Another Day, Another Scenic Byway

Well, we aren't down by the hot Rio Grande anymore. We woke up this morning to 37 degrees. When we got up, we found that the water lines were frozen. Investigating further, there were plugs of ice (about the size of an ice cube) at the end of our water supply hose. By afternoon it was warm (70s). The weather contrasts here are huge and so are the winds. Ellen has been buffeted more than I, but during Sunday's storm even I would have had trouble.

This morning we took a wonderful ride on the bikes called the Davis Mountains Loop, about 75 miles. The first 30 or so miles twisted through the mountains, then it rolled though an open plain between ranges and finally onto a fast sweeping road back to Fort Davis. We saw maybe two cars on most of the ride. It was beautiful, lots of big curves through rolling West Texas countryside. Ellen may even have liked it better than the River Road. The weather was perfect for riding, bright sunshine, about 60 degrees. When we got back to Fort Davis (the nearest town), we stopped for cookies at a great country store and to gas up the bikes. We've learned that the stretches between gas stations can be long and better to fill them when we can.

Tomorrow we're heading to Marfa for laundry and art. Yes, art. In the 1970s a New York artist relocated to Marfa (which is in the middle of nowhere) and it has become a mecca for all types of art since then. I expect it also has lots of good food and shopping as well. We'll go from there to the Guadalupe Mountains where there undoubtedly will be no phone, no WiFi, no restaurants, no shopping. But there will be lots of wildlife (in the traditional sense), some good hiking and hopefully some rides. It may also will be colder than here so it's time to get the warm clothes out of the drawer.

Location:Davis Mountains State Park

Photos