Wrapping up our 3rd Year -- On the Road with Maya

Apple blossoms in the White Mountains of New Mexico

Our peaceful week in Ruidoso went by all too quickly.  The spring weather was all over the place with a few days of high winds, some snow and rain and happily towards the end, some really great days. 

Apples used to be a big crop in the Hondo Valley and Ruidoso area.  Over the years apple production has dropped but there are still orchards and many apple trees have been planted in yards all over town.  Even hiking in the mountains we found a few rogue apple trees in full bloom – remnants left from old mountain homesteads. Though we missed out on the cherry blossoms back east, the apple blossoms gave us quite the show.

 April snow in the White Mountain Wilderness, Argentina Cut-Across Trail

 

Finishing off our week in Ruidoso, we took two long hikes in the White Mountain Wilderness.  It was a good way to start getting our legs back into hiking shape and to wrap up our third year ‘on the road.’  Each year as we have been traveling, an unofficial ‘theme’ evolves.  We never really plan them, but the themes ‘crystallize’ as we journey.

Interpretive sign installed after 2012 Little Bear Fire near Ruidoso
We planned to come to Ruidoso in 2012 but had to change our plans as the fire raged.

Besides being about the newness of the RV life and traveling with our dog, Maya, fire and drought in the west became our focus as we headed from Texas to the northwest part of the country.  We didn't leave Texas that year until mid-June, prime fire season, and were continually changing our plans to avoid the many fires and the choking smoke they produced.

The second year we traveled east.  As we followed the Appalachian Trail and listened to all the stories from the hikers we met, the Appalachian Trail became our theme. That was a very special trip for us as we had not spent very much time in the eastern part of our country and didn’t realize just how beautiful the east was.



 

 The marker at the start of the Appalachian Trail, top of Springer Mountain, Georgia

Our third year we went west again, leaving Texas in early April and spending some time in the southern western states before heading north.  Although we hadn’t realized it when we started out, 2014 was the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Wilderness Act.  We discovered this during our time in the Gila Wilderness in New Mexico and decided then to try to hike into as many wilderness areas as we could along our way.  The Pacific Crest Trail became part of our theme, too, as we hiked 13 sections of this Mexico to Canada trail with several of those hikes also being in wilderness areas.

David and Maya on the Pacific Crest 'High Trail' in the Ansel Adams Wilderness,
near Mammoth Lakes, California

 

Now would probably be a good time to sum up some of our thoughts and statistics from this year’s journey, the year of the wilderness.  Everyone wants to know what our favorite places were and that is always so hard to narrow down.  There are so many but I’ll give it a try!

The Bristlecone Pine Forest in the Inyo National Forest of California was a big favorite for both of us.  Those 4,000 year-old plus trees are the definition of ‘gnarly.’ And it is so amazing that they can grow in the bare, white dolomitic soil that surrounds them.

Bristlecone Pine Forest, Patriarch Grove, Inyo National Forest
near Big Pine, California

We also loved the wilderness areas around Mammoth Lakes, the John Muir and Ansel Adams Wildernesses.  Parts of the Pacific Crest Trail went through this region and these were some of our most scenic hikes.  And while in California, it is never a mistake to make a stop at Sequoia National Park or the Redwoods.

Maya near a smaller sequoia tree

Oregon is always a winner and a new place we visited this year was the Sisters area.  Sisters is a picturesque music and art community nestled just east of three mountainous wilderness areas with the Pacific Crest Trail passing through.

We went to some new places in Montana, one of which was the Jewel Basin.  Although not a wilderness, it was a hiking only area and truly one of the most beautiful places we’ve been.  The Rockies in Canada and the Sawtooth Mountains in Idaho finished off our ‘wow’ places for 2014.

Jewel Basin, Montana

 

So after a winter of fun, family and volunteering in Texas, here we are ready to start out on our fourth 'On the Road with Maya' adventure.  It will be fun to see what theme develops this year as we spend time in the Midwest.  This is probably our most ‘loosely’ planned trip yet as we still don’t know much more than we are going to Michigan to visit David’s brother.  But I am confident this journey will eventually have a focus too.  Follow us on the blog as we figure it out.

Maya isn't sure what will happen next...

 

David’s Stats for 2014: (out of Texas hiking and road mileage)
 

Days Hiked     153
Total Miles Hiked    734
Total Elevation Gain     102,770 feet
Number of Wildernesses Hiked   25

Days hiked on the Pacific Crest Trail   13

Miles driven on the RV   9,740

Miles driven on the Honda   10,560

 

Leaving San Antonio and the 'Canyon'

Dewberry blooming near the visitor center at Government Canyon State Natural Area

As Mother Nature would have it, the weather was perfect for our last week at Government Canyon.  Sunny skies, warm days, cool nights, wildflowers popping up everywhere and darn it, it’s time to go! 

