The Adventure Begins -- Year Three!

Spring storm approaching Llano River State Park near Junction, TX

With spring finally here it is time to load the RV for our 3^rd year ‘On the Road with Maya.’  We are excited to follow the road to new places for yet another spring, summer and fall.  We aren’t sure how long we are going to keep up our wandering ways.  Maybe like Forest Gump, one day we will just be done and want to go home.  But in the meantime, here we go again.

We’ve been very busy these last two weeks saying goodbye to Government Canyon, San Antonio and our friends and family all over Texas.  The RV is serviced, cleaned and ready to go and so is the car.  Maya, David and I have had our checkups too. We have all been declared ‘road worthy.’
 

Going 'east' - The Blue Ridge Parkway

Last year’s eastern journey following the Appalachian Trail exceeded both David and my expectations.  Starting on the Natchez Trace Parkway then over to Georgia and up the Blue Ridge Parkway and eventually arriving in Maine, we couldn’t have asked for more.  The journey was filled with spring flowers and rains, fantastic hikes along the AT and other trails, breathtaking drives, lots of history, fresh picked blueberries, lobster, pink granite next to blue, blue ocean and the most amazing fall leaves ever.

Dogwoods blooming along the Natchez Trace Parkway

From the time we left Texas last April and crossed the Louisiana border until the time we crossed back into Texas from Arkansas in November we traveled 8,427 miles in the RV and drove another 8,222 miles in our Honda CRV sightseeing.   We were ‘on the road’ outside of Texas for 213 days.

Thanks to David’s new GPS unit we also have hiking statistics that we didn’t have for our first year’s journey.  We hiked 630.43 miles (it felt like more!) which only averages out to about 3 miles per day.  But we only hiked about half of those 213 days, so 6 miles a day isn’t so bad, I guess.  And when you figure in the elevation gain of 113,165 feet, that’s like climbing Mt. Everest a tiny bit less than 4 times (without the altitude effects, though).  Now we have a goal and we have to see if we can top that this year. 
 

Hiking in Acadia National Park, Maine

Ping, pong – west, east.  So it is “westward, ho” this season.  We traveled west in 2012, our first year on the road, but we didn’t start the journey until the middle of June after our house sold.  The summer of 2012 was hot and dry so we went north very quickly.  This year we thought we would try to visit some of the southern parks and forests in our beautiful country before the heat sets in.  But as always weather, fires and other acts of nature will guide our journey.

People always ask us, “Where is your favorite place?”  And we have a hard time with that question because there are many, many wonderful places – it is hard to choose!   We are not the least bit worried that we will get bored going west again.  By fall we should have a whole new list of ‘favorite places.'

 

Adios, Texas...

 

A Natural Area

A beautiful canyon sunset

David and I started volunteering at Government Canyon over 12 years ago before it opened to the public.  Although the experience of being Park Hosts is new for us, the place is like an old friend.

Government Canyon is one of the newest properties in the Texas State Park system and many of our friends that aren’t from around San Antonio may not be that familiar with this ‘state-managed area.’  I use the quotes because Government Canyon State Natural Area (GCSNA) is not a state park.  Like the name says, it is a natural area.  The difference is one of mission.  A park’s purpose is primarily recreation while a natural area’s mission is to protect the resource and to promote research and education.  

Cindy on duty...

Natural springs have attracted people and wildlife to Government Canyon for centuries.  From Native American occupation to an army supply route to western forts (thus the name, Government Canyon) followed by farming and ranching and then in the late 1970’s a proposed housing development for 80,000 – all have been part of Government Canyon’s history.

Wildcat Ranch barn - part of the ranching heritage of Government Canyon

Today with San Antonio’s rapid development and the growing awareness of the importance of the Edwards Aquifer as the city’s main water supply, a new role for Government Canyon has emerged.  During the past 15 years, over 12,000 acres of land were acquired to become GCSNA, much of it over the aquifer’s recharge zone.  The idea is that this land will not be developed and that will keep many sediments, chemicals, pesticides, etc. from washing off and entering the aquifer.   Texas Parks and Wildlife agreed to manage Government Canyon as a State Natural Area ensuring that resource protection would be the priority.

