Along the Way
We finally got out of Livingston on the 30th. We set out for a longish day, almost 300 miles. We wanted to get past San Antonio and into territory we had not covered this trip/ Using our various resources we came up with a park in the Passport America website, Castroville Regional Park. Well they no longer accept Passport America, but the people were very nice and we decided to explore the area just a bit. Actually we started out with a walk to the Post Office, 15 minutes away, and returned a couple of hours later. We walked into the town where we found an historic city with roots going back to the 1840’s. There are over 80 homes and other buildings that go back into the 1800’s and early 1900’s. The city is trapped in a loop of the Medina River and does not appear to have grown much beyond its natural boundary. We had dinner at the Alsation Restaurant in the Hotel of the same name. When we arrived there was only one other party of two and when we left there was a different party of two. Slow night. Decent service and the food was better than acceptable and very inexpensive. I had a Louisana Gumbo that really warmed my interior and they prepared a very nice vegetable plate for Carol. The wine is better left unmentioned and the beer list was atrocious – unless you are fond of Bud/Bud Light Miller/Miller light etc.
The next day we decided to return to Seminole Canyon State Park and Historic Site to see, if possible, the Fate Bell Pictographs and the White Shaman. Fate Bell, named for Lafayette (known as Fate) Bell who was the first rancher in the area, was on tour at 10 AM and Dave who was giving that tour, was also giving the tour at White Shaman at 12:30. Fate Bell is deemed to have more pictographs than any other site and White Shaman has a very distinctive, small array of pictographs. It was more of a special site reserved for ceremonies Whereas Fate Bell was a residential site with many pictographs drawn over others. I will not try to give a lesson on the life, times and meanings of the images. We have been here before and if you are interested some searches focused on the Witte Museum will get you more than I can give without putting me in jeopardy of being wrong.
On Sunday we moved on yet again following US 90 deeper into Texas. We paused in Sanderson for some very expensive diesel ($3.99) avoiding a stop in Marathon for outrageously overpriced diesel ($4.19) on our way into Big Bend. I am grateful for the 100 gal tank and the 800 mile range. I may be able to buy merely expensive diesel the next time Gee Whiz is thirsty. We got to Big Bend in time to set up and greet friends who we had met in Seminole and another couple came over who recognized us from there as well. Party Time!
Monday was our first chance to take Ruby (the Red Rubicon) on the kind of road she was meant for. We drove 26 miles on The Old Ore Road which is described as requiring high ground clearance and some stretches where 4 wheel drive would be helpful. It is a great trip and Ruby carried it off as just another day on the road. As we settled back at the coach several people drifted over and we had an impromptu get together, not Happy Hour in the true sense, but a great way to share our adventures and learn what else we should consider. Tuesday, we decided to take on the big challenge, River Road. It is 51 miles along the southern part of the park, not reachable any other way, but on foot. Half the road rated for high ground clearance and the other half says 4 wheel drive required. With stops for lunch, photo ops and short hikes we spent 5 hours on the drive. The highlight has to have been the Mariscal Cinnabar Works at the northern end of Mariscal Mountain which form the middle canyon of the park, not viewable other than from the river or the River Road. The mine was for Cinnabar which was rendered for mercury for use in the war efforts both World War I and II. It closed in 1946. The works are totally soaked in mercury and we kept our distance as hiked on trails that stayed clear of the buildings. We saw three other vehicles while we were there. Along with one motorcycle that was the total traffic we observed on the 51 miles.
Back at Gee Whiz I rounded up the usual suspects and a neighbor couple who had just arrived for Happy Hour.
Posting now from Rio Grande Village Store – more another day