Texas - The Big Bend – Early Spring

Day 1 - March 3^rd, 2004

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On waking early, as usual after the transatlantic journey and time change, I left my motel in Midland a little before 7am. To my surprise the fog that had caused our pilot to have to try twice to land at Midland-Odessa airport, was still around, so slowly getting used to the rented Chevy Blazer and driving on the right again, I made my way to the Interstate and settled into a steady drive out of Odessa and then down to Alpine, where I met up with some friends, and stocked up with food and drink.

It seemed lighter to the east, so the route chosen was to enter the park at Persimmon Gap, and fortunately, soon after leaving Marathon, the first signs of the fog clearing occurred, and by the time I pad my weekly entrance fee at the Ranger Station, the skies were all but clear.

Lunch was taken at the picnic area just after the Visitors Centre, and some initial cactus hunting was done there – interesting mix of plants. But then onto Dog Canyon, which I’d started out for in 2000, but decided not to continue as the rain was heavy and the ground turned to sticky mud. This time there were no such problems, and a lovely walk across the flat desert floor gave me the taste of the land again. Dog Canyon was a very pleasant surprise, great rocks, and plants growing up them. Very picturesque and a great taster for the week ahead!

By the time I was back at the car, I thought it sensible to make my way to Study Butte and check in at the Mission Lodge motel, at which I had booked a room. The drive down to Panther Junction and then west to Study Butte revived my memories of the place and with the sun shining off the rocks, I knew that this was going to be memorable.

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