 

David helps child 'Name that Snake' at this year's Snakefessst Event

 
GCSNA may be one of San Antonio’s best kept secrets.  There are just a few miles of road to the visitor center and the campground and then hiking and mountain biking are the only ways to get around.  Dogs are allowed on the Front Country Trails.  The Back Country Trails are over the recharge zone and are the habitat of several endangered species so those trails are for humans only.  To help protect its resources and limit overuse, GCSNA is only open 4 days a week.  It isn’t unusual for the trails to be closed after rains to prevent trail erosion or for sections to be closed during Golden Cheek Warbler breeding season.

Redbuds blooming - one of the first signs of spring

And Mountain Laurels too...

 

Our time at Government Canyon has been so much fun!  We have hiked and helped out and learned new things.  We’ve made some new friends with staff and other volunteers.  And mostly we’ve enjoyed getting to be residents for a short time in such a beautiful and wild place.  It isn’t often you can be out in the wild so close to such a big city.  We are going to miss those beautiful starlight walks with Maya where all you can hear is your breath and maybe some howling coyotes or the calls of owls.

  

 

 

Park Hosts - A Day in the Life

Maya likes me in my uniform...

Being Park Hosts has kept us busier than I thought it would!  We have been here almost 4 weeks, our first month almost gone and only one more to go.  Two months is just barely long enough to get ‘broke in good.’  Next time we will have to look at staying longer.

Our life is really good though.  A typical day starts with David getting up a little before me and taking Maya for her morning walk.  As soon as they leave, I get up, get dressed and start making breakfast for all us.  Maya’s gets fixed first because she will be arriving back any moment all excited to eat.  She does like her routine.  David and I have our breakfast next and look over our assignment for the day.

Beautiful Spanish Moss near the Zizelmann House

 

We are assigned to work 4 days a week and to have 3 days off.  But that is flexible depending on our projects.  Some of our projects have had us working parts of most every day but we do try to take off two whole days each week.  We have two shifts per week working in the fee booth at the park entrance.   That is the one ‘job’ that is not flexible as the fee booth must be staffed at certain times.

 

Dinosaur tracks can be seen in the park

 

Hikers near sauropod tracks

 

Theropod tracks

 

The fee booth is both fun and trying.  It is great to talk to the people coming into the park, give information and tell the ‘first timers’ about fun things to do at Government Canyon.  We nearly always see someone we know coming to the park.  In fact, our first day at the booth we saw several of our Master Naturalist friends coming in for a Golden Cheek Warbler survey, some friends who worked with me at the Botanical Garden and our neighbors that we lived next door to for 14 years here in San Antonio.  It felt so good to see so many of our friends and it wasn’t even planned.

Old Kallison Ranch house located in Government Canyon

 

Park Ranger, John Koepke leads volunteers on tour of Kallison property

 

The trying thing about the fee booth is that we do work on Friday and Saturday afternoons and it can be really busy.  Sometimes there are 10 or more cars in line waiting to come in and of course that is usually when the car you are waiting on has 5 adults in it all wanting to pay admission with separate charge or debit cards.  It takes longer to do all those transactions for just one car and inevitably one of the cards will be denied or not scan or something.  Next time I have to wait in line at a park I’ll try to remember to have patience for those working the line.  They are often volunteers and are trying their best.

‘Field days’ are our favorites.  Those are the days we work on the park’s projects and programs.  David has been helping with inventory and one day I helped him take an inventory of all the picnic tables and note which ones needed some repairs (no doubt actually repairing them will be a project soon).  Maya got to help with inventory too and we hiked the campground and picnic areas to find all the tables.  When we are working in the field and if the project is suitable, Maya can come with us.  So field days are also her favorite days.

Bluebonnets are coming up everywhere!

 

Mainly I have been working with the school groups coming to the park and taking the kids on interpretive hikes.  David enjoys doing this too, and in fact he is leading one this morning while I am having a few hours off before working the fee booth this afternoon. 

