IMG_20180311_181615 US and Lithuanian flags on a West Texas ranch
Driving up to the ranch where we were spending our spring break, a surprise was awaiting us: our hosts had put up a Lithuanian flag! They knew my parents were visiting from Lithuania. It was also the Lithuania Independence Day, so it was very timely.
Date: 03/11/2018
Driving up to the ranch where we were spending our spring break, a surprise was awaiting us: our hosts had put up a Lithuanian flag! They knew my parents were visiting from Lithuania. It was also the Lithuania Independence Day, so it was very timely.
In the background there is the typical West Texas landscape of dry grass and hardy plants that don't need much water, such as cacti, agave, yucca and sotol. The ranch owners raise cattle and horses here. We were surprised that cows can survive on such meager vegetation, or that the dry brown grass would be appealing to them, but then again, cows do eat hay...
In the background there is the typical West Texas landscape of dry grass and hardy plants that don't need much water, such as cacti, agave, yucca and sotol. The ranch owners raise cattle and horses here. We were surprised that cows can survive on such meager vegetation, or that the dry brown grass would be appealing to them, but then again, cows do eat hay...
IMG_20180311_181741 US and Lithuanian flags on a West Texas ranch
Behind the flagpole there are a couple of houses where the ranch owners and their relatives live. The guesthouse where we stayed is a little further and not visible in the picture.
Date: 03/11/2018
Driving up to the ranch where we were spending our spring break, a surprise was awaiting us: our hosts had put up a Lithuanian flag! They knew my parents were visiting from Lithuania. It was also the Lithuania Independence Day, so it was very timely.
Behind the flagpole there are a couple of houses where the ranch owners and their relatives live. The guesthouse where we stayed is a little further and not visible in the picture.
In the background there is the typical West Texas landscape of dry grass and hardy plants that don't need much water, such as cacti, agave, yucca and sotol. The ranch owners raise cattle and horses here. We were surprised that cows can survive on such meager vegetation, or that the dry brown grass would be appealing to them, but then again, cows do eat hay...
Behind the flagpole there are a couple of houses where the ranch owners and their relatives live. The guesthouse where we stayed is a little further and not visible in the picture.
In the background there is the typical West Texas landscape of dry grass and hardy plants that don't need much water, such as cacti, agave, yucca and sotol. The ranch owners raise cattle and horses here. We were surprised that cows can survive on such meager vegetation, or that the dry brown grass would be appealing to them, but then again, cows do eat hay...
IMG_20180311_192743 R and E collect eggs
from chicken coops on the West Texas ranch where we were staying for our vacation this spring.
Date: 03/11/2018
from chicken coops on the West Texas ranch where we were staying for our vacation this spring.
March 2018
March 2018
IMG_20180311_192823 R and E with eggs
R and E with the eggs they collected from chicken coops on a West Texas ranch where we are stayed for spring break. Our hosts, who raise cattle and horses, showed the children around and invited them to pick some eggs.
Date: 03/11/2018
R and E with the eggs they collected from chicken coops on a West Texas ranch where we are stayed for spring break. Our hosts, who raise cattle and horses, showed the children around and invited them to pick some eggs.
March 2018
March 2018
IMG_20180311_193659 E feeds horses
E feeds horses at the West Texas ranch where we are stayed for spring break.
Date: 03/11/2018
E feeds horses at the West Texas ranch -- a real working ranch whose owners raise cattle and horses -- where we stayed for spring break.
March 2018
March 2018
IMG_20180312_144159 Fort Davis historical site and hills
One of the old buildings at the "fort" of Fort Davis, which used to be occupied by US military around the middle of the 19th century. It's surrounded by sculpturesque rocks like these, which you could mistake for an artist's work.
Date: 03/12/2018
One of the old buildings at the "fort" of Fort Davis, which used to be occupied by US military around the middle of the 19th century. The site is surrounded by hills that are full of sculpturesque rocks like these. At a first glance you could mistake them for a work of a human artist, but they were all made by nature.
IMG_20180312_143942 E in the Fort Davis ruins
E in front of the ruins of one of the military buildings of Fort Davis.
Date: 03/12/2018
E in front of the ruins of one of the military buildings of Fort Davis. Fort Davis used to be occupied by US military around the middle of the 19th century. The site is surrounded by hills that are full of sculpturesque rocks like these.
IMG_20180312_142730 Historical dress-up in Fort Davis museum
E dressed up in historical clothes at the Fort Davis museum. The 19th century US army fort, with many of its original buildings still standing, is now a museum. In one of its corner there is a box with period dress-up clothes to take some pictures in.
Date: 03/12/2018
E dressed up in historical clothes at the Fort Davis museum. A little outside of a West Texas town of Fort Davis, there is a historical landmark, a 19th century US army fort, with many of its original buildings still standing. You can walk into them and see the army barracks (soldiers' beds look impossibly narrow from today's perspective, and the mattresses impossibly thin), or the kitchens where people used to cook. In one corner of the museum there is a box with period dress-up clothes to take some pictures in.
March 2018
March 2018
IMG_20180312_172341 Telescope tour at McDonald Observatory
Touring Harlan J. Smith telescope at McDonald Observatory, left to right: dad, mom, Ray with R, and E. The tour was the most entertaining. I didn't know until then that you could write horror stories featuring telescopes! Click the image to read more.
Date: 03/12/2018
Touring Harlan J. Smith telescope at McDonald Observatory with family. Left to right: dad, mom, Ray with R, and E. Our guide was an astronomer who worked at the McDonald Observatory, and he gave the most entertaining tour. I didn't know until then that you could write horror stories featuring telescopes! But his real-life tales could inspire you to write one.
The telescope sits on a round platform. Its edge is usually flush with the surrounding floor, but can be made to rise above the floor, as our guide demonstrated with a remote control. It rises as high as the top of those stairs. That's a pretty big height to fall from. There are no guardrails around the platform. It used to have posts with chains between them, but the telescope sometimes snagged on the chains when it moved. So they were removed.
And it is usually pitch-black in there, which is necessary for observing the skies. There is no light in the whole room, not even an emergency light to tell where the exit is. "Don't tell OSHA about us," the guide joked.
