Marathon RV Park, Marathon, BIG BEND, TEXAS

Edward Morrison, in downtown Marathon having coffee, claims he was in many Western films.

Thursday, January 4
Beautiful day to go up to the mountains in the Big Bend area. It was so awesome I can’t put it into words. The Santiago Mountains into the vast northern Chihuahuan Desert, an expanse of harsh terrain that extends southward from

Texas into Mexico. Our pictures do not do justice to the enormity and scenic beauty of what we saw. Through our travels we have never seen anything like this. Walls eroded through eons, exposing horizontal ribbons of varicolored stone in crenellations of white, tan, brown, peach and reddish hues, the far reaching shadow awash in purplish blue.
Friday, January 5

We drove back to Big Bend area on a different route to drive the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive. Deserts, canyons, mesas, and mountains, the drive truly gives you a remarkably varied terrain. This is a hiker’s paradise, but we prefer the comfort of our car.

Ray's Reflections: BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK - As I was attempting to map out our proposed trip after we left the Smoky Mountains (Waynesville in early November) my intent was to get to the west coast ASAP, while visiting a few key spots along the way, to avoid the on-coming winter. Marsha had been working on and completed a number of important tasks pertaining to our new lifestyle. She turns her attention to my route in Texas, which would have taken us a straight line from San Antonio to Carlsbad Caverns in N.M. But, after Marsha’s due-diligence researching the weather and warmer areas to stay for awhile, she lays the name Big Bend on me. I knew that Big Bend was a clock in England; however she was talking about Big Bend in Texas. So we started making plans to head south and visit Big Bend. We understood after research and talking with the locals, this area was not to be taken lightly. We topped off the truck, packed a lunch, drinks and snacks, Mitzy, and warm cloths, and on 01-04 07, we headed south in the truck to see the Big Bend area. We traveled south on Rt. 385 toward the Big Bend National Park. About three miles in the north-bound lane, we passed a border patrol station with two cruisers and a 4x4 Ranger. Wonder what they are looking for?? This road was well maintained - 70 mph limit with a wide shoulder. We are very familiar with the Southeast US., however, this area is very different, and it was missing something. AHHH!! Yes, TREES..... There are no trees to be seen, and you can see forever. From the beginning of our trip, we started climbing very gradually through the valley with huge rock out-croppings on both sides. The ground is covered with rocks of all sizes, from pea size to very large boulders; cactus of all kinds and sage brush everywhere. This area is in a drought. Yes it is a desert terrain, but their water table is way down. So the run-offs are bone dry in this region. From the time we entered Rt 385 from Marathon, in the distance was a very ominous looking peak above all the other hills. After almost an hour, we entered the park through the ranger station with a brief tour regarding the history of the park from the time it was a tropical swamp, dinosaurs, volcanos, earthquakes and upheavals to modern Indians. And, of course, the Mexican -American war. Over a period of two days we covered the major roads (480 miles) and places of interest in the park including extinct volcanoes, fossils of the giant meat-eater T-Rex and other dinosaurs that roamed the area. The Rio Grand River cutting through 1500 foot cliffs in two different locations, several nickel and silver mines, snow-covered Emory peak at 7825 foot, an old army compound at Castolon, and more. We drove the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive and it was true to its name. We had no idea there were mountains almost 8,000 ft in Texas this far south. The ominous peak half-way into the park was the 6500 foot Santiago peak, which created its own clouds in a totally cloudless sky. Among the varied wildlife in the park, we saw whitetail deer, mule deer, roadrunners, ostriches, snakes, hawks, eagles, silver fox, red fox, sparrows, very large black birds and many others birds of unknown specie. Both days, as we exited the park, we had to stop at the border patrol. Now, we were traveling in a gray 4x4 pickup with a covered bed, and a back seat piled so high with excess we could hardly see out of the back window. They asked me one question. “Were we US citizens?" and then said "Have a good day”. No search whatsoever and I could almost spit across the Rio Grande River. Not that we have too many illegal immigrants with no address here in the USA. Great trips, but very long days.
After the Civil War, Texas ranchers drove cattle across the Pecos and Rio Grande into Mexico where longhorns could be sold at a premium. There are miles and miles of thick grama grass in a valley with abundant water that the ranchers grazed their herds and drifted through and soon enough they settled.
The boulders are strewn on the slopes and one has to wonder if you will see a boulder fall on you as you drive past. As the picture shows, the rock formations defy the law of physics. Sotol Vista gives the best view of the park and see the Santa Elena Canyon the floodplain of the Rio Grande. There was one part of the drive descends through a series of switchbacks, and you view the unmistakable Mule Ears Peaks formation; Tuff Canyon, named for its gray, volcanic ash rock; and Cerro Castellan, a pile of volcanic rock that towers 1,000 feet.
We stopped to have lunch and gas up at Terlingua, formerly a thriving mining center. It was so quiet outside without the wind, you feel like you can hear a pin drop. It is so warm for a change, we really enjoyed our day.
We drove to the old Army compound of Castolon, a frontier trading post, then headed to Santa Elena Canyon. It is the most awesome sight. The gritty, silt-laden Rio Grande has, like a never-ending strip of sandpaper, worn away through the limestone Mesa de Anguila, carving a narrow chasm with sheer sides. The walls of the abyss rise hundreds of feet above you like skyscrapers on a city street. The river is very narrow at this point.

