replenishes the larder at the only decent grocery store in the area.
Right: Scenery at the junction of SH118 and FM170, where we top off the Phaeton’s diesel tanks.

Even though we were way early arriving at the RV park, site 81 was ready to receive us.  We quickly checked in and went about settling in.  The sites here aren’t at all level, so it took us a while to get it right.  We were just about done when the Z’s pulled into site 80.  Some of the sites here are designed so that two rigs traveling together can share an over-sized patio area … we have two of those sites.  Aside from having all that space, the added advantage of this arrangement is that the orientation of our Phaeton provides shade for happy hour munchies and meals — we sure have made the most of that benefit this week ;-)

Left: Lajitas Mesa in the background is the namesake for the resort.
Right: See the open space to our left?  That’s just half of the patio area we share with the Z’s.

Now that you know where we are, let me tell you a bit about what we’ve been doing.

16 February — an Emergency Trip and some fun …

After taking a day off to do laundry and whatnot, today was to have been our day to return to Big Bend National Park to explore the west side.

Alas, I woke up with a painful toothache that caused us to change our plans.  Although Lajitas has a beer-guzzling goat for a mayor, there are no services here … certainly no dentist.  It’s just a resort.

We debated our options for finding a dentist … fast.  Go to Alpine?  Marathon?  Presidio?  It was 7:00a and way too early to call, but the dental office in Presidio at least had a voice mail machine.  So we left a message and decided to head there as it also was the closest to us … 51 miles (82 km) by way of the El Camino del Rio … aka the River Road or FM170.

Meet Clay Henry III — the beer-guzzling mayor of Lajitas!

Long story short, it turns out that there is no resident dentist in Presidio … just one that visits twice a month.  We took his number, called his office in El Paso, and made an appointment.  The good news in all this … his pre-scheduled visit to Presidio was the next day.  In the meantime, I took a couple of Ibuprofen and accompanied Mui to the Thriftway next to the clinic to pick up a few more items for the Phaeton’s pantry.  Next, a quick stop at a panaderia [bakery] where we used what little Spanish we know to buy a couple of piedras [literally, rocks … but means scones in this context].  Lest you think we crossed into Mexico — Presidio is a US town … but no one at this store spoke English.  In fact, we were the only English-speaking patrons at the supermarket, too.  There is no doubt that we are in the Borderlands ;-)

Mui picks up a couple of piedras … we’ll eat them later.

By the time we left Presidio, I was pain-free enough to actually think about enjoying some of the sites the area has to offer.  We decided to stop at Fort Leaton State Historic Site on the outskirts of town.  We had the place to ourselves, which made it easy to find a picnic shelter where we made small work of the piedras.  Then we went inside to explore the fort — $5pp admission; free with the Texas State Parks Pass.

This adobe trading post was built in 1848 and played an important role on the
trading route from Chihuahua City in Mexico to San Antonio in the US.

The place was constructed more as a fortified hacienda than a real fort.  It operated as a trading post until 1884.  After which, the Burgesses, who took over the property from the Leatons, continued to live in the ever-deteriorating structure until 1927.  Forty years later, the state acquired the property and restored it as a historic site.  A few of the rooms are minimally furnished, and there is a small museum in one room that provides a synopsis of the history of the area and the fort.

Left: The dining room was large enough for formal dinners and parties;
the niche in the wall may well have held a shrine to the Virgin of Guadalupe.

Right: In Mexico and the American Southwest, neighbors often gathered in the
formal parlor to party and dance similar to the way depicted in this image from 1847.

Left: During the restoration of Fort Leaton, the walls of what would have been
the servants quarters were left unplastered to show the original adobe bricks.

Right: This door leads from the patio (courtyard) to the corral.

I think I do a pretty good job of providing perspective for the size of the carreta.
carts like this one were used to transport goods back in the day.

Some of this space would have been used as pens for animals; the smithy
would have been set up in one of the buildings in the corral as well.

Before we leave, I detour to the chapel-turned-mausoleum and cemetery outside the fort.

On the way back to Lajitas, we stopped for a snack at the picnic area overlooking the Hoodoos on El Camino del Rio.  The trails here are part of Big Bend Ranch State Park.  Since we have a Texas State Parks Pass, we could have hiked the fee-area, but by then I was ready for some rest … and some more Ibuprofen … and a doze of hydrocodone, compliments of Dr Z.

17 February — Return to Presidio; and Enjoying El Camino del Rio …

My dental appointment in Presidio wasn’t until noon.  And I was feeling no pain thanks to the meds I was taking.  So, we took off early … I was bound and determined to enjoy and photograph the scenery along El Camino del Rio.  The road was once deemed too dangerous to drive, but those days are past … thankfully, as it would be a shame to miss this beautiful drive.  The pictures tell the story; no further words needed.

Texas bluebonnets add a punch of color along the road.