And that point about the telescope moving -- well, it moves. The guide made it move with the remote control, but it can also move on its own, because it is programmed to make automatic adjustments to its position. It beeps when it does so. So now you can imagine being in the pitch-black dark, on a platform a few feet above the floor, with no guardrails, no sense of where its boundary is -- and the telescope starts moving.
The most notable event when the telescope moved on its own happened about 30 years ago, and they still remember it here at the McDonald observatory. The movement got out of control and the telescope actually crashed on the floor. It did a lot of damage to the floor underneath. Luckily, there was *something* -- the guide gestured to some interior detail of the room, I wasn't sure what exactly -- that it caught on, and that kept it from crashing through the floor altogether.
The guide didn't just entertain us with his horror stories. The way he explained the science and technology behind the telescope was just as interesting. He explained how the two main types of telescope focus -- Cassegrain and Coude -- work by making sweeping motions imitating the rays bouncing back and forth between mirrors, and continuously asking the audience questions to brush off their rusty knowledge of high scool math: if we want to send a ray on a trajectory that gets close, but does not quite approach the straight line, what is it called? That's right, a hyperbola!
The telescope sits on a round platform. Its edge is usually flush with the surrounding floor, but can be made to rise above the floor, as our guide demonstrated with a remote control. It rises as high as the top of those stairs. That's a pretty big height to fall from. There are no guardrails around the platform. It used to have posts with chains between them, but the telescope sometimes snagged on the chains when it moved. So they were removed.
And it is usually pitch-black in there, which is necessary for observing the skies. There is no light in the whole room, not even an emergency light to tell where the exit is. "Don't tell OSHA about us," the guide joked.
And that point about the telescope moving -- well, it moves. The guide made it move with the remote control, but it can also move on its own, because it is programmed to make automatic adjustments to its position. It beeps when it does so. So now you can imagine being in the pitch-black dark, on a platform a few feet above the floor, with no guardrails, no sense of where its boundary is -- and the telescope starts moving.
The most notable event when the telescope moved on its own happened about 30 years ago, and they still remember it here at the McDonald observatory. The movement got out of control and the telescope actually crashed on the floor. It did a lot of damage to the floor underneath. Luckily, there was *something* -- the guide gestured to some interior detail of the room, I wasn't sure what exactly -- that it caught on, and that kept it from crashing through the floor altogether.
The guide didn't just entertain us with his horror stories. The way he explained the science and technology behind the telescope was just as interesting. He explained how the two main types of telescope focus -- Cassegrain and Coude -- work by making sweeping motions imitating the rays bouncing back and forth between mirrors, and continuously asking the audience questions to brush off their rusty knowledge of high scool math: if we want to send a ray on a trajectory that gets close, but does not quite approach the straight line, what is it called? That's right, a hyperbola!
IMG_20180312_172201 Telescope platform
R and E (center) are standing at the edge of the telescope platform, along with some other tourists. This is the platform that the equipment that controls the telescope sits on. It can rise almost to the top of the stairs in the back of the picture.
Date: 03/12/2018
R and E (center) are standing at the edge of the telescope platform, along with some other tourists. This is the platform that the equipment that controls the telescope sits on. According to our tour guide, it can rise almost to the top of the stairs in the back of the picture, and, as you can see, it has no railing. And the observations are conducted in complete darkness. Pretty creepy
IMG_20180312_175543 McDonald Observatory landscape view
E is viewing the landscape surrounding the McDonald Observatory through one of the land telescopes that are set up outside of the observatory. Since the observatory sits on a mountain, the view is amazing.
Date: 03/12/2018
E is viewing the landscape surrounding the McDonald Observatory through one of the land telescopes that are set up outside of the observatory. Since the observatory sits on a mountain, the view is amazing.
March 2018
March 2018
IMG_20180312_175602 McDonald Observatory landscape view
R is viewing the landscape surrounding the McDonald Observatory through one of the land telescopes that are set up outside of the observatory. Since the observatory sits on a mountain, the view is amazing.
Date: 03/12/2018
R is viewing the landscape surrounding the McDonald Observatory through one of the land telescopes that are set up outside of the observatory. Since the observatory sits on a mountain, the view is amazing.
March 2018
March 2018
IMG_20180312_175909 McDonald Observatory telescopes
The left telescope is the Harlan J. Smith, the one we took a tour of, and I don't know what the right one is called. Click the image to read more about the telescopes and the Star Parties.
Date: 03/12/2018
The left telescope is the Harlan J. Smith, the one we took a tour of, and I don't know what the right one is called. They sit on a mountain that's a significant drive away from the main building of the observatory (where they have presentations for tourists, a cafe and star parties). Interestingly, at the telescope they have WiFi for public use, but in the main building / visitor center they don't have any. Cell phones don't work there either, since the observatory is so far from the rest of civilization that the cell signal is weak-to-nonexistent there. To be fair, there is hardly any cell phone signal anywhere in West Texas, except in its towns. The areas between towns has no coverage. The ranch where we stayed has no coverage either -- and somehow people manage to live there...
McDonald Observatory star parties take place in a big, circular outdoors square near the visitor center. They start at twilight. At first there is a presentation, during which the presenter points out some interesting objects in the night sky that can be seen with a naked eye; at the time we were there, one of such objects was Mercury. "Only 1% of the Earth's population have seen Mercury in the sky," said the presenter, adding that a lot more people may have seen it, but didn't realize it was Mercury. "So all of you now are part of the 1 percent. Maybe not THE 1 percent you want to be part of, but a 1 percent."
While the presenter talks, it gets completely dark. Then people can observe the stars through the smaller and bigger telescopes that are set up all throughout the area surrounding the square. The bigger telescopes are in tent-like structures, the small telescopes are set up right there on the pavement. It is pitch-black dark, since no one is allowed to use flashlights or glowing phone screens. This is so that your pupils (that have expanded to see the dim starlight), won't shrink again if someone turns on a bright light near you. While it's the right approach, it makes it very difficult for a group to find its members if they separate. There were 6 of us, so... a small comedy of errors happened.
