Boquillas Canyon

I love birds. 
All of them.  Even the vultures. Our adventure in Big Bend National Park is giving me a chance to see many birds that I've never seen before, new additions to my life list.  After laundry on Tuesday we wandered around the Rio Grande Village area for a while and got to see and photograph golden-fronted woodpeckers.  We also saw white winged dove and roadrunners while we were there.  Next we took a leisurely stroll up Boquillas Canyon.  No bird sightings, but bats, bats, bats!  Across the river is Boquillas village, in Mexico.  Before 2002 visitors to the park could take a mule ride across the river, spend some time in the village, toss back a little tequila, and re-enter the US with no problems.  Now-a-days this is no longer possible.  It has really created financial hardship for the people of Boquillas.  Now they wade across the river, leave their handi-crafts and a container for money in strategic areas, with a request for "help for the Boquillas school children".  You can buy a wire sculpture or walking stick for $6.  Of course, this is all highly illegal.  Get caught with the "contraband" and it will be confiscated. Up Boquillas canyon we saw a money container with a sign written with a marker on a rock asking for tips for "the singin' mexican.... Victor".  Unfortunately Victor was nowhere in sight, and there was no music.  I wish Victor well, and hope that when they finish and open the new crossing at Boquillas in the spring that he and his community prosper.

Rio Grande Village

Laundry day.  Living out in the middle of NOWHERE, you have to drive a long way to find a washer and dryer.  Almost 50 miles.  But there IS free wifi at Rio Grande Village, so we are happy.  A delicious meal of home baked bread with cheese and a diet Pepsi for beverage on the drive down sure hit the spot. After laundry we will hit the Rio Grande Village Nature Trail in hopes of doing some spectacular birding.  We saw road runners down here last week.  Today I hope to see a Pyrrhuloxia.  Or something equally delightful.  Then latter we hope to go up to Boquillas Canyon.  One more day off, then it's back to the mines (or in our case, the visitor center).  Yes, we are working on Thanksgiving day.  We are going to Natasha's for a little turkey that evening, but it won't be the same as the spread my sista puts on at her house!  We will miss you guys, Chelle!

Sunset over the desert, Nov. 20

Let the adventure begin!

So much has happened.  I won't start at the "beginning" as that would be too much.  I'll start at the right now.

Earl and I are on the road, experiencing the great "what's out there".  The first stop on our voyage.... Big Bend National Park!  We have been here since October 30, and are committed to stay until the end of January.  We have taken on the role of "VIP", aka Volunteers In Parks, at the Persimmon Gap visitors center.  Talk about remote!  We are almost 100 miles from the nearest grocery store!  Needless to say, we have to plan ahead, something we are not always known to do all that well.  Here in the next few days we will travel to Stillwell to do laundry (luckily that's only about 6 miles from here, at a campground).  While we're there we will pick up some of "Nan's Burritos", handmade burritos made by Nan herself.  Tasty!  It's a nice place to loiter for awhile as they have free internet on the front porch of the "Stillwell Store".  Don't go looking for bread and eggs though.  That's gonna require a trip to Alpine, or Marathon at the least. 

Well, it's the end of the day.  A busy day in the visitor center.  We had 125 visitors today, the 3rd highest number since we started manning the visitor center on November 1st.