 

 

Redbuds blooming and starting to leaf out

 

 

Along with our usual duties, we enjoyed our last week by giving interpretive presentations in the campground in the evenings and leading a Girl Scout hike along the Savannah Trail.  It was sad to say goodbye, but as my mother always says, “It’s best to leave when you still want to stay.  That way you always want to come back.”  And indeed, we do.

 

David shows mammal skulls to campers

 

 

After leaving San Antonio, we drove to Odessa for a week with family and to handle some routine business (taxes and insurance always demand some attention).  Then we took my parents to their cabin in Ruidoso, New Mexico.  My brother and sister-in-law were already at the cabin, so we had a cozy time with 6 people, two dogs and a cat in a small cabin.  David had his birthday at the cabin and we celebrated with cake and a dinner out.

 

Maya is a popular addition to the campground programs 

Now everyone is back in Odessa except for David and Maya and me.  We are planning on a few days of hiking in the mountains, though not today as there was snow in the mountains last night.  The trails are muddy and snowy so we are giving them a day to dry out a little.  Besides, we hear it's cold up there!

 

Bear grass bloom with wasp

 

I know the blog posts have been a bit few and far between lately.  We haven’t been ‘on the road’ as much for one thing and haven’t been doing as many exciting things.  But never fear we have adventures planned very soon.  By the first week of May we will be heading through Arkansas, Missouri, Kentucky, Ohio and up into Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota and maybe even Canada.  We haven’t worked out all the details yet, but for sure new places are in store.

 

Maya relaxes in a bed of golden-eye phlox

So for the next few days we will be in New Mexico getting our fill of green chilies and then back to Texas for a couple of weeks to get ‘Silver,’ our RV ready for a long road trip and to stock up for the journey.  Then it’s ‘On the Road with Maya’ one more time.

 

 

A fallen tree 'arch' on the Savannah Loop Trail

A Rainy Spring



Kellen and Tessa looking out at Government Canyon

We are enjoying another rainy morning here in the ‘Canyon’ with birds singing and the smell of blooming agarita wafting through the open windows.  The rain is gentle and sporadic at the moment but the predictions are for thunderstorms this afternoon.  It’s a good day to be ‘off duty.’

 

Golden-eye phlox, an early spring flower

 

Since my previous two blog posts I have had to revise my thoughts about the weather and an early spring.  Although there have been some really nice days, we have had a lot of cool, cloudy and rainy ones.  Lately the trails have been muddy and even closed many days to protect both the natural area (park) and the people.  We haven’t been hiking as much because of the trail closures and are often too busy with our park duties on days that we could hike.  Oh well, it is hard to begrudge rain when we all know a long hot summer is ahead.  And the rain should make the wildflowers beautiful once the sun is out regularly and things start to warm.

 

My brother Tim and his wife Linda have a new puppy 
Gigi and Maya are already good buddies

I don’t want to make it sound like we haven’t had any fun.  That absolutely is not true.  We’ve enjoyed our duties at the state natural area and have made friends with some of the other volunteers.  Not all of the interpretive hikes for school children were ‘rained out,’ so we’ve been out on the trails a few times with the kids.  We’ve even managed some campfires and cookouts at our campsite with friends and family plus several trips into San Antonio to see folks.  

 

Sasha points out a jumping spider to her son Kellen

 

Jumping spider on agarita
photo by Sasha Kodet

 

One of my friends, Sasha, who is very involved on a local level with getting kids out into nature, brought her own children out one day for a hike and some photography at Government Canyon.  Her timing was excellent as it was one of the few sunny days with trails open that we’ve had lately. With phlox, windflower, agarita and mountain laurel blooming along the trail we all had much to see and smell.  Maya had a great time too although she enjoyed smells of a different kind.  

 

Kellen snaps a photo of a grasshopper that jumped on David's leg

Grasshopper
photo by Kellen Cross

 

 

I can’t believe that our time is nearly at an end at Government Canyon State Natural Area.  Just like last year, we haven’t nearly done everything or seen everybody.   We will do our best in the next week but I think we will have to come back again soon. 

 

 

 

Windflower
photo by Tessa Cross



Maya enjoys hanging out with Kellen

 

 

 

 

Campground Host #1

David’s and my duties as park hosts at Government Canyon State Natural Area are a bit different than they were last year.  Where last year we were camped in the ‘host village’ area and worked the fee booth and interpretive programs, this year we are actually staying in the campground and most of our assigned duties are associated with the campground.