The night we were there, all the telescopes were pointing to a tiny patch of the sky in the Orion belt, where new stars are still forming. I wasn't sure why the observatory made the choice to point all telescopes to the same spot, and whether this is typical for star parties. I would think it would be more interesting if you could observe several areas of the sky. In any case, on that particular night there was hardly any time to see anything, because we got maybe just 15 minutes of clear sky. The clouds briefly moved out, and then moved back in with a vengeance. The observatory offered people to refund their tickets or to exchange them for later dates; we didn't try to get either, especially since we were not coming here on a later date. So around 10 pm we left and set out on the 2-hour-long drive back to the ranch where we stayed.
Some of the practical things to know before going is that while there is a cafe at the visitor center, the food there is as subpar as you would expect from the only eating establishment in the 20 mile radius. For the same reason it also gets really busy. There is not enough place in the cafe to sit, and there are tables outside, but on a early March evening it was too cold to sit outside -- yes, even in Texas. (Not to mention that this part of Texas has desert climate, and the observatory is high in the mountains. People at the star party were bundled in triple layers and wearing blankets.) So, any sandwiches you bring from home might still be a better meal than what you get at the cafe. And in between the presentations and the star party there is no time to drive to the nearest town (Fort Davis) to eat.
Though the cafe area is very crowded, there is a small "oasis" in the visitor center: namely, a room that doubles as a space museum and children's playground. There is some (albeit minimal) plastic "spacey" stuff for kids to climb on, and a long, curved bench for parents to sit on. And, of course, there are interactive space-related exhibits, which can also occupy kids for hours.
McDonald Observatory star parties take place in a big, circular outdoors square near the visitor center. They start at twilight. At first there is a presentation, during which the presenter points out some interesting objects in the night sky that can be seen with a naked eye; at the time we were there, one of such objects was Mercury. "Only 1% of the Earth's population have seen Mercury in the sky," said the presenter, adding that a lot more people may have seen it, but didn't realize it was Mercury. "So all of you now are part of the 1 percent. Maybe not THE 1 percent you want to be part of, but a 1 percent."
While the presenter talks, it gets completely dark. Then people can observe the stars through the smaller and bigger telescopes that are set up all throughout the area surrounding the square. The bigger telescopes are in tent-like structures, the small telescopes are set up right there on the pavement. It is pitch-black dark, since no one is allowed to use flashlights or glowing phone screens. This is so that your pupils (that have expanded to see the dim starlight), won't shrink again if someone turns on a bright light near you. While it's the right approach, it makes it very difficult for a group to find its members if they separate. There were 6 of us, so... a small comedy of errors happened.
The night we were there, all the telescopes were pointing to a tiny patch of the sky in the Orion belt, where new stars are still forming. I wasn't sure why the observatory made the choice to point all telescopes to the same spot, and whether this is typical for star parties. I would think it would be more interesting if you could observe several areas of the sky. In any case, on that particular night there was hardly any time to see anything, because we got maybe just 15 minutes of clear sky. The clouds briefly moved out, and then moved back in with a vengeance. The observatory offered people to refund their tickets or to exchange them for later dates; we didn't try to get either, especially since we were not coming here on a later date. So around 10 pm we left and set out on the 2-hour-long drive back to the ranch where we stayed.
Some of the practical things to know before going is that while there is a cafe at the visitor center, the food there is as subpar as you would expect from the only eating establishment in the 20 mile radius. For the same reason it also gets really busy. There is not enough place in the cafe to sit, and there are tables outside, but on a early March evening it was too cold to sit outside -- yes, even in Texas. (Not to mention that this part of Texas has desert climate, and the observatory is high in the mountains. People at the star party were bundled in triple layers and wearing blankets.) So, any sandwiches you bring from home might still be a better meal than what you get at the cafe. And in between the presentations and the star party there is no time to drive to the nearest town (Fort Davis) to eat.
Though the cafe area is very crowded, there is a small "oasis" in the visitor center: namely, a room that doubles as a space museum and children's playground. There is some (albeit minimal) plastic "spacey" stuff for kids to climb on, and a long, curved bench for parents to sit on. And, of course, there are interactive space-related exhibits, which can also occupy kids for hours.
IMG_20180312_184942 Enacting planet movement at the McDonald Observatory
Children enact planet movement at the McDonald Observatory lecture on Solar system. The presenter invited volunteers from the audience, gave each one a ball representing a planet, and asked each to complete one or several orbits around the Sun.
Date: 03/12/2018
Children enact planet movement at the McDonald Observatory lecture on Solar system. The presenter (left) invited volunteers from the audience, gave each one a ball representing one of the solar system planets, and asked each of them to complete one or several orbits around the Sun (the Sun being another child volunteer) -- all at the same time. Their speeds had to be proportional to the speeds of the actual planets. So, for example, Mercury goes around the Sun approximately 4 times for every time the Earth goes around the Sun, so the holder of the Earth had to complete a circle four times slower than the holder of Mercury.
The organizer called up five children to the stage, going as far as Jupiter, but, needless to say, he had to sacrifice the scale for that. But the Jupiter-child acted realistically at least in that he completed only a quarter of a circle around the Sun while the Earth completed three.
In this picture E (second from the right) is representing Mercury, and the boy to the left of her is holding the Sun.
The organizer called up five children to the stage, going as far as Jupiter, but, needless to say, he had to sacrifice the scale for that. But the Jupiter-child acted realistically at least in that he completed only a quarter of a circle around the Sun while the Earth completed three.
In this picture E (second from the right) is representing Mercury, and the boy to the left of her is holding the Sun.
IMG_20180312_200457 E and R at the interactive exhibits at McDonald Observatory
E and R at the interactive exhibits at McDonald Observatory. This particular exhibit teaches about the nature of light. It's a great room to spend a spare hour or two before a star party: lots of stuff for kids to do.
Date: 03/12/2018
E and R at the interactive exhibits at McDonald Observatory. This particular exhibit teaches about the nature of light. It's a great room to spend a spare hour or two before a star party. The exhibits are interactive and explain science topics at the level accessible to children, but without oversimplification. There is also some stuff to climb on for younger kids, and a long, curved bench for parents to sit on. I even got some work done on my laptop there, except that the McDonald Observatory visitor center does not have public WiFi, and no cell phone signal, so you can only do what you can do without an internet connection.