Saturday, January 06, 2007 - Last night was very scary. We had a cold front hit the mountains with wind gusts close to 50 mph. Our coach had no protection with other RVers this time, so we were on flat land over 4,000 ft. high, and fully exposed to the elements. Around 3:30 AM it sounded like a freight train was coming through with the high winds. We do have train tracks about ¼ mile from us, so we hear the trains day and night. I find the sound comforting to hear the conductors’ train whistle as he races through Marathon. It doesn’t keep us up at night either. The next morning is overcast and winds blowing a solid 20 mph. Wind chill here is 26 degrees. A good day to stay indoors and work on the computer.

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Marathon RV Park, Marathon, BIG BEND, TEXAS

Beautiful Texas sky at night from Park.

There were only 4 other RV's as this is NOT the time of year they get the customary tourist.
Ray's Reflections: Marathon, Texas is the type of town you see in a movie where the Greyhound bus stops in the street and one person gets off as the bus roars down the road, except I don’t believe there is a bus that runs through Marathon. However, if you want piece and quiet, this is the place, except for the token train. You can see the track running parallel to the highway through town. As it has turned out, most towns have what Marsha and I have come to call our “token” train we can hear from our locations. I guess this interests us because many years ago in St. Pete, the trains were replaced with the Pinellas Trail, a 21-mile long trail for bicycles, roller blades, runners, walkers, etc.

Tuesday, January 2, 2007

Left Medina Lake RV Park for the Big Bend area of Texas. I-10 is a great road. We passed miles and miles of country without seeing a soul. Just deer every now and then, some were unfortunately “road kill”.
Texas' Big Bend Country lies in the northern region of the Chihuahuan Desert, the largest desert in North America which extends from central Mexico to southern New Mexico. Its vast expanses of desert mountain terrain encompass over 13,000 square miles in the far reaches of southwest Texas, large enough to hold the states of Rhode Island, Delaware and New Jersey combined. Yes, it really is that BIG!
Big Bend’s isolation is really an opportunity to experience a sense of remoteness, unhurriedness and relative wildness that few national parks outside of Alaska can offer. 100 million years ago the Big Bend area was ocean. 65 million years ago, dinosaurs roamed the area.
Marathon, Texas – Elevation 4,040’ Population 600
Marathon is a thriving tourist destination along U.S. 90 with distinctive hotels, restaurants, shops, and galleries related to its location in the historic and picturesque Big Bend of West Texas. The area, and Big Bend National Park just 40 miles south of Marathon, was given the name because it is defined by the Rio Grande River's bend to the south, and then north again, as it flows to the Gulf of Mexico. Marathon was named in 1882 by retired sea captain, railroad surveyor and local landowner Albion Shepard, who said the locale, a high desert basin surrounded by mountains, reminded him of the famous Marathon in Greece, from which runner Phidippides ran 26.2 miles to tell Athenians of their victory against the Persians in 490 BC. This feat gave rise to marathon races world-wide and Marathon now has its own certified marathon road race each year -- from Alpine to Marathon on a weekend in October.In the early 20th century, Marathon was a bustling community of more than 2,000 -- a Southern Pacific railway shipping point for cattle from major ranches in the area as well as silver and mercury from mines to the south. It boasted the only U.S. factory for natural rubber made from the desert plant guayule. It also had the first school in the Big Bend (the adobe schoolhouse now houses the Marathon Historical Museum), churches, a taxi service, a blacksmith shop, a general store and two hotels.
We got to the Marathon RV Park around 2:30 and set up for a weeks stay. Satellite not working, but good cable connection and wi-fi. The Verizon air card is not able to get a signal due to the remote location.