The “Father at the Altar” Hoodoos … except we didn’t know this feature
had a significance, so the father isn’t seen as clearly from this angle.

The Santana Basin Overlook affords one of the most scenic views on the road.

The second Santana Basin Overlook gets us closer to the Rio Grande.

Dippy (left) and curvy … two words that describe El Camino del Rio quite well.

What’s left of the Contrabando movie set … this building featured as a cantina and trading post.

I have so much to share from our drive, but the dentist awaits!  We were seen promptly when we arrived at the clinic in Presidio.  The dental assistant took a couple of x-rays with a portable imaging machine, and the doctor poked around a bit.  Then the verdict: no crack in the tooth … which was my main concern.  His opinion was that something got into a pocket in the gum.  While painful, it should resolve itself.  “Continue the Ibuprofen,” he said as he shook my hand.  Our cost: $37.50!  Cheapest dentist visit I’ve ever had!

Another stop at the panaderia for some fresh baked goods; a drive towards the border with Mexico … just to check it out; and a quick stop to enjoy a mural and the simple beauty of the Church of Santa Teresa de Jesus wrapped up today’s visit to Presidio.

Piedras (the two scone-like cookies) and more from the Don Jose Panaderia.

If we keep going, we’ll enter Mexico … but no passports with us, so we turn back.

The Church of Santa Teresa de Jesus is directly across the street …

… from this mural painted by a Laurie Holman in 2008.

Any other time, we would have dallied along the River Road on the way back home.  There were a couple of hikes we had planned to do.  But those plans did not pan out.  You see, we were just a few miles from arriving in Presidio when the campground manager reached us in one of the few places along the road where there is a cell signal — good timing on her part.  She was calling to say that someone had reported that water was gushing out of our rig!!!!  With the water turned off, the immediate emergency was averted, but we were anxious to get home to figure out what the problem was.

A not-so-ancient petroglyph at the Tee Pees Rest Area on El Camino del Rio.

The “gusher” description was a bit of an exaggeration, but there was indeed a leak … and it was at the kitchen sink.  Apparently the braided-steel hot water hose that is part of the faucet assembly had sprung a leak.  This is when we learned that there is no water shut-off valve to the sink … a design flaw that was corrected with the 2010 Phaetons … a year too late for us.  Anyway, remember we are nowhere near a hardware store or a plumber.  So, Mui crimped the hot water hose to resolve the immediate problem without leaving us completely dry.  He has ordered a replacement assembly from Price Pfister under our lifetime warranty, so we will muddle along for the time being.  But we now have something new to do when we leave the coach to go off gallivanting for the day — turn off the water!!!

Panorama of the El Camino del Rio scenery across the road from the Hoodoos.

Counting my tootache and the Phaeton’s door handle, which broke while we were at the Rio Grande Village campground, the leak is our third problem in quick succession.  Don’t know if it’s just an odd coincidence, the infamous Murphy at work, or just the evil eye striking us.  But whatever it is, we’re keeping fingers crossed that this is the end of our problems for this trip.

19 February … Terlingua Ghost Town

We took a day off on the 18th to clean up after the leak, and so I could rest up after my dental woes.  It was a 95F (35C) day so staying home wasn’t such a bad idea.  Summer in February … not good when it gets this hot, this quickly.  But with three hot days forecasted in succession, we decided to go out early today while it was a bit cooler and check out the nearby Terlingua Ghost Town … about 12 miles from the campground.

A broken down wagon … a sure sign of an old west ghost town.

This is not a movie set … this is a living, breathing ghost town … at least when it is not alive with thousands of people during the annual International Chili Cook-Off.  The town owes its founding to a cinnabar strike nearby in 1890.  In the 30+ years that followed, the mines produced nearly 40% of the country’s mercury … or quicksilver as it is also referred to.  After the mine flooded, and the mineral prices fell following WWII, Terlingua died … until it later became a haven for artists, musicians, and free-thinkers.  We didn’t see much human presence as we followed the map we picked up from the trading post for a DIY walking tour, so the ghost town ambiance was very much in effect while we were there.

A tourist shop today, the Terlingua Trading Post was once known as the Chisos Mining
Company Store where the townspeople could buy everything from food to cars.

Near one of the blocked off mineshafts is an elevator that miners used to get to work.

Left: A peek down the mineshaft.
Right: Historic photo of a miner working in mineshaft.

The Perry Mansion is where the owner of the mine lived.  The upstairs windows
were small so that the house could be protected from Pancho Villa’s raid.

Most of the detainees at the Terlingua Jail were men who were sleeping it
off after a good night’s fun.  they would be sent home for dinner.

the Starlight Theater IS CLOSED, BUT WE HAVE FUN ON THE PATIO ANYWAY.

A “moving” mural … of course I have to photograph it.