IMG_20180312_200856 What's Out There exhibit at the McDonald Observatory
E at tbe interactive What's Out There exhibit at the McDonald Observatory. With those knobs you zoom in on the segment of the sky of your choice, and see the explanations of stars, nebulas, etc., you see in that area.
Date: 03/12/2018
E at tbe interactive What's Out There exhibit at the McDonald Observatory. With those knobs you zoom in on the segment of the sky of your choice, and see the explanations of stars, nebulas, etc., you see in that area.
The exhibit room is a great place to spend a spare hour or two before a star party. The exhibits are interactive and explain science topics at the level accessible to children, but without oversimplification. There is also some stuff to climb on for younger kids, and a long, curved bench for parents to sit on. I even got some work done on my laptop there, except that the McDonald Observatory visitor center does not have public WiFi, and no cell phone signal, so you can only do what you can do without an internet connection.
The exhibit room is a great place to spend a spare hour or two before a star party. The exhibits are interactive and explain science topics at the level accessible to children, but without oversimplification. There is also some stuff to climb on for younger kids, and a long, curved bench for parents to sit on. I even got some work done on my laptop there, except that the McDonald Observatory visitor center does not have public WiFi, and no cell phone signal, so you can only do what you can do without an internet connection.
IMG_20180313_132102 Elephant rock
Elephant rock on the southbound side of road 67 on the way from Marfa to Presidio in West Texas. It's somewhat of a stretch, but you can see in it an elephant turned sideways, with its head lowered (facing left).
Date: 03/13/2018
Elephant rock on the southbound side of road 67 on the way from Marfa to Presidio in West Texas. It's somewhat of a stretch, but you can see in it an elephant turned sideways, with its head lowered (facing left).
This is one of the many interesting rock formations that line West Texas roads. Another famous formation is the so-called Profile of Lincoln, and if you squint you can make out a profile of a bearded head lying on its back and facing the sky, but it's an even bigger stretch than the Elephant Rock, thus I won't be posting pictures of it.
This is one of the many interesting rock formations that line West Texas roads. Another famous formation is the so-called Profile of Lincoln, and if you squint you can make out a profile of a bearded head lying on its back and facing the sky, but it's an even bigger stretch than the Elephant Rock, thus I won't be posting pictures of it.
IMG_20180313_133348 Ruins of Shafter ghost town
Ruins of a ghost town Shafter in Texas. Established in 1880, Shafter used to wear a title of "Silver Capital of Texas", since there was a silver mine here, but now it's just ruins and a Catholic church that, interestingly, is still open once a m
Date: 03/13/2018
Ruins of a ghost town Shafter in Texas. Established in 1880, Shafter used to wear a title of "Silver Capital of Texas", since there was a silver mine here, but I guess once all the silver had been mined, the town disappeared. Now it's just ruins and a Catholic church that, interestingly, still functions, though it's only open once a month.
March 201
March 201
IMG_20180313_133413 Ruins of Shafter ghost town
Ruins of a ghost town Shafter in Texas. Established in 1880, Shafter used to wear a title of "Silver Capital of Texas", since there was a silver mine here, but now it's just ruins and a Catholic church that, interestingly, is still open once a m
Date: 03/13/2018
Ruins of a ghost town Shafter in Texas. Established in 1880, Shafter used to wear a title of "Silver Capital of Texas", since there was a silver mine here, but I guess once all the silver had been mined, the town disappeared. Now it's just ruins and a Catholic church that, interestingly, still functions, though it's only open once a month.
March 2018
March 2018
IMG_20180313_133424 Shafter memorial stone
R and E examining and taking pictures of a memorial stone (gravestone?) of a local famous person who apparently was buried in Shafter. The board to the left of it is the only thing that tells you that there was once a town of Shafter, Texas here.
Date: 03/13/2018
R and E examining and taking pictures of a memorial stone (gravestone?) of a local famous person who apparently was buried in Shafter. The board to the left of it is the only thing that tells you that there was once a town of Shafter, Texas here. The hill in the background is a very typical West Texas hill.
Established in 1880, Shafter used to wear a title of "Silver Capital of Texas", since there was a silver mine here, but I guess once all the silver had been mined, the town disappeared. Now it's just ruins and a Catholic church that, interestingly, still functions, though it's only open once a month.
March 2018
Established in 1880, Shafter used to wear a title of "Silver Capital of Texas", since there was a silver mine here, but I guess once all the silver had been mined, the town disappeared. Now it's just ruins and a Catholic church that, interestingly, still functions, though it's only open once a month.
March 2018
IMG_20180313_160739 Fort Leaton patio
Not your usual restaurant patio, the "patio" area of Fort Leaton had corrals for livestock back in the 19th century, when it was a home to multiple families. Now Fort Leaton houses the Big Bend Ranch State Park visitor center and a museum.
Date: 03/13/2018
Not your usual restaurant patio, the "patio" area of Fort Leaton had corrals for livestock back in the 19th century, when it was a home to multiple families. Now Fort Leaton houses the Big Bend Ranch State Park visitor center and a museum.
Fort Leaton is an adobe structure located on the road that goes along Rio Grande past Big Bend Ranch State Park. The museum consists of several rooms that used to be inhabited by the families living here. The rooms are furnished with reproductions of historical furniture and decor from that time period (mid-to-late 19th century).
March 2018
Fort Leaton is an adobe structure located on the road that goes along Rio Grande past Big Bend Ranch State Park. The museum consists of several rooms that used to be inhabited by the families living here. The rooms are furnished with reproductions of historical furniture and decor from that time period (mid-to-late 19th century).
March 2018
IMG_20180313_161008 Fort Leaton patio
Not your usual restaurant patio, the "patio" area of Fort Leaton had corrals for livestock back in the 19th century, when it was a home to multiple families. Now Fort Leaton houses the Big Bend Ranch State Park visitor center and a museum.
Date: 03/13/2018
Not your usual restaurant patio, the "patio" area of Fort Leaton had corrals for livestock back in the 19th century, when it was a home to multiple families. Now Fort Leaton houses the Big Bend Ranch State Park visitor center and a museum.
Fort Leaton is an adobe structure located on the road that goes along Rio Grande past Big Bend Ranch State Park. The museum consists of several rooms that used to be inhabited by the families living here. The rooms are furnished with reproductions of historical furniture and decor from that time period (mid-to-late 19th century).