Picture Your World kids on a photo hike

Every day is a little different and we stay flexible.  Just this week we had a cold, rainy day on Wednesday and the school group that was scheduled for that day rescheduled to Thursday.  So we had to readjust our schedule.  But it all usually works out.

When we have a few free hours we often spend it taking hikes and touring parts of the park we have not seen before.  We used to volunteer at Government Canyon many years ago before it was open to the public. But since then things have changed - new land has been added and new trails finished.  I don't think we will get it all explored while we are here.

 

 

'Cedar' or Ashe Juniper pollen has been really annoying this season

 

It has been different for us having to be on someone else’s schedule again.  We’ve had almost 2 years of being vagabonds and doing things in our own time.  We are truly enjoying our Park Host duties but we are also starting to think of traveling again.  The open road is singing her siren’s song and we are not going to resist.  Come the middle of April or so, we will be ready to move on…

Back in the saddle...

Possumhaw holly berries add color to the winter landscape

Since returning from our New Year’s trip to the Big Bend Country, we've been having a bit of ‘house time’ and taking a little break from RVing.  We spent some time with my parents in Odessa and then visited their cabin in Ruidoso for a couple of weeks.  With this being such a cold winter it has been good to spend some of it in the comfort of warm houses bigger than 200 square feet.  When it is cold and it isn't as fun to be outside then interior space in our little RV can become hotly contested territory.  Even sweet Maya has been known to get cranky about intrusion into her space.  Our three weeks of house time was much appreciated.

Frost on the RV windshield

For the past two weeks, we’ve been back on the road in our RV. While in the Austin area visiting friends we took a Wilderness First Aid Course.  It’s been a long while since our last first aid class and with all of our travels and hiking adventures; we thought it was time for a refresher. Next time you see us, we will be able to splint your arm or leg with just the clothes on your body.  (But I’m hoping you will have on more than a swim suit.)

 

 

Last weekend we arrived at Government Canyon State Natural Area near San Antonio for our two-month stint as Park Hosts.  We’ve been settling in, doing some training and trying to stay warm.  Our first week in the park we had four nights below freezing, two of them in the 20s.  And this is south Texas, right?  We will be extra glad to see spring this year.

 

Maya is learning her way around

 

Now that we are settled in and trained a little, I’ll make regular blog posts to let you know what life is like being a Park Host for the State of Texas.  We are looking forward to this new adventure...

 

Our 'home' at Government Canyon

 

New Year's in the Big Bend Country

Decorated agave or century plant in Marfa, Texas

When David and I were newlyweds living in Odessa, we used to spend a week or more after Christmas in the Big Bend Country.  Then as now the weather was unpredictable.  Some years were so warm we got sunburned and a few years I remember getting snow.  But every time was filled with the beauty of the high desert and ‘sky islands’ in winter.  There are not too many things as wonderful as winter light on stark mountains – such a contrast to the Appalachian Mountains’ lush summer greens and autumn reds and golds.

View from the CCC Trail in Davis Mountain State Park
 

Mountains of the Big Bend

The Davis Mountain State Park had been closed for repairs but re-opened earlier than planned so we were able to make it our ‘base camp’ for a week of adventure and meeting up with friends.  When we arrived at the park we recognized a shiny Airstream trailer and bicycles that had to be Dustin and Melissa’s.  We set up camp across from them and in no time Melissa and her Australian Sheppard, Rocky, came over to see us.  Maya was excited to see Rocky again and the feeling was mutual.  The dogs greeted each other and were ready to play.

'Making friends...'

What followed were several days of hiking, talking, good eats and lots of dog romping.  The weather was really cold at nights – 18 degrees for two of them!  But the days were sunny and we had to shed coats as we climbed the mountains on our hikes.

