Birding for Fledglings

As I was still sore by Thursday morning, Ellen went off on her own hike a bit of Devil's Hall, a slot canyon about two miles from the parking lot (uh, campground). She was back in about an hour and a half, so we could save the complete hike for later.

While in the visitor center later in the day, we ran into a woman from New Hampshire who we had met at Padre Island. She and her husband are doing seasonal work here for a couple of months. He's a restoration carpenter and they have been coming to the park here for about seven years, first as volunteers, then as seasonal employees. They have an apartment in an employee housing area about a mile from the visitor center and she promptly invited us over to use their shower. We did. We also hope to meet them tomorrow for a hike into McKittrick Canyon.

Bill is working on restoring a one-room schoolhouse at Frijole Ranch, a small ranch started in the late 19th century and owned and worked by the Smith family for the first half of the 20th century. They had ten children, hence the need for a schoolhouse for their children and those from nearby ranches. Interestingly, the first two teachers married the two eldest Smith sons. Something in the water?

Yesterday, we mostly did little as I was still a bit sore, but we went to the "Birding for Fledglings" ranger tour in the afternoon. It was supposed to be an hour and a half walk near the Frijole Ranch, but ended up being about a three-hour hike around the 2.5 mile Smith Springs trail. We saw a few birds that we hadn't seen before--hermit thrush, ladder-backed woodpecker, bushtit--and herds of Javelina and Mule Deer as well.

Last night the weather turned cold and the wind blew like mad. It was really rocking and rolling inside Speedy (all from the wind!). In the morning, I picked up our wheel chocks and doormat from across the parking lot. There was a family with four kids parked next to us in a pop-up tent trailer. When we woke up this morning, the trailer was all closed up and the family was gone. It must have been pretty bad, as it is 65 miles to Carlsbad and the nearest lodgings. There was also a fellow on a BMW R1150GS, like mine, who pulled in yesterday afternoon and set up camp in the tenting area. He, too, was gone in the morning. I didn't get a chance to speak with him yesterday, but I don't envy him leaving in last night's wind.

Today, we took another pass at the Devil's Hall trail, about four miles round-trip. It mostly uphill to the canyon and very rocky, as it went up a boulder-filled wash for the last half. It was worth it, however. We stopped at the "End of the Trail" (an actual marker) and had a snack. We started back just before a group of about 20 arrived; whew. We were back in time for lunch. Afterward, we gave the hot water heater and shower in Speedy another chance--worked like a charm. Well, almost.

Photos