March 2018
Fort Leaton is an adobe structure located on the road that goes along Rio Grande past Big Bend Ranch State Park. The museum consists of several rooms that used to be inhabited by the families living here. The rooms are furnished with reproductions of historical furniture and decor from that time period (mid-to-late 19th century).
March 2018
IMG_20180313_160915 Fort Leaton kitchen
19th century kitchen at Fort Leaton. Back then this settlement on the bank of the Rio Grande along the US and Mexico border was a home to multiple families. Now Fort Leaton houses the Big Bend Ranch State Park visitor center and a museum.
Date: 03/13/2018
19th century kitchen at Fort Leaton. Back then this settlement on the bank of the Rio Grande along the US and Mexico border was a home to multiple families. Now Fort Leaton houses the Big Bend Ranch State Park visitor center and a museum. The museum consists of several rooms that used to be inhabited by the families living here. The rooms are furnished with reproductions of historical furniture and decor from that time period (mid-to-late 19th century).
March 2018
March 2018
IMG_20180313_161232 Fort Leaton blacksmith area
19th century blacksmith shop at Fort Leaton. Back then this settlement on the bank of the Rio Grande along the US and Mexico border was a home to multiple families. Now Fort Leaton houses the Big Bend Ranch State Park visitor center and a museum.
Date: 03/13/2018
19th century blacksmith shop at Fort Leaton. Back then this settlement on the bank of the Rio Grande along the US and Mexico border was a home to multiple families. Now Fort Leaton houses the Big Bend Ranch State Park visitor center and a museum. The museum consists of several rooms that used to be inhabited by the families living here. The rooms are furnished with reproductions of historical furniture and decor from that time period (mid-to-late 19th century).
March 2018
March 2018
IMG_20180313_160823 Wagon wheels at Fort Leaton
A shaded area on Fort Leaton patio under a roof made of logs, with wagon wheels (presumably from 19th century) lying around. Put a wooden picnic table here and call it a farm-to-table restaurant. :-)
Date: 03/13/2018
A shaded area on Fort Leaton patio under a roof made of logs, with wagon wheels (presumably from 19th century) lying around.
In 19th century up to the middle of the 20the century this adobe house on the bank of the Rio Grande along the US and Mexico border was a home to multiple families. Now Fort Leaton hosts the Big Bend Ranch State Park visitor center and a museum. The museum consists of several rooms that used to be inhabited by the families living here. The rooms are furnished with reproductions of historical furniture and decor from that time period (mid-to-late 19th century).
March 2018
In 19th century up to the middle of the 20the century this adobe house on the bank of the Rio Grande along the US and Mexico border was a home to multiple families. Now Fort Leaton hosts the Big Bend Ranch State Park visitor center and a museum. The museum consists of several rooms that used to be inhabited by the families living here. The rooms are furnished with reproductions of historical furniture and decor from that time period (mid-to-late 19th century).
March 2018
IMG_20180313_172351 The rocks on the Hoodoos Trail
Hoodoos Trail is a short trail in the Big Bend Ranch State park that leads past spectacular rock formations down to the Rio Grande. It is full of rocks like these that weather and erosion had shaped into intricate columns, some of which look like they are
Date: 03/13/2018
Hoodoos Trail is a short trail in the Big Bend Ranch State park that leads past spectacular rock formations down to the Rio Grande. It is full of rocks like these that weather and erosion had shaped into intricate columns, some of which look like they are just barely balanced on thin stems.
Rio Grande, the river that separates US from Mexico, really doesn't look very "grande" in this part of Texas. It's hardly wider than a creek. The Big Bend area is a desert, and there aren't many tributaries here to feed it.
At one point R and E were throwing rocks into Rio Grande. I wonder, if they had hit Mexico with a stone, would they have started an international incident? :-)
March 2018
Rio Grande, the river that separates US from Mexico, really doesn't look very "grande" in this part of Texas. It's hardly wider than a creek. The Big Bend area is a desert, and there aren't many tributaries here to feed it.
At one point R and E were throwing rocks into Rio Grande. I wonder, if they had hit Mexico with a stone, would they have started an international incident? :-)
March 2018
IMG_20180313_172034 Hoodoos trail rock overhang
R and E under a rock overhang on the Hoodoos Trail in Big Bend State Ranch park. In the foreground are my parents. Hoodoos Trail is a short trail that leads past spectacular rock formations down to the Rio Grande.
Date: 03/13/2018
R and E under a rock overhang on the Hoodoos Trail in Big Bend State Ranch park. In the foreground are my parents. Hoodoos Trail is a short trail that leads past spectacular rock formations down to the Rio Grande. The rocks appear in some places to be stacked upon one another, or carved by artists, but they really have been shaped by erosion.
March 2018
March 2018
IMG_20180313_172052 R and E under a rock overhang
R and E under a rock overhang on the Hoodoos Trail in Big Bend State Ranch park. Hoodoos Trail is a short trail that leads past spectacular rock formations down to the Rio Grande.
Date: 03/13/2018
R and E under a rock overhang on the Hoodoos Trail in Big Bend State Ranch park. Hoodoos Trail is a short trail that leads past spectacular rock formations down to the Rio Grande. The rocks appear in some places to be stacked upon one another, or carved by artists, but they really have been shaped by erosion.
March 2018
March 2018
IMG_20180313_172545 Hoodoos trail rock overhang
R, my mom and my dad under a rock overhang on the Hoodoos Trail in Big Bend State Ranch park.
Date: 03/13/2018
R and E under a rock overhang on the Hoodoos Trail in Big Bend State Ranch park. Hoodoos Trail is a short trail that leads past spectacular rock formations down to the Rio Grande. The rocks appear in some places to be stacked upon one another, or carved by artists, but they really have been shaped by erosion.
