Stories from Big Bend, part 3

The final morning at Big Bend was a beautiful one. You cannot describe the beauty of the place. Well, finer wordsmiths can, but I am at a loss.

After a hearty pancake and peanut butter breakfast, we headed to Boquillas Canyon for another hike. This 1.4 mile hike took us back to the Rio Grande River, but we were a good hour from where we were the day before.

On this hike, we met Victor Vasquez. Victor's beautiful tenor voice filled the canyon and our hearts. We had a picnic on the bank of the river, and then Jonathan and I headed up a steep bank of sand and boulders. Going up was tough work, but going down was a blast! Running down the mountain face as fast as you can, with sand shifting around you with every movement was an absolute rush!

In the photo on the left, you can see Jonathan and me about halfway up the sandy slope (in the center of the photo).

After we left Boquillas Canyon, we did a little plant research and Jonathan finished his requirements for his Junior Ranger Badge! Congratulations Ranger Jonathan!

Leaving Big Bend that afternoon was bittersweet. It turned out to be good timing as it started raining after dinner (Italian pizza in Alpine, Texas) and didn't stop raining on us for 25 hours! We drove through rain all the way from Alpine to Waco on Wednesday, but got home in good time.

On Thursday morning, at 5:15, I was on the road again, this time back to Houston for Phase 2 of my NASA screening!