What ghost town would be complete without a cemetery?  Our last stop before leaving Terlingua was the local “resting place.”  Some of the gravesites were new; others were showing their age.  What they all had in common was that they had character … just like the colorful characters buried in the cemetery.

Note the bottles that fill the gravesite (bottom right)?  Apparently visitors stop by to have a drink
with the deceased … there’s even a bottle opener on the rock at the bottom of the grave.

On the way back to the campground, we made a detour to check out the Lajitas Golf Resort.  The property is designed in the style of an Old West town.  There were very few people out and about, so we wandered at will, stopping to check out the cute little church on the grounds before taking our leave.

Scenes from around the Lajitas Golf Resort.

The Santa Maria y San Jose Mission was built after the Lajitas Trading Post was established in 1899.

We returned home in plenty of time to prepare dinner for our guests — the Z’s.  On the menu: deep fried Turkish meat patties and French fries served with a garlic yogurt sauce.  Not much in the way of leftovers … a sign of a good meal enjoyed by all.

20 February … Another Hot Day and a Good one to Learn About the Geology of the Area …

Third day in a row with temps topping the 90F (32C) mark … up early enough to see the glow of the rising sun set the sky afire.  Not even the slightest hint of a breeze … perfect time to attach our shade curtain to the awning and sit outside until it was time to go sightseeing.

A sky afire … veiled by the branches of a tree that has yet to leaf out.

A decent internet signal means we can catch up on emails and do some research.

Shortly before noon, we headed back to the Terlingua Ghost Town — this time to have lunch at Espresso y Poco Mas [Espresso … and a Little More], a small eatery recommended to us by new friends Mimi and Dave.  Great little place, with simple but fresh-prepared dishes … the brownie Mui and I shared was especially yummy!

No visit to a ghost town would be complete without a few photo ops, of course … so we made the rounds again, but this time in the car.

There’s Old …	… and there’s really old.

Next on our day’s agenda was a stop at the Barton Warnock Visitor Center for Big Bend Ranch State Park.  We came to Lajitas prepared to hike and explore the park, but a couple of things happened to change our plans.  The first was my dental emergency, which killed two days of our stay.  Then it got really, really hot for three days — you know you have to be extra careful when there is a temperature gauge at each trailhead.  Finally, we learned that the road leading into the park is gravel — and you have to travel at least 20 miles (32 km) on it to get to the most interesting parts … might have taken it on, except the ranger wasn’t very encouraging about attempting the drive without a 4WD vehicle.  Alrighty then … at least we were able to check out the exhibit at the visitor center.

It’s 2:00p and the temperature gauge is hinting at near 100F (38C) … no hiking for us.

The Una Tierra — One World exhibit is designed to welcome people to the Chihuahuan Desert of the Big Bend/Mexican Borderlands Region, and educate visitors about the largest and hottest of the deserts of western North America.  Displays take visitors from 285 million years ago when the area was covered by a shallow sea to the modern landscape of today.  Then visitors are taken on a walk through the Chihuahuan Desert … from the desert shrublands, to the grasslands, to the woodlands and forested islands, to the fragile desert.  Very well done — a good balance of words and visuals.

Left: The Chihuahuan Desert is the hottest and largest of the western North America deserts.
Right: A walk through time … the genesis of the Big Bend/Borderlands goes back quite a bit.

The visitor center was a perfect place to visit on a hot afternoon.

Back to today — 21 February …

Once it was light enough to see outside, we were greeted by overcast skies.  But the temp was a comfortable 71F (22C) and there was a light breeze to keep us comfy when the day started to heat up.  Even though there were occasional rain sprinkles, the awning kept us dry … great.  At 11:00a we joined the Z’s for a drive to the Terlingua Ghost Town … this time for brunch at the Starlight Theater.

Built in the 1930’s as a motion picture house, Starlight Theater got its name after it lost its
roof during a summer storm.  the roof was replaced when the restaurant opened in 1991.
[Photo from our first visit a few days before … when we had lots of sunshine.]

The restaurant claims to serve the best food in the area … I can’t speak to that, but I can say that everyone at our table enjoyed what they ordered.  The service was a bit off, though.  Nonetheless, the place has a lot of character, and it is a fun place to have a meal.

Too dark to take photos inside, so I opt for a collage of images from the website.

A quiet afternoon at home … and with lots of pillowy-clouds in the sky, a wonderfully colorful end to the day.

The rain that held off all day is now beating a rat-tat-tat on the roof.  I’m glad the weather broke … if we are lucky, the wet stuff will be over and done with by the time we are ready to set out for Big Bend National Park tomorrow morning.

[If you’d like to see more images: click here for photos from Lajitas and the Terlingua Ghost Town; click here for photos from El Camino del Rio and Big Bend Ranch State Park; and click here for photos from Fort Leaton SHS and Presidio.]

© 2004-2016 Two to Travel's Phaeton Journeys.  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED by ERIN ERKUN.