March 2018
March 2018
IMG_20180313_173813 Throwing rocks into Rio Grande
R (center), surrounded by E and Ray, throws stones into Rio Grande. That cliff on the other side belongs to Mexico, since Rio Grande marks the border. Here in the desert Rio Grande really doesn't look very "grande" here, hardly more than a creek
Date: 03/13/2018
R (center), surrounded by E and Ray, throws stones into Rio Grande. Rio Grande is a short walk down the Hoodoos Trail. That cliff on the other side belongs to Mexico, since Rio Grande marks the border between US and Mexico. Here in the Chihuahuan desert Rio Grande really doesn't look very "grande" here, hardly more than a creek. The Big Bend area is a desert. I wonder, if he hit Mexico with a stone, would he have started an international incident? :-)
To be fair, the riverbed of Rio Grande is about three times as wide as what you can see here, but most of it is dry. If it ever happens for a heavy rain to fill the whole riverbed, it could make for quite an impressive river.
This place is so beautiful and peaceful, it is brutal to imagine our current pitiful excuse for a president building a wall here, through this gorgeous, unique stretch of land, and ruining this natural beauty for people's enjoyment.
March 2018
To be fair, the riverbed of Rio Grande is about three times as wide as what you can see here, but most of it is dry. If it ever happens for a heavy rain to fill the whole riverbed, it could make for quite an impressive river.
This place is so beautiful and peaceful, it is brutal to imagine our current pitiful excuse for a president building a wall here, through this gorgeous, unique stretch of land, and ruining this natural beauty for people's enjoyment.
March 2018
IMG_20180313_174419 Rocky riverbed of Rio Grande
E and R on the riverbed of Rio Grande, which is mostly dry and covered with rocks. The river itself has shrunk to maybe one third of the riverbed width. We reached it by hiking down Hoodoos trail (a really short hike).
Date: 03/13/2018
E and R on the riverbed of Rio Grande, which is mostly dry and covered with rocks. The river itself has shrunk to maybe one third of the riverbed width. We reached it by hiking down Hoodoos trail (a really short hike).
The Big Bend area is in the Chihuahuan desert; the climate here is dry, it rains only rarely, and there are very few tributaries here to feed the river.
March 2018
The Big Bend area is in the Chihuahuan desert; the climate here is dry, it rains only rarely, and there are very few tributaries here to feed the river.
March 2018
IMG_20180313_174733 E and R on the rocky riverbed of Rio Grande
E and R on the riverbed of Rio Grande, which is mostly dry and covered with rocks. The river itself has shrunk to maybe one third of the riverbed width. We reached it by hiking down Hoodoos trail (a really short hike).
Date: 03/13/2018
E and R on the riverbed of Rio Grande, which is mostly dry and covered with rocks. The river itself has shrunk to maybe one third of the riverbed width. We reached it by hiking down Hoodoos trail (a really short hike).
The Big Bend area is in the Chihuahuan desert; the climate here is dry, it rains only rarely, and there are very few tributaries here to feed the river.
March 2018
The Big Bend area is in the Chihuahuan desert; the climate here is dry, it rains only rarely, and there are very few tributaries here to feed the river.
March 2018
IMG_20180313_180216 R on Hoodoos Trail
R on the Hoodoos trail. In the background, rocks shaped by erosion.
Date: 03/13/2018
R on the Hoodoos trail in Big Bend Ranch State Park. In the background, rocks shaped by erosion. The Hoodoos trail leads down to the Rio Grande.
20180313_161139 Rio Grande flowing through the hills
A view of Rio Grande flowing through the hills, demarcating US-Mexico border. Mom took this picture from the Hoodoos Trail of Big Bend Ranch State Park. Despite the name, the river is not much more than a creek here in the Chihuahuan desert.
Date: 03/13/2018
A view of Rio Grande flowing through the hills, demarcating US-Mexico border. Mom took this picture from the Hoodoos Trail of Big Bend Ranch State Park. Yes, Rio Grande doesn't look so "grande" here as it flows through the Chihuahuan the desert. In many places it's not much more than a creek.
IMG_20180313_184632 Mom at the entrance to the Closed Canyon
The Closed Canyon in Big Bend Ranch State Park was formed when a seasonal stream flowing from the desert into Rio Grande wore down a path through the rock. Within those walls it's always twilight, even if the Sun is still high in the sky.
Date: 03/13/2018
Closed Canyon is one of the popular hikes in Big Bend Ranch State Park. It's both easy to get to and easy to hike. Despite the name, it is quite open to tourists, as the visitor center reassured us. It is a narrow canyon that winds its way through a plateau of igneous rock, worn by a seasonal stream from the desert flowing into Rio Grande. Though the Sun was still high in the sky, within those walls it was twilight. The far end of the canyon was flooded with water and had some steep drops that require rock-climbing equipment to get through. Being clearly unprepared for that, we turned around.
An interesting feature of this canyon were cactuses growing high up on bare rock walls. We also found fallen cacti leaves and blossoms on the ground -- perhaps they fall when they can't support their weight anymore? Can't blame mountain goats for knocking them down, as I didn't see any.
An interesting feature of this canyon were cactuses growing high up on bare rock walls. We also found fallen cacti leaves and blossoms on the ground -- perhaps they fall when they can't support their weight anymore? Can't blame mountain goats for knocking them down, as I didn't see any.
IMG_20180313_185232 E and R in the Closed Canyon
at the Big Bend Ranch State Park. Both the ground and the walls of the canyon are made of igneous rock.
Date: 03/13/2018
at the Big Bend Ranch State Park. Both the ground and the walls of the canyon are made of igneous rock. The canyon was formed when a seasonal stream flowing from the desert into Rio Grande wore down a path through the rock. It is an easy hike until the end, where there a few steep drops that require rock-climbing equipment to get past. We didn't go that far.
IMG_20180313_185243 Ray and E in the Closed Canyon
Ray and E about halfway down the Closed Canyon. The ground is covered with sand or fine pebbles in some places, and is solid (igneous) rock in other places.
Date: 03/13/2018
Ray and E about halfway down the Closed Canyon in the Big Bend Ranch State Park. The ground is covered with sand or fine pebbles in some places, and is solid (igneous) rock in other places. The canyon was formed when a seasonal stream flowing from the desert into Rio Grande wore down a path through the rock. It is an easy hike until the end, where there a few steep drops that require rock-climbing equipment to get past. We didn't go that far.
