Terlingua!

14 April 2024 // Sunday

• Gary the Invincible does the 7.5 hr drive from San Antonio to Terlingua!
• Grocery store of incredible proportions
• Driving through Big Bend National Park
• The Caravan and the Casita
• Slept outside under the stars. Warm, then cool, magical in all cases. 

15 April 2024 // Monday

• Awake at 5am in awe at the stars and Milky Way. Woke Gary at 530am to see. He too marveled.
• Good morning! The sun is out, the air is soft and warm.
• Birds!
• Pair of Pyrroluxia bathing in the bird bath. Stunning birds. Cardinals, but with grey.
• Curve-billed thrasher searching for bugs around the car, jumping up to catch them out of the air.
• White winged doves calling constantly.
• A late afternoon / evening trek 2.38 miles at Chisos Mountain. Enjoyed the sun setting as we hiked, then seeing our moonshadows during the last quarter of the hike.
• Gary and Gail spotted a grey fox and a jackrabbit along the way. Also a common poorwill. Neat!
• Home around 930pm. Dinner outside.
• Slept outside. Cue “heart eyes emoji” “starry eyes emoji” :D

16 April 2024 // Tuesday

• Awake at 530am for Milky Way. Woke Gary, and then Gail, to enjoy. Not quite as clear as the previous night, but still incredibly beautiful.
• Gary even hung out in the outside bed to enjoy the sunrise.
• Gary and Gail enjoyed eggs for breakfast and made pizza. So good.
• ADVENTURE DAY! Set out for Big Bend NP around 1pm.
• Sam Nail Ranch trail, looking for birds. Not the hot spot we expected.
• Tuff Canyon trail. New lizard friend! Very cool sculpted canyon from prehistoric volcanic vent action, lava spewing, ash settling, rock throwing, now exposed through millennia of water flow. Very dry for most of the year.
• Ranger station and visitor’s center at Castolon, where we found a heat warning with an underlined directive — avoid hiking in the afternoon.
• We chatted with friendly bikers and later friendly campers who told us about… (drumroll)…..
• Castolon campground - BIRDS! Scarlet tanager, vermillion flycatcher, verdin, olive sided flycatcher, gray hawk, and more! Bonus: some sort of gopher like thing digging serious holes through the group camp site.

• On the way home, multiple mice dashing across the road
• A jackrabbit along the road as well. Those ears!
• Back at the caravan around 1010pm. What a day! After showering in the bath house, it felt great to climb into bed. I slept indoors for a change.

17 April 2024 // Wednesday 

• Excellent sleep had by all.
• Gary sets out *early* for mountain biking at Lajitas. Rented from Desert Sports, great folks.
• ROAD RUNNER visitor at the bird bath!
• We repeat, for its second visit, ROAD RUNNER at the bird bath, now with adequate water!
• Supper at El Gordo. Delicious. Gary had brisket torta with avocado, tomato and cabbage. Surprise cheese appearance. Gail had tacos al pastor. Burger for me.
• Another successful grocery run at Cottonwood.
• Gorgeous sunset.
• Desert willow in bloom.