 

Home sweet home - until the first of April, anyway

On Friday and Saturday afternoons/evenings we are ‘on duty’ in the campground assisting campers with check-in, answering questions, etc.  Sunday mornings until noon we are also on duty in the campground.  On Monday mornings David has ‘field duties’ which can include cleaning out fire rings, restocking firewood and other maintenance projects while I work in the visitor center store until 1pm.  We also help with children’s hikes and other interpretive programs as needed.  Tuesdays – Thursdays are our days off to hike, do chores, visit friends and whatever else we want.  All in all, not a bad gig!

 

The Cross Family - Kellen, Tessa, Sasha & KC celebrate our first
campfire this year at Government Canyon

 

So far the weather has been better this year than last.  We have had some cold and rain but also some really nice days.  Two weekends since we have been here, the campground has been almost full and the line to get into the natural area has been as much as a 30-minute wait at times.  San Antonio has discovered Government Canyon!  Be forewarned, on a nice weekend earlier is better – if you are coming out to see us or going on a hike, get started before noon.

 

I helped make the "Wild at Heart" race medals



On Valentine’s Day there was a children’s one mile race at the Canyon.  David and I had a fun afternoon helping with this event. It was a beautiful day and one where the parking lots were overflowing and the car line to the entrance booth stretched almost to Galm Road.  The race time was delayed to make sure all who wanted to participate (over 30 children in all) got to run. It was a great day for those ‘Wild at Heart.’

 

 

And they're off!

 

 

While the weather is still having its winter lows and highs, rains and shines I think it is only going to get nicer.  Already we are seeing the grass starting to green, tiny wildflowers with their first blooms and cardinals, phoebes, Carolina wrens and chickadees are waking us up earlier and earlier.  Spring is definitely on its way.

 

 

Maya loves sitting on the deck

 

January Camping

Frostweed sap at Guadalupe River State Park

Almost anything is possible with winter camping in Texas.  From ice storms to near 80 degrees and anything in between – yes, I think that sums up this month pretty well. 

After our ice adventures out in West Texas we went back towards San Antonio hoping for a little warmer weather.  And it was warmer at Guadalupe River State Park but moisture was still in the air so we traded in the ice for cold rain.  An improvement though not all that much fun!

 

Ice storm in West Texas

Sometimes nature has little surprises in store if you happen to be out and about.  One morning the conditions had been just right for the stems of the frostweed (Verbesina virginica) to rupture and the sap to spill out in frozen curtains of white.  The sap makes such delicate, almost cotton candy-like shapes.  Some of them look as if they could be fairy creations.  We were lucky enough to see the frozen frostweed last year right before Christmas at Lost Maples State Park and here it was again.  I imagine ranchers in the Texas Hill Country see it quite often but I am always delighted by the phenomenom.

Cotton candy frostweed

 

After a few days stay and a quick trip into San Antonio for a dentist appointment we decided to move on down the road.  The rain was not predicted to let up anywhere in Texas but it was supposed to be a little warmer to the south.  So we went to Brazos Bend State Park just a little south of the Houston area.

Rainy morning, Brazos Bend State Park



Brazos Bend is one of our favorite Texas State Parks.  There are over 40 miles of trails, hundreds of bird species and alligators.  Who can resist that combination?  Well, not us anyway.



Snowy Egret

 



 

We spent a week at the park and much of it was rainy.  Still the rain let up from time to time and the temperatures steadily climbed all week from the 40s to the low 60s near the end.  We were able to hike at least a little every day and some days quite a bit longer.  As usual, there were so many birds.  Brazos Bend is a fun place to photograph birds. You don’t have to be a great wildlife photographer or even have a very long lens to get some good pictures. 

 



White Ibis

The weather was warming up everywhere in Texas and we hated to leave the park just as the gators were coming out to bask in the sun.  But we were scheduled to start our duties at Government Canyon State Natural Area in just a few days so we left Brazos Bend and traveled to San Marcos.  We enjoyed a gloriously warm and sunny weekend with our friends Cindy and John before it was time to move to Government Canyon where we will be “living” for the next 10 weeks.  

'Fishing buddies,' White-faced Ibis and Snowy Egret

A slight dispute over territory...

 

Luckily, the weather was great for our move-in.  We put on shorts in the afternoon as the temperature climbed near 80.  Shorts in January, you just can’t do that up north.  The next day we were back in pants, rain pants to be precise.  Oh, well – it is winter after all.

The sun comes out and so do the gators!