IMG_20180313_185327 Closed Canyon
R, Ray and E about halfway down the Closed Canyon
Date: 03/13/2018
R, Ray and E about halfway down the Closed Canyon in the Big Bend Ranch State Park. The ground is covered with sand or fine pebbles in some places, and is solid (igneous) rock in other places. The canyon was formed when a seasonal stream flowing from the desert into Rio Grande wore down a path through the rock. It is an easy hike until the end, where there a few steep drops that require rock-climbing equipment to get past. We didn't go that far.
IMG_20180313_184652 R at the Closed Canyon entrance
R at the entrance to the Closed Canyon in Big Bend Ranch State Park. To the right of him is my dad.
Date: 03/13/2018
R at the entrance to the Closed Canyon in Big Bend Ranch State Park. To the right of him is my dad.
The canyon was formed when a seasonal stream flowing from the desert into Rio Grande wore down a path through the rock. It is pretty narrow, and inside there is always twilight, even if Sun is high in the sky. It is an easy hike until the end, where there a few steep drops that require rock-climbing equipment to get past. We didn't go that far.
The canyon was formed when a seasonal stream flowing from the desert into Rio Grande wore down a path through the rock. It is pretty narrow, and inside there is always twilight, even if Sun is high in the sky. It is an easy hike until the end, where there a few steep drops that require rock-climbing equipment to get past. We didn't go that far.
20180314_155708 Big Bend Ranch State Park interior landscape
One day we drove deep into the interior of the Big Bend Ranch State Park, which is hundreds of miles across. The Big Bend Ranch State Park is all made of hills like these, pristine and untouched by human activity. Since it is in a desert, the hills are co
Date: 03/14/2018
One day we drove deep into the interior of the Big Bend Ranch State Park, which is hundreds of miles across. We wanted to see if one of the park's most prominent features, an extinct volcano called El Solitario, may be visible from one of the hills. That was a naive hope, because El Solitario is very far into the park interior, and the roads that lead to it require special vehicles for driving; you can't get there in a car. And all the hills look the same from a distance, so we couldn't really hope to see it from afar, especially since it doesn't stand out in the landscape. But we nevertheless saw many beautiful hills, like these.
IMG_20180314_181447 E at Cinco Tinajas
E in front of a jagged rock at Cinco Tinajas. A short trail off Big Bend Ranch State Park main road leads to five tinajas, or watering holes (not visible in the picture). We found only 2-3 of them; perhaps the rest had gone dry since their discovery.
Date: 03/14/2018
E in front of a jagged rock at Cinco Tinajas. A short trail off of Big Bend Ranch State Park main road leads to five "tinajas", or watering holes (not visible in the picture). Tinaja is "a term originating in the American Southwest for surface pockets (depressions) formed in bedrock that occur below waterfalls, are carved out by spring flow or seepage". We found only two of them -- the rest might have gone dry since they were first discovered by explorers in the 19th century.
The trail is about a couple of hours drive down the main park road, and a teeth-rattling drive it is, because the road is unpaved. Even so, it is smoother than all the other park roads, many of which are only accessible by an offroad vehicle.
The trail is about a couple of hours drive down the main park road, and a teeth-rattling drive it is, because the road is unpaved. Even so, it is smoother than all the other park roads, many of which are only accessible by an offroad vehicle.
IMG_20180314_181626 E and R at Cinco Tinajas
E and R in front of a jagged rock at Cinco Tinajas. A short trail off Big Bend Ranch State Park main road leads to 5 tinajas, or watering holes (not visible in the picture). We found only 2-3 of them; the rest may have gone dry since their discovery.
Date: 03/14/2018
E and R in front of a jagged rock at Cinco Tinajas. A short trail off of Big Bend Ranch State Park main road leads to five "tinajas", or watering holes (not visible in the picture). Tinaja is "a term originating in the American Southwest for surface pockets (depressions) formed in bedrock that occur below waterfalls, are carved out by spring flow or seepage". We found only two of them -- the rest might have gone dry since they were first discovered by explorers in the 19th century.
The trail is about a couple of hours drive down the main park road, and a teeth-rattling drive it is, because the road is unpaved. Even so, it is smoother than all the other park roads, many of which are only accessible by an offroad vehicle.
The trail is about a couple of hours drive down the main park road, and a teeth-rattling drive it is, because the road is unpaved. Even so, it is smoother than all the other park roads, many of which are only accessible by an offroad vehicle.
IMG_20180314_182117 At the tinajas
E, R, and Ray on Cinco Tinajas trail. Cinco Tinajas trail leads to five "tinajas", after which it is named. They are "surface pockets (depressions) formed in bedrock". We found only 2-3 of them; the rest may have gone dry since their d
Date: 03/14/2018
E, R, and Ray on Cinco Tinajas trail. Cinco Tinajas trail leads to five "tinajas", or watering holes, after which it is named. According to the Wikipedia, they are "surface pockets (depressions) formed in bedrock". We found only two of them, perhaps three; the others might have gone dry since they were first discovered by explorers in the 19th century.
The trail is about a couple of hours drive down the main park road, and a teeth-rattling drive it is, because the road is unpaved. Even so, it is smoother than all the other park roads, many of which are only accessible by an offroad vehicle.
The trail is about a couple of hours drive down the main park road, and a teeth-rattling drive it is, because the road is unpaved. Even so, it is smoother than all the other park roads, many of which are only accessible by an offroad vehicle.
IMG_20180314_182035 Two of the tinajas
E and Ray on Cinco Tinajas trail. Cinco Tinajas trail leads to five "tinajas", after which it is named. They are "surface pockets (depressions) formed in bedrock". We found only 2-3 of them; the rest may have gone dry since their disco
Date: 03/14/2018
E and Ray on Cinco Tinajas trail. Cinco Tinajas trail leads to five "tinajas", or watering holes, after which it is named. According to the Wikipedia, they are "surface pockets (depressions) formed in bedrock". We found only two of them, perhaps three; the others might have gone dry since they were first discovered by explorers in the 19th century.
The trail is about a couple of hours drive down the main park road, and a teeth-rattling drive it is, because the road is unpaved. Even so, it is smoother than all the other park roads, many of which are only accessible by an offroad vehicle.
The trail is about a couple of hours drive down the main park road, and a teeth-rattling drive it is, because the road is unpaved. Even so, it is smoother than all the other park roads, many of which are only accessible by an offroad vehicle.