 

Mountain hiking

 

Dustin, Melissa, Rocky, David and Maya

 

One night we went to the McDonald Observatory for a ‘Star Party.’  The skies were so clear and the stars so bright that it was worth the getting cold. Looking through the telescopes at Jupiter and the Orion and Crab nebulae was pretty cool too.  It was a fabulous night and we thanked the stars for the hot chocolate (or the observatory snack bar anyway).  

Hanging out on the porch, Limpia Hotel in Ft. Davis

Dustin and Melissa were joining other friends in Big Bend National Park and left us before New Year’s.  But we had plans to see a long-time friend who teaches at Texas A&M Commerce.  Chad was one of our best camping buddies from our newlywed days.  We all used to camp together in the Big Bend and like us, he still loves the area. 

 

Tower built by the CCC in Davis Mountain State Park

 

Burned cactus from a recent 'prescribed' burn

 

Burned yucca heart

 

Chad arrived on New Year’s Eve and we had our own little ‘party’ in our warm RV with chocolates and some great coffee from Big Bend Coffee Roasters.  Even with all that caffeine we didn’t stay up until mid-night!  In the ‘old days’ we would party on New Year’s Eve in the Big Bend hot springs (clothing optional).  I guess we really are getting old.  Still, it was a fine way to celebrate.

New Year's Day hike with Chad

The next day we all went into Marfa and had a New Year’s Day lunch at Future Shark.  For years there has been a ‘food truck’ called Food Shark in Marfa that served excellent food.  Now they have a non-mobile location in a storefront in downtown Marfa.  We had chicken mole, green chili potatoes Au-gratin, rice, beans and black-eyed peas were available for those so inclined. 

 

 

Downtown Marfa

  

 

Marfa is such an interesting mixture of a conservative small town ranching community and Donald Judd’s Chianti Institute and artist community.  Throw in the illusive ‘Marfa Lights’ and a little ‘local color’ and it makes for an intriguing place to visit.   We enjoyed roaming around Marfa checking out the art, the stores and enjoying the unique ambiance. 

 

Broken windmill

  

Bare cottonwood tree

The rest of our time was spent taking more hikes, hanging out with Chad and making one more trip to Marfa to eat at the Pizza Foundation, another great food choice.  David and I hardly cooked on this excursion.  Even with all the hiking, I’m pretty sure some weight was gained.  Oh well, one of our New Year’s resolutions was to eat more local food.  We’ve made a good start.

One of my favorite grasses, 'eyelash' grass or Bouteloua gracilis

 

David’s Stats:

Days Hiked     7

Total Miles Hiked   31.67

Ave. Miles per Day     4.52
Total Elevation Gain       5,263
Ave. Elevation Gain per day   752

 

 

 

 

 

All I want for Christmas...

Maya having her Christmas cookie

We arrived in Odessa in time to do a little Christmas baking, last minute shopping and for me to come down with hives.  Yikes!  It’s official.  I am allergic to Christmas.  My face, hands and lower legs were about the only thing spared, the rest of me looked like a strawberry.  And let’s not talk about how bad it itched.  But Santa sent a cure and by Christmas Eve I was all better.  What a relief!  That was my Christmas present.

I wasn’t the only person with ailments.  Both my parents were sick with colds and feeling terrible the day we got to Odessa.  With some rest and a little chicken soup they too recovered before Christmas.  And none of the rest of us caught their colds.

 

A wonderful Christmas Dinner!

 

My brother and sister-in-law, Tim and Linda, had all the Christmas festivities at their house this year which was such a fantastic thing.  David and I helped some with the cooking, but they did all the hard stuff.  Linda’s aunt, Ramona, was a huge help in the kitchen.  The food was amazing – turkey, two kinds of dressing, two kinds of green beans, asparagus, sweet potatoes, cranberry-orange salad, homemade bread, and three homemade desserts - pecan pie, buttermilk chess pie and German chocolate cake.  Needless to say we were all stuffed.

The aftermath...

 

The next day we took down the lights, the tree and all the Christmas decorations at my mom and dad’s house and finished most of the leftovers.  Then with my parents all well and tucked in under their new heated throws that David and I gave them for Christmas, we took off for the Big Bend Country to ring in the New Year.