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Medina Lake RV Park - Pipe Creek, TX

The Pipe Creek community is on State Highway 16 about nine miles east of Bandera in eastern Bandera County. The town was founded about 1870 and was named for nearby Pipe Creek. The town has minimal commercial downtown. Medina Lake RV Park is nearby.

Tuesday, December 19 - Left Braunig Lake RV around 8:30 am for Medina Lake RV Park, a Thousand Trails Park located in Pipe Creek. Found a site but had to make a choice. A site with sewer and water has 30 amp service; site with 50 amp service has no sewer which means about every 3 days you need to go to the dump station. We selected 30 amp service and took care not to trip the breaker switch at the power pole. We like the park as it has a lot of room between the sites with loads of vegetation giving a lot of privacy. We were told by the ranger that if we buy dried corn (50 lb bag for $7 at the nearby feed store) we could feed the deer in the park. It was a highlight of our day to watch the deer come by our RV in the early morning and then around mid-afternoon or later. I wound up selecting favorites to feed from my hand. The personality of each one became evident as they became familiar. One in particular was a "pig" and tried to keep younger deer from getting any food. I told him to keep his distance. I would say there are at least 20 that visit regularly, but there are larger deer that are more skitish and won't stoop so low as to feed on the corn and stands in the distance.

Ray's Reflections: I met a very nice family in the park that visits this area often. Dad, mom, older son, and daughter all ride their own bikes and they asked me to join them. Naturally, I did and rode with them several days. Although it is great to ride my roads and do my own thing, it is nice in a strange area to hook up with someone who knows the best routes to take in the area. That leaves me as tail gunner and just follow the pack; also I can relax a little and enjoy the ride more. When I do not have to watch the route ahead, notice I said “route”, not road. This is amazing country and nice bike roads in the hill country of Texas.
The terrain is gently rolling with curves and few trees so you can see through most turns and few drop offs over the road shoulder. A lot of dry gullies this time of year with small trees, shrubs and the ground is scattered with rocks and boulders. The very small creeks are designed to flow over the roads to avoid bridges, as the road can become flooded. The area ranches consist of horses, sheep, lamas, alpacas and ostrich. I heard some ranches have exotic game shipped in and charge big bucks for hunters to take their best shot. They hire a guide and someone to carry their rifle and provisions -- all the hunter does is line the animal up in the cross hairs of a high-powered rifle and well you know the rest, trophy on the wall. Come on now—give the hunter a spear and knife and let’s see who ends up as a trophy or maybe dinner. Well that is my viewpoint and no apology to my friends who are hunters.
On my rides I did spot many deer, roadrunners, ostrich and several animals that looked like beautiful colored small deer with 3-ft. long spiraled horns that come to a point. I would ride the hill country west of San Antonio again.
Medina Lake is best known among fishermen for its large yellow catfish. Medina Lake's 4,246-acres of clear water, sheltered by hills and limestone bluffs, are also haven for SCUBA divers.
Medina Lake and Canal System was constructed between 1911-1912 as an irrigation reservoir. An extensive canal system delivers water to 34,000 acres of black prairie farmlands below the Balcones escarpment around Castroville. At the time it was constructed, it was the biggest irrigation project west of the Mississippi. At spillway capacity, Medina Lake covers about 5,575 acres, has a length of 18 miles, a maximum width of three miles, and 110 miles of shoreline. In addition to the main dam, there is a smaller dam about four miles downstream that creates Diversion Lake, from which discharges are made to the canal system. Wildly fluctuating levels have characterized Medina Reservoir throughout its entire history.
December 23, 2006
Thunderstorms and lots of rain. They really need it here as all the gullies are dry and the water table for Lake Medina looks about 40’ lower than it should be. We have no cell phone coverage in the park. The Verizon air card for internet service is working so we are not totally out of touch with our family.

