TEXAS

(Above:  Steve and me early one morning on the Lost Mine Trail at Big Bend National Park. Click on any image to enlarge.)

Last late summer, I was the artist-in-residence at Guadalupe Mountains National Park. Steve flew out on the final day to help with the driving on the return trip. We spent a day in Marfa, an artsy town near the turn-off to Big Bend National Park.  There simply wasn't enough time to visit there too.  So, we planned a return trip via San Antonio ... because we'd never been there either.  Last week was THE WEEK!  We flew into San Antonio, rented a car, and drove to a rustic AirBnB rancher's cabin outside Terlingua.

(Above:  The AirBnB rancher's cabin that we rented.)

Many of my friends thought we were totally nuts when we described this place. There was no indoor plumbing.  There was a composting toilet (basically a plastic structure not unlike a pot-o-pot that was equipped with a bucket under the seat and a pail of wood shavings) and an outdoor shower fed by a cistern.  These are not the luxuries we really want (and seriously, the composting toilet was clean and didn't smell).  The luxuries we do want, it had ... air conditioning and high speed Internet connectivity!  As far as we were concerned, this place was as perfect as the Milky Way ... which was spectacularly on view every night.  We had a glorious time.

(Above:  Eating on the porch.)

Steve cooked dinner every night on the provided propane equipped Coleman stove.  We had local craft beer and sampled plenty of southwestern staples ...

... which included various spices and salsas (though we didn't actually buy the Fat Cat sauce.  I just liked the look of them on a grocery store shelf!)

(Above:  Starting out on the Mule Ears Trail just before dawn.)

Because afternoons are hot, hot, hot in Texas ... even in early May ... we stayed on East Coast time, got up at 5:15 AM, and were in Big Bend National Park before dawn.  We hiked several trails, including the Lost Mine Trail, Mule Ears Trail ...

(Above:  The Santa Elena Canyon)

... and the Santa Elena Canyon trail.  To reach the Santa Elena Canyon, visitors must wade across the Terlingqua Creek right where it meets the Rio Grande River.  We sat down on the bank to take off our hiking boots. Beside us was a couple from New Jersey.  They'd been on this trail a year ago.  They were shocked and explained that this creek is ordinarily only a few inches deep, almost blue in color, and quite clear.  But, it had rained a day earlier.  Water from elsewhere was flowing.  The mud was several inches deep and very slippery.  The water was thigh high ... but we all decided to go forward.  We definitely made the right choice.  It was a grand adventure.  The views were terrific and the chirping of birds filled the air with music.

(Above:  Steve wading across the Terlingua Creek on the Santa Elena Trail.)

(Above:  Panorama from the top of Lost Mine Trail.)

As much fun as we had getting muddy, I think our favorite trail was Lost Mine, a more mountainous path with 1,100 feet in elevation change.  We started this one before dawn too.  The morning light was awesome.

(Above and below:  Terlingua Cemetery.)

We also visited the nearby Terlingua ghost town.  Ruins of the earlier community are surrounded by shops, motels, and an amazing cemetery that is still in use.

The personalities of the deceased were very identifiable on many of the final resting places.

Other plots looked worn by years and weather, making the hardships of desert life apparent.

After three days in this area, we returned to San Antonio.  What a wonderful city!  I took hundreds of photos but strangely none were of the famous River Walk.  We opted not to ride one of the party boats but walked the entire circuit one evening.  The sounds, lights, and colors make this attraction festive every night.  It was so much fun. 

We went to two soft-openings at Blue Star Arts Complex and had lunch at a local brewery.  (We also met the Jane Bishop, owner of Mockingbird Handprints ... who took one look at my business card and exclaimed, "I follow you on Instagram!"  Now ... how small-world and totally super is this encounter!)

San Antonio might be the seventh largest city in the entire USA but the downtown is easy to navigate, especially when renting one of the Bcycles.  These electric-assisted bikes make sight-seeing so fun and easy.  The cell phone app tracked available bikes and their parking stations.

Our first stop was the Alamo.  We weren't sure what to expect and were pleasantly surprised that it was quite informative, not too touristy, and the grounds were very, very pretty.

 

 

Also in the downtown area, we went to San Fernando Cathedral.  Like many centuries-old churches that are still in use, there's a beautiful blend of past and present.

The domed ceiling had a distinctively modern feel despite its age.

Steve and I always like to visit an area's religious sites.  It was the main reason for renting Bcycles. We rode down the River Trail to visit the historic missions.  Each one was special and different from the others.  They fall under the protection of the National Park Service.

We visited all four:  Mission Espada, Mission San Juan, Mission San Jose, and Mission Concepcion.  Each is just a few miles from one another.  (By the way, the Alamo was also once a mission called Mission San Antonio de Valero.)  I took dozens upon dozen of photos.  Below are some of my favorites.

With one final day (well ... morning and early afternoon before our return flight), Steve and I went to Villa Finale, a National Trust for Historic Preservation site and the "final" living quarters of ninth generation Texan and former investment banker Walter Nold Mathis.  We chose very, very well!  This place was magnificent ... seriously "over the top" in just the most excellent way.  Mathis certainly was a collector's collector.  Every room was filled with amazing treasures, fine furniture, plush carpets, and attention to every imaginable detail.  Below are some of the hundred+ pictures I took!  I hope Steve and I return to San Antonio.  It was a delightful trip!