David's Stats:
Days Hiked   5

Rain Days     4   
Total Miles Hiked    22.66
Ave. Miles per Day    4.53 
Total Elevation Gain     414
Ave. Elevation Gain per day  83

 

 

Ringing in the New Year with Cold and Ice

Icy morning near Ft. Davis

Our New Year’s week in the Big Bend did not turn out quite as planned.  We arrived at Davis Mountain State Park about 2 in the afternoon and managed a quick 3 mile hike up the Skyline Trail.  The next day was much colder but we did get to take a trail with friends Melissa and Dustin who were also camping  at the park for a few days.  Maya was happy they brought their Australian Shepard, Rocky along.  Melissa, Dustin and Rocky met us in Ft. Davis last year at the very same time.  If we aren’t careful this could get to be a tradition.

 

Dustin and Rocky, David and Maya

 

Walking stick cholla cactus, spines coated with ice

 

Then on New Year’s Eve a winter storm came through giving us below freezing temperatures and rain that turned to ice.  For three days we holed up in the RV only going out for quick walks around the campground with Maya.  Weather to the south was not quite as cold but all around us the cold and the ice on the roads made travel unsafe.  Giving up plans of visiting other Big Bend destinations we were content to stay put, eat warm soups, go for very short walks and read.  

 

 

Sleet and ice continued to come down and tree limbs started breaking around us.  Our campsite had no trees hanging over our RV or car and we were very glad of that.  As far as we could tell no limbs fell on any of the campers but there were many small and large branches down and even a few trees fell.  We lost power from one of those trees bringing down electric lines but it was restored in a few hours.  In the meantime, our propane heater did a fine job keeping us warm.  Going without electricity isn’t a problem for us but in cold weather power is nice.

 

 Mullein leaves stiff with ice

There was a break in the weather on Saturday so we left about noon and headed back to Odessa.  The roads were still a bit icy from Ft. Davis to Pecos but not dangerous and we went slowly.  Once we were back in Odessa we heard all kinds of stories from friends and family about the ice storm in West Texas.  It seems like we were actually a little better off in Ft. Davis than those to the north.  Many friends in Odessa lost power and didn’t stay nearly as warm in their homes as we did in our little RV.  (Fortunately my parents had no power outages or ice damage.) With the massive number of downed trees and car accidents in the Odessa area, our little adventure seemed pretty tame.  Well, it was enough for us and we are glad it is over – for now.

 

Starting to thaw

 

David's Stats:
Days Hiked   2

Rain/Ice Days   3     
Total Miles Hiked     5.57
Ave. Miles per Day  2.79   
Total Elevation Gain     1,039
Ave. Elevation Gain per day  520

 

 

Oh Christmas Maple!

Lost Maples State Park still had a few maples with leaves the week before Christmas

Our week before Christmas was spent in Lost Maples State Park.  We did the same thing last year and it was such a great way to relax right before all the holiday craziness that we just did it again. 

 

Every time I visit Lost Maples I am struck by just how out in the middle of nowhere it is.  In the park there is no cell service and you can forget about Internet unless you have a satellite dish (which we don’t).  There is a tiny store with a few groceries about two miles away and the nearest restaurant of any note is more than 25 miles away.  But nature and solitude are available in abundance.

 

Along the West Trail

 

Karst rock formation and reflection in pond along the West Trail

 

So the lost maples worked their holiday magic again.  Although most of the leaves had fallen and the colors faded there was still so much beauty.  The winter nights were cold, clear and full of stars.  The days were mostly clear though we did have one day of rain.  The campground was practically deserted and we saw only a handful of hikers on the trails.  We had a couple of days of leisurely hikes and then two days of fairly intense hikes.  And we rested well.  All in all it was a great way to get in the holiday spirit of peace and goodwill towards man.

 

Crossing the Sabinal River

 

 

We have just had a lovely Christmas with family.  As our friends and families grow older (my parents are both 81 this year) I know it will not always be so.  And that makes each Christmas we are together very precious indeed. 

 

Llano River at South Llano River State Park

A peaceful day at South Llano River State Park on our way home for Christmas

With camping in state parks out of Internet range and spending time with family I have been very remiss in keeping up with the blog.  We are spending New Year’s in Ft. Davis and will be out of touch there as well, but as soon as the holiday visiting is done and we are have regular connection again, I will be better about keeping up with our adventures.  In the meantime, I hope your holidays were blessed with love, friends and family.  And Happy New Year!

 

 

 

 

David's Stats:
Days Hiked  8

Rain Days    1    
Total Miles Hiked    36.08   
Ave. Miles per Day      4.51
Total Elevation Gain     2,254
Ave. Elevation Gain per day   282