Day 2 Alpine-Big Bend-Marathon-Alpine

Today's gamble was that most of the rain and clouds that had been moving north, would be out of the Big Bend, or forming themselves into great structures over the mountains ... so Big Bend was our destination loop-o-the-day.  In discussing when the last time was that we had camped Big Bend, we discovered we'd not made a camping trip there since we moved into our house in 1994 --- way too long!  We were soon wondering about "my" logic when we "ran into" the Great Smoky Mts. of Texas.

We arrived at Study (Stoo dee) Butte, which marks that you are about to enter the fantasticly beautiful, rugged, rustic and primitive area of Big Bend.  Here you have the choice to "hang a right" ... well if you are coming in from Alpine it is to the right ... and make a little side trip to Terlingua and Lajitas.  We turned right and made our way out to Lajitas (which has been turned into a "rich man's" playground in the middle of nowhere -- but that is another story!)  We found the cemetery (state historical site), rather rustic ... and a few of its living tenants.

Rain Bug and Millipede

Then being cemetery crazed, we head back toward Big Bend and hit up the Terlinqua Cemetery too (on the register of national and historic places).

It was still overcast ... sooooo, we carried on anyway AND the Chisos Mts. are hiding under the clouds somewhere in this photo.

We were on our way to the Chisos Basin and thought it would be socked in too, but pleasantly it wasn't so we did a little walking around, viewed the Window and some of the wild life.

Millipede in a Tree = Bird Snack

White Tail Deer = Cougar Snack

The Window of the Chisos

Our Honeymoon was Camping/Hiking at Big Bend "aaaahhhhh"

 By this time we were getting hungry since we'd had breakfast pretty early in order to hit the road "soon" ... and yes, we were good this morning - breakfast was instant oatmeal in the room.  Lunch was soon to be baked chips and a tuna salad sammy ... YUM ... and we ate at the Dugout Wells and you really couldn't ask for better scenery, while chowing on healthy fare.

So then we were on our way out of the Big Bend towards Marathon, which presented some "not so shabby" scenery of its own.

Stopped and chatted with the Border Patrol boys and gals (well, okay we didn't have a choice of stopping or not) so I thought I could at least make them laugh on this fine day -- they are always so somber -- as we drove away, all three of them were cracking up ... sometimes being a "dork" counts for something!)

We stopped briefly at the Marathon Cemetery - observation: lots of Woodsmen of the World ... weird, since Marathon is in the desert!  I guess the principal of Woodsmen stood everywhere!

Back to Alpine and a nap in the room (by this time it was almost 4:00) .. then we decided to go eat at one of our other favorite restaurants "The Longhorn" ... well, long story -- 4th of July parade going that way ... closed .... etc. we wound back up at Penny's Diner, which is good at any time of the day.

We then went cloud hunting and made the loop from yesterday once again ... once again Marfa = raining; Marfa to Ft. Davis = raining; Ft. Davis to Alpine = a couple of good pictures ... how "Texas".

Now we are contemplating sleep and one more glorious day of our beloved Alpine/Big Bend -- yes, I think of the Tour de France, yes I miss watching the Tour de France, no - I don't regret coming to Alpine!