IMG_20180314_182138 Two of the tinajas, different angle
E (front), R, and Ray on Cinco Tinajas trail. Cinco Tinajas trail leads to five "tinajas", after which it is named. They are "surface pockets (depressions) formed in bedrock". We found only 2-3 of them; the rest may have gone dry since
Date: 03/14/2018
E (front), R, and Ray on Cinco Tinajas trail. Cinco Tinajas trail leads to five "tinajas", after which it is named. According to the Wikipedia, they are "surface pockets (depressions) formed in bedrock". We found only two of them, perhaps three; the others might have gone dry since they were first discovered by explorers in the 19th century.
The trail is about a couple of hours drive down the main park road, and a teeth-rattling drive it is, because the road is unpaved. Even so, it is smoother than all the other park roads, many of which are only accessible by an offroad vehicle.
The trail is about a couple of hours drive down the main park road, and a teeth-rattling drive it is, because the road is unpaved. Even so, it is smoother than all the other park roads, many of which are only accessible by an offroad vehicle.
IMG_20180314_182312 The slope above Cinco Tinajas
R and Ray on a rocky slope above tinajas. Cinco Tinajas trail leads to five "tinajas", after which it is named. They are "surface pockets (depressions) formed in bedrock". We found only 2-3 of them; the rest may have gone dry since the
Date: 03/14/2018
R and Ray on a rocky slope above tinajas. Cinco Tinajas trail leads to five "tinajas", after which it is named. According to the Wikipedia, they are "surface pockets (depressions) formed in bedrock". We found only two of them, perhaps three; the others might have gone dry since they were first discovered by explorers in the 19th century.
The trail is about a couple of hours drive down the main park road, and a teeth-rattling drive it is, because the road is unpaved. Even so, it is smoother than all the other park roads, many of which are only accessible by an offroad vehicle.
The trail is about a couple of hours drive down the main park road, and a teeth-rattling drive it is, because the road is unpaved. Even so, it is smoother than all the other park roads, many of which are only accessible by an offroad vehicle.
IMG_20180314_183516 A green tree in a desert
A green tree on Cinco Tinajas trail stands out starkly in a desert landscape of Big Bend Ranch State Park. There must be water nearby (most likely underground). That's how we guessed (rightly or wrongly) that we were getting closer to the tinajas.
Date: 03/14/2018
A green tree on Cinco Tinajas trail stands out starkly in a desert landscape of Big Bend Ranch State Park (that whole part of Texas belongs to the Chihuahuan desert). It's all the more surprising to see it growing in the gravel that's probably a riverbed of some stream that dried out long ago (or is seasonal). It indicates that there is water nearby (most likely underground). The amateur hikers like us took that as a sign that we were getting closer to the tinajas -- water-filled basins in the rock after which the Cinco Tinajas trail is named.
IMG_20180315_141856 Rio Grande at the Santa Elena Canyon
Santa Elena Canyon is one of the most popular places in Big Bend National Park (different from Big Bend Ranch State Park). The river running down the middle is Rio Grande. It separates United States from Mexico.
Date: 03/15/2018
Santa Elena Canyon is one of the most popular places in Big Bend National Park (different from Big Bend Ranch State Park). The river running down the middle is Rio Grande. It separates United States from Mexico.
20180315_142531 Rio Grande at the Santa Elena Canyon
The same place as in the previous picture, facing the opposite direction. This is the beach you cross to get to the Santa Elena canyon Trail hike. The canyon is at your back.
Date: 03/15/2018
The same place as in the previous picture, facing the opposite direction. This is the beach you cross to get to the Santa Elena canyon Trail hike. The canyon is at your back.
IMG_20180315_142531 Beginning of the Santa Elena Canyon Trail
Santa Elena Canyon Trail starts with a climb up a mountain. Barely visible in the picture are railings that guard a path zigzaggig up the cliff. Once you climb about halfway up that cliff, the hike continues along a level path.
Date: 03/15/2018
Santa Elena Canyon Trail starts with a climb up a mountain. Barely visible in the picture are railings that guard a path zigzaggig up the cliff. Once you climb about halfway up that cliff, the hike continues along a level path.
20180315_143204 Dad and R on the Santa Elena Canyon Trail
Dad and R on the Santa Elena Canyon Trail. The trail goes along a level path after the initial zigzagging path up a cliff.
Date: 03/15/2018
Dad and R on the Santa Elena Canyon Trail in the Big Bend National Park. The trail goes along a level path after the initial zigzagging path up a cliff.
20180315_144058 R on the Santa Elena Canyon trail
R on the Santa Elena Canyon Trail. The trail goes along a level path after initially zigzagging up a cliff.
Date: 03/15/2018
R on the Santa Elena Canyon Trail in the Big Bend National Park. The trail goes along a level path after initially zigzagging up a cliff.
IMG_20180315_152531 E in Grand Canyon Farms ruins
E in the ruins of Grand Canyon Farms in Big Bend National Park. This might be the remains of the Sublett farmhouse, which was built in the early 20th century.
Date: 03/15/2018
E in the ruins of Grand Canyon Farms in Big Bend National Park. This might be the remains of the Sublett farmhouse, which was built in the early 20th century.
IMG_20180315_152546 R in Grand Canyon Farms ruins
R in the ruins of Grand Canyon Farms in Big Bend National Park. This might be the remains of the Sublett farmhouse, which was built in the early 20th century.
Date: 03/15/2018
R in the ruins of Grand Canyon Farms in Big Bend National Park. This might be the remains of the Sublett farmhouse, which was built in the early 20th century.
IMG_20180315_153838 At the Grand Canyon Farms sign
R and my dad read the sign at the Grand Canyon Farms / Sublett house explaining the history of the ruins. The vegetation surrounding it is typical to the Big Bend area as a whole, which makes you wonder how did farmers ever farm here in the desert.
Date: 03/15/2018
R and my dad read the sign at the Grand Canyon Farms / Sublett house explaining the history of the ruins. The vegetation surrounding it is typical to the Big Bend National Park and the Big Bend area as a whole, which makes you wonder how did farmers ever farm here in the desert.
But if anything, they had the world's greatest view.
But if anything, they had the world's greatest view.
