Kay's Photo Journal - February 2020
2/2/2020 Alamo Dam, TX - A developer tried to develop below the Alamo Dam, that the why street name poles are there. The dam is totally dry, there is no water that caused to fail development here. The dam is long, which located at the mouth of Alamo Canyon.
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2/2/2020 Alamo Canyon RA, TX - I was lucky to find this RA site. There are many RA on the boulders here. I couldn’t find any information prior to come here, even I didn’t know how to get here, but amazingly I found way to get here and found tons of RA, I don’t know how to explain, I was truly lucky.
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2/3/2020 Fort Davis National Historical Site, TX - It is located gorgeous rock formation all around here. I am sure there are RA around here but a ranger didn’t tell me. There are many re-created buildings in this site, but not all, some of are only base of structure remind.
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2/3/2020 Davis Mountains State Park and Indian Lodge, TX - There are several hiking trails. They take care birds, a mean they feeding birds, that the reason there are many birds. The Indian Lodge is white building and large in size, to get to the Indian Lodge, must go through the state park.
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2/4/2020 Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute, TX - I did self tour for the botanical gardens and cactus green house. There are tags all over, very educational place indeed. All those plants in this park is grow in the Chihuahuan Desert. Also I stop by to the mining exhibit.
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2/4/2020 Alpine Murals, TX - There are beautiful large size murals that side of the buildings in the town. I found few murals, and I guess there are many more. I have learned, if stop by to the Chamber of Commence, they have a location map for the murals.
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2/4/2020 Lunas Jacal, Big Bend National Park, TX - At the Alamo Creek, Gilberto Luna raised a large family in this small house that made by rocks, earth and plant fibers. It is very simple house, even I can make like that.
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2/4/2020 Santa Elena Canyon Trail, Big Bend National Park, TX - Creek is crossing in large scale of river walls. This river walls are not just tall, wide too. It is beautiful view to see this creek is crossing area.
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2/5/2020 Cottonwood Campground, Big Bend National Park, TX - This is the smallest campground among three developed campgrounds in the Big Bend NP. This campground and visitor center area was fired down last May by spark came from Mexico side, where they were burning something. Owl was on the higher side of tree and I saw beautiful a red bird, and roadrunner.
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2/5/2020 La Harmonia Store, Big Bend National Park, TX - La Harmonia means in spanish 'Harmony', and peaceful relationship between South Texas and Northern Mexico. At this store, variety of merchandise and catering are provided to both sides of Rio Grande.
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2/5/2020 Desert Mountains Overlook, Big Bend National Park, TX - It was clouded at far view, when I got there, so that I took some mountains view near the overlook. There are many mountains around here.
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2/5/2020 Dorgan and Sublett Houses, Big Bend National Park, TX - Dorgan and Sublett are farmer business associates. Together they bought 640 acres, 4 years later Sublett purchased additional 2,560 acres in 1918. Sublett family moved to Alvino House. They vacated 1938 and leased land to the resort developer but failed, and sold to Big Bend NP.
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2/6/2020 Mule Ears View Point, Big Bend National Park, TX - All I can see was black Mule Ears Peaks because location of the sun. Those peaks are not easy to hike/climb up to that can tell by just look. I enjoy the view from the distance.
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2/6/2020 Chimneys Trail RA, Big Bend National Park, TX - The Chimneys rock color is bright rusting color. View from Chimneys is very nice all around. I saw two kind petroglyphs, carving and incising, and some pictographs.
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2/7/2020 Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive, Big Bend National Park, TX - This road runs from the Castolon to the Castolon/Santa Elena Junction. It is 22 miles of scenic drive. The road runs between mountains, and mountains are beautiful. I have stop more than few time to take photos.
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2/7/2020 Indian Head RA, Big Bend National Park, TX - This place is near the town of Study Butte. I found more than one panels, 5+ panels to be exact. There are mainly petroglyphs but I found some pictographs also. There are many boulders/rocks and rock walls in this area, beautiful place.
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2/8/2020 Terlingua Ghost Town, TX - This town was a mercury mining community, after resources dried up, people moved out and became a ghost town. The remnants are still we can see it, but more new buildings and new people moved in.
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2/9/2020 Chisos Basin Campground, Big Bend National Park, TX - This is the 2nd largest developed campground in the Big Bend NP, 60 sites. Sites are fill up very quickly when some one moved out. It is surrounding by beautiful mountains.
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2/9/2020 The Window, Big Bend National Park, TX - The Window is 'U' shaped slot canyon. Just before the Window, need to maneuver the water, there are stairs to follow. The view through from the Window is miles and miles of long distance view. It is a nice area and hike was present.
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2/10/2020 Lost Mine Peak, Big Bend National Park, TX - All I wanted was to take the Casa Grande photo. When started hiking on the Lost Mine Trail, view of the Casa Grande is gorgeous and can’t stop hiking, a means I hiked all the way up to the Lost Mine Peak.
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2/11/2020 Rio Grande Village Campground, Big Bend National Park, TX - This is the largest developed campground in the Big Bend NP, 125 sites. The campground is full because good weather. They have laundromat and shower facilities, and wi-fi is available.
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2/11/2020 Hot Springs, Big Bend National Park, TX - This place was resort one time, but that business failed. Still 105°F nice hot water is coming from bottom of the pool. We witnessed that couple Mexican guys from Mexico side ride a horse to cross the Rio Grande, and left souvenias on side of trail to US people to buy it.