Sun. December 24, 2006, Christmas Eve
Weather terrible with slight drizzle all day. Went into town 26 miles away to see a movie at a Silverado 16 theater. New and nice. Saw Matt Damon in The Good Shepard. Was three hours long and very hard to follow, but good acting. The road home at dusk was long and very different with the sun setting behind the hills/mountains. Beautiful layers of red and pinks across the horizon. "Red sky at night, traveler's delight; Red sky in morning, traveler take warning."
Mon. December 25, Christmas Day
Other than the potluck luncheon at the parks Activity Center, we made no plans to leave today. Just too COLD! Contacted family by cell outside the park.
Tue. December 26, 2006 The weather was perfect. Mid 70's during the day and sunshine. Took a trip through Bandera (elevation 1,258 ft.), known as the “cowboy capital of the world” – the shops on their main street have the old frontier-style look to them. The town was founded in 1852. I looked and looked but didn’t see one "cowboy." A blending of Indian, Mexican, Polish and Western cultures gives Bandera a unique ambiance not found elsewhere in Texas.

Also drove to the outskirts of Hunt where there is a replica of Stonehenge built by two visionary Texas cowboys with money to spend and time to spare.

Two 13-foot-tall Easter Island look-alikes were added, standing silently guarding the Stonehenge masterpiece. Stonehenge II is about half as tall as the original, 3,500-plus-year-old Stonehenge, which sits on Salisbury Plain north of Salisbury, England.The Hill Country is known as the “heart” of the Lone Start State. Not only in the middle of Texas, but also at the center of everything Texas has to offer. Home to rolling hills and plenty of lakes and rivers.

We have not had much good weather to pursue many of the sights we wanted to visit, but the region is filled with heritage and historical museums, amazing underground caverns, historic structures wineries that offer tours, dude ranches, lots of shopping, and plenty of restaurants that offer Hill Country cuisine and music.

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Ray's Reflections.... December 2006

At this point of our journey, we have become educated on several aspects of our new life having moved from a foundation home to one on wheels with lots of miles and travel.

1. First, one needs to have a direct line to customer service of the RV manufacturer. In our case it is National RV Inc. We used their support a number of times in the beginning due to unexpected issues. Most often the issues were due to our inexperience.
   Example: While in Vicksburg, MS, we discovered a minor leak from the engine area (Freightliner). We had to change all plans and get our home to the nearest Freightliner Service Center which was in Jackson, MS approximately 50 miles out of our way. While the RV is in the repair shop, you are not allowed in your home due to strict rules with OSHA. This means 8 hours and sometimes more in the waiting room with Mitzy and the laptop. The one-day scheduled repair turned into three as there were complications. Freightliner is used to working for truckers, and work in shifts. One night we had to wait until the late shift was able to work on the problem and we were not able to get to our home until midnight.
2. Downsizing is critical. We brought way too much "stuff", and we are still discarding or using up what we have in supplies so the load is lighter.
3. Advice for spouses - you'd better like each other a lot! 24/7 is different than evenings and weekends together. Flexability is the key to a happy life on the road together.

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