Presidio & back to Lajitas, November 9, 2012

This is an Ocotilla Tree, quite common in the desert here.

 

We made it to Presidio.  It is a non-descript town so I did not get any photos of the town.  We did get gas while there. We ate lunch in the "Elightened Bean" cafe on main street. Guess what kind of food we had!

It is amazing how different the terrain and views are going back!  This is true whether biking, kayaking or taking road trips.

The Rio Grande must be close to the road here for there to be any green bushes or trees.

If it weren't for the greenery in the foreground, you could almost say this is moon-like.

I do think anyone interested in geology should study here & in southern Utah.

Isn't this pretty!

These crazy cactii will live anywhere, even in the rocks!

The Rio Grande is vital to this area, although it has lost 95% of it's water to cities to the north .  It is so shallow that you can walk across it, in many places, into Mexico.

Here is another view of the Closed Canyon.

The Jeep is nearly to the top of that mountain again. 

Now the roller coaster is going the other way or toward the east.

Notice the view going back down the mountain toward Lajitas.  See the car?  That will give you a little scale.

Yes, it is pretty steep!

I love the different colors of the rock & soil.

 

The green areas are obviously watered by the Rio Grande.  Close to Persidio, there are quite a few farms, who irrigate from the river.  Most of the way toward Presidio and back are within the Big Bend Ranch State Park, which I feel is prettier and more dramatic that Big Bend National Park.

This home in the distance may still be occupied

See what I mean about dramatic?

Lajitas to Presidio, Part 2

After cresting that mountain, this is the view down the other side.  Note the steep downgrade.

This is called Closed Canyon.

Look at how this road dips; the road seems to follow the terrain with no grading.

We are entering into Colorado Canyon.

 

This was one of many cyclists on the road to Presidio this day.  I  think they were all crazy, considering the mountains, hills and also the heat of 80 plus degrees!

At least once in awhile they can coast downhill

This is the ruins of an abandoned house.

Another of my "ribbon road" sections!

This abandoned house is made from adobe blocks.  It must have been a hard life here!

This is "Lote Bush Clepe , since it was labeled

Close to Presidio, we came upon a State Monument called, Fort Leaton. This marker shows that it was originally a mission, set up in 1683-84 to convert the natives and Indians to Christianity by Franciscan Monks.

Later, in 1773, it was set up as a fort to protect the local farmers. (from whom-marauders, Indians?)  It was abandoned as a fort in 1810.  In 1846 Ben Leaton settled here for the main purpose of providing a trading stop from Mexico to San Antonio.  After the Trans-contental RR was established in the 1860s, the RR became the primary trading route. The Fort Leaton community was dissolved in the 1950s.  The State of Texas took over the fort in 1967.

This is the restored fort of  Fort Leaton.

Who is this great guy?

Notice the wooden bars on the window.  Wonder if it is for security or shade or both?

 This is a room in the inside of the fort, having period furniture.

I am in front of a Honey Mesquite tree.

Wow, these cactus could impale you!  However, it is really pretty.

Lahitas to Presidio Texas November 9, 2012

 
When we were in the Big Bend Area we stayed at Maverick Ranch RV Park, a Passport America park which was half-price.  It is associated with Lajitas Resort, of which I think this ranch house hosts maybe one of the managers.  It is not part of the RV Park.

Near the entrance of the r v park was this old cemetery.  I have selected a few photos because it was so unique from the cemeteries of which I have visited.  These were one of a very few headstones.

 

I loved the old iron fences & crosses in this cemetery.

 

Evidently people come from all over the world to this resort.  They have trail rides which include dinner cooked on a campfire for the guests/

This is part of the resort.

 From Lajitas, we drove 100 miles to Presidio, Texas and back.  The road travels alongside the Rio Grande River.  It is  more beautiful than Big Bend, in my opinion.

This road is certainly not like any interstate or any recent state route.  It had steep down & up hills.

There was a movie company who shot the movie, "The Streets of Laredo", here beside the Rio Grande.  They built several buildings for the movie so decided to stop and go through several of them.  The Saloon was the only one with internal rooms.

 

 

This was the Saloon.

Jim is in front of the Chapel.

 

This was an interesting outcropping.

These Indian teepees was a rest stop.

This was one of the steep inclines.