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2/11/2020 Hot Springs RA, Big Bend National Park, TX - There are some pictographs but not much on the side of the mountain. There are thin rocks that stack up to make cliff, pictographs are side of those layers, all small in size.
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2/12/2017 Boquillas Village, Mexico - This is a small village across the Rio Grande, boat ride to cross it. Rio Grande is about 2ft deep. Village has couple restaurants and few vendors that sell souvenirs. I saw building a brand new house with adobe, modern adobe technique.
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2/13/2020 Panther Panel, Amistad National Recreation Area, TX - The Panther Cave is located adjacent to the Seminole Canyon State Park. To get to the cave, need a boat. However this year, water level of Seminole Canyon is very low, 30ft low, a boat couldn't go through. So that I took photos of the Panther Panel with explanation by Jack Johnson, Archaeologist, in the Visitor Center, thank you Jack.
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2/15/2020 Amistad National Recreation Area, TX - Amistad reservoir is large in size, located north of town of Del Rio. There are couple RA sites open for the public, include the Panter Cave, but need a boat to get it. Currently water level of river is too low, boat can not get to those sites.
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2/17/2020 Devils River State Natural Area, TX - Finegan Springs that crystal-clean water comes from and runs into the Devils River rate of over 20,000 gal/min. Water is so clean, can see the bottom of the river with naked eyes. RA guided tour is available. I sent a request via e-mail but I never got reply.
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2/18/2020 Amistad Dam, Mexico - Amistad is 'friendship' in Spanish. Amistad Dam lies on the US and Mexico border. It is the largest man-made dam/reservoir in TX. At the center of the dam, there are two eagles, one for US and one for Mexico. Mexico side is action eagle, snake in the mouth, where US side is overweight eagle do nothing. When I was waiting for someone who can speak Spanish to go with me, Tony, dam security, encourage me to go solo, I did it, and I am glad I did it, thanks Tony.
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2/19/2020 Fort Clark, Brachettville, TX - Fort was established in 1852, to protect and defend from Native American. There are many buildings/houses, I saw few 'For Sale' signs, seems to some of are privately owned. Some of are very beautiful rock houses.
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2/20/2020 Devil’s Sinkhole State Natural Area, TX - Only guided tour to go see the Devil’s Sinkhole. Best time to see it is in September, there are 3 millions bats in the cave and can see in and out of bats. Look down the hole is only partial, there is more depth underneath.
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2/20/2020 San Angelo State Park, TX - RA in this park, so that I have visited, but only guided tour to see it, but state park is no responsibility for it. I have to find out who to contact when to see it via the Internet, and this park has no wi-fi. I’m here but no way to see RA, that’s sacks.
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2/21/2020 Paint Rock, TX - This town named after the paint rock area found. While waiting guided tour to see the RA, I explore the town, tiny town and not much to see it, but managed to visit Concho River, kindly gave me a tour of the Hand Woven store, cemetery and O'H Ivie Reservoir.
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2/22/2020 Paint Rock Pictographs, TX - This guided tour takes 3 hrs and cost me $15. Owner of Kay Campbell, 92 years old, former school teacher love to talk, she gave me 2 hrs lecture in the classroom in her house. After that she gave me a ride to see the pictographs that layers of rocks on the cliff, pictographs are side of layers, and suppose to 1,500 pictographs.
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2/22/2020 Caverns of Sonora, Texas - It is a beautiful cave, guided tour is 2 miles of up and down walk include 360 steps in the 70 °F temperature and 98% humidity, it was hot. There are some small ponds in the cave and the entire cave is an active cave. Cost me $20.
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2/23/2020 Lobo Valley RA, TX - I don’t have any information with me, but tried to find the RA. I know I was very close but not close enough to find it. I’ve hiked only a couple miles, but I should hike like 10 miles to find it. I don’t have luck at this time to find it. Oh well, maybe next time.
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2/27/2020 Broad Canyon RA, NM - Not far from the highway #185, probably 2 miles one way to get this RA site, however it is private property and can not trespassing, a means 11 miles of dirt road to drive then 3 miles one way of canyon hike to get here. But worth it, canyon walls are nice for while and getting closer canyon walls, where RA is located.
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2/28/2020 Branigan Cultural Center, Las Cruces, NM - Combination of 3 museums, such as Branigan Cultural Center, Museum of Art, and Museum of Natural and Science. All free of charge. Confusing is, Cultural Center has pictures like the art museum, the Museum of Art has dinosauses and no pictures, Museum of Natural and Science just like a small zoo. But overall it’s enjoyable.
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2/28/2020 Las Cruces, NM - This is the largest town of southern New Mexico. I’ve walked from one end to another end of the downtown of Las Cruces. Not many stores to explore, maybe too early of the day? Or most stores are closed?
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2/29/2020 Tonuco Mountain, NM - It is visible from the I-25. Hiked on the old road, the road is the very bad condition now. Atop is flat mesa and nice 360° view. I took a large loop hike, old road to hike up and RA canyon to came down.
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2/29/2020 Tonuco Canyon RA, NM - When coming down from the San Diego Mt, I saw a canyon that I thought the RA Canyon, I took a chance to came down, even there is no hiking trail. I was right and lucky that the RA canyon. In addition to the location of the sun was just right, took some photos of petroglyphs.
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