Bull Riding, Balmorhea, and Seminole Canyon

Bull Riding (or not). Lol.

We left New Mexico for Texas on Saturday, 4/11, but it seems we brought the wind with us. Considering the monstrous storms and damaging hail that other areas are experiencing, we really aren’t complaining. Rog fought El Paso traffic, the wind, and what we can now add to the list of things never to do again – visited Costco on a Saturday in an RV. Ugh. After what Rog succinctly described as, “a shitty day’s drive,” we pulled up to our Harvest Host site, Three Missions Brewery, expecting a cold brew and quiet evening.

What the…?? The gate was closed and there was clearly a large event in progress. It looked like a busy Saturday Farmer’s Market! Booths, food trucks, live music, dancing, and all with a rodeo theme. Rog drove around the block while I frantically called to figure out what we were supposed to do. The owner, Rick, a super nice guy, answered and told us where to turn in and park. Although there must have been a hundred cars and trucks, he had helpers direct us to a spot at the back of his 10 acres where we had plenty of room. It turns out Rick was hosting a mini-rodeo/bull riding event! The brewery was a super fun place, in an authentic adobe building. We snagged a couple brews and wandered around, scoring some jerky and grabbing dinner from a food truck. Although without cowboy hats and boots, we felt severely underdressed for the occasion. Lol. 

Three Missions Brewery.

Rick came by to let everyone know when the bull riding was about to start. Woohooo! I’d only every seen bull riding on TV and seeing the enormous and irate bulls up close and personal gave me a whole new appreciation for the sport. I think those cowboys may have already taken one too many knocks to the head. Some of the guys barely made it out of the chute, others hung on a little longer and only one guy made it through his round. Not something I’ll be trying, thank you very much. I want to pet the cows, not piss them off. Lol. This was a perfect example of one of the joys of travel, you just never know what will happen. Sometimes good, sometimes bad, but this was a great ending to a tiring and stressful day.

Out of the chute and hanging on for dear life!

Woohoo! (or is that YeeHaw?) Style points either way!

A successful ride and (somewhat) graceful exit. 

This guy did not fare so well.
I love the satisfied look on the bull's face. "Yeah, I did that." Lol.

Our next stop on Sunday, 4/12, is a favorite of ours, Balmorhea State Park in Balmorhea, TX. The attraction here is the world’s largest spring-fed swimming pool built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in 1936. This is no tiled, chlorinated rectangle. It’s a V-shaped pool that covers 1.75 acres and holds 3.5 million gallons of water. The depth ranges 3 feet to 25 feet, and it is fed by the San Solomon Springs that put out about 16 million gallons of water a day. As if that isn’t awesome enough, a large portion of the pool is a natural habitat, so you get to swim among plants and with thousands of fishies.

Picture of the pool when it was completed in 1936.
The campground where we stayed has replaced the barracks.

Just a small portion of this amazing pool.

That's no pupfish!

We had temps in the 80’s, but it was overcast and windy. (Shocked, are you?) We hit the pool twice during our stay, but it was just a touch chilly for my admittedly water-weenie self, so we didn’t stay in very long. The pool was nearly deserted both times, with less than a dozen hardy souls in the water. I did have fun trying to get pics of the fish and resident turtles, but those tiny adorable little fishies have attitude and teeth! Not sure when they decided to stock the piranha, but I was not amused. Lol.  

Fishies!!

In addition to the pool, the park has reestablished two ciénega – spring-fed wetland ecosystems found in arid landscapes. These habitats are critical for native wildlife including endangered species. Balmorhea is home to seven desert fish species including tetras, catfish, and the endangered Comanche Springs pupfish and the Pecos gambusia. (I saw no mention of the piranhas. Lol.)

The ciénega provides important natural habitat.

Turtles!

A canal system connects the springs to the ciénega.

Raney enjoyed sitting outside, while Riley preferred his couch in the coach. We were parked in the campsite with our bedroom window right next to the pavilion over the picnic table. We woke up every morning to some very vocal sparrows who were nest building under the roof tiles not three feet away. Between Raney and the birds, there was no sleeping in. Sigh.

My furry alarm clock looks so innocent. Lol.

The other half of the morning tag team. 

Three feet from bedroom window to nest means no rest. lol.

Lovely views from the campground.

On Tuesday, we drove to Fort Davis to visit my all time favorite BBQ place, RNR (Rock N Raul’s) Smokehouse. We were absolutely blown away by this place when we visited in 2024 with our friends, Bob and Carole. The brisket, the ribs, the sides, the Cha Cha pie and Nanna Pudding… OMG. Everything was spectacular and, I am happy to report, has stayed that way!

So amazing!

All this magic takes place is a small unprepossessing house on N. State Street in Fort Davis. There is covered outdoor seating, but enter the indoor seating through a red velvet curtain and find a super fun speakeasy vibe with tributes to famous rock ‘n roll artists.

RNR Smokehouse is a gem!
Great food, good folks and a fun place.

We chatted with the owner, Jason, who moved here from Phoenix with his wife and young daughter in 2023 and reopened his Uncle Raul’s Smokehouse which had been a local favorite. He has more than done it justice. We ordered two containers of the board scraps to go for the pups, and he brought out six containers of scraps and two containers of tallow for us! Wow! Riley and Raney are going to think they’ve died and gone to BBQ heaven. Lol. So here’s another don’t miss place if you're anywhere near Fort Davis, TX!

Wow! Raney and Riley are singing the praises of RNR too!

On Wednesday, 4/15, we left Balmorhea for Seminole Canyon State Park near Comstock, TX. Texas Highway 285 was a decent two-lane road with wide shoulders and just enough up and down and curvy bits to keep things interesting. In other words, a great place for me to get behind the wheel. New achievement unlocked: Driving by braille. Ok, so I do tend to hug the fog line which has those bumpy bits to remind you not to stray too far right. (We all need those. Lol.) All I have to say is those on-coming semis look really, really big so you can’t blame me for wanting to stay well out of their way. Lol.

Watch out! Momma's got the wheel.

This was our third visit to Seminole Canyon State Park and we love the history, pictographs, art, trails and finding shells in the desert. (Fun Fact: Pictographs are painted images on rock surfaces, while petroglyphs are carved, pecked, or incised into the rock.) On Thursday, 4/16, we did a nine-mile bike ride on the Rio Grande trail. We rode to the Panther Cave Overlook, where you can just barely see the famous nine-foot-long pictograph painted on the wall of an alcove on the far side of the canyon. You used to be able to take a boat to the site, but with the river so low there is no longer any public access. The cactus are starting to bloom and I couldn’t resist stopping to take some pictures. There is beauty even in the starkest landscapes. We parked the bikes and hiked a little further to the Rio Grande View overlook. The river is still very low, but at least this section had water.

The water in Seminole Canyon is overflow from Lake Amistad.

At the far end of the canyon is the Panther Overlook.
The pictograph is on the far side (blue circle).

The red-painted leaping mountain lion is the most famous of the pictographs in this large alcove.

The desert is blooming!

The Rio Grande.

On the way back we stopped by the Visitor’s Center where they have informational displays and the Maker of Peace statue. We missed the guided tour into the canyon to see the Fate Bell pictograph site. It’s well worth doing, but is only offered certain days of the week. And yes, I managed to score a few “sea” shells. I just get such a kick out of finding shells in the desert. Snails need moisture, but these guys have adapted to desert conditions by sealing themselves inside their shells when it’s dry and waiting for rain.

Limestone ovens from the 1880's used by Southern Pacific Railroad workers.

Great views and interesting displays at the Visitor's Center.

Maker of Peace by artist Bill Worrell is a
17-foot statue inspired by ancient Pecos River rock art. 

And let's not forget... shells in the desert!

Our next stop will be a change of pace for us. We drove through Fredericksburg, TX on a previous trip to Randi’s. It looked like a fun little town so we’re going to stay a few days to check it out. 

The Catwalk, City of Rocks, Slot Canyon, and a Nope Rope

Hello New Mexico!

We have a love/hate relationship with New Mexico. We love the awesome scenery, the fantastic parks, the vast array of outdoor activities. And we hate the wind. It seems like whenever we’re here it is blowing crazy sideways. Every. Single. Time. I know springtime in the desert and wind are synonymous, but we also visited in the Fall and it was same same. Could you calm down just a little?  Please.

We arrived on Saturday, 4/4, (Happy Birthday, Mike!) at Bighorn Campground just outside Glenwood, NM. Bighorn is a tiny (only six sites!) NFS campground that is first come/first served. Since we were arriving on a Saturday, Plan B was the private RV park next door. No need, only two of the spots were occupied and we could easily fit into several that were open. The sites were large and spread out, so we tucked into site #1 which was off to itself. The campground has no amenities other than a vault toilet, but it’s free with a 14 day stay limit. I was shocked that it never filled up. And, it’s just across the road from the turnoff to the very popular Catwalk Recreation Area. Score.

 

Bighorn Campground is a hidden gem! 

After setting up camp, we drove through Glenwood to check out the town. Rog was interested in a local shop, Udder Delight, that sold handcrafted goatmilk products – soap, lotions, etc. He’s a goat soap fan and they delivered. They also have a “soap museum”, several cases featuring vintage soap products that was super fun. We now have enough goatmilk soap to keep us smelling good for the rest of the trip. Lol.  

Udder Delight!

On the Catwalk. The next day we headed to the Catwalk. I was really looking forward to this, and it is not to be missed! The Catwalk National Recreation Trail is a hanging walkway that winds up the narrow, spectacular Whitewater Canyon. The 2-mile roundtrip trail follows the path of an 1890's water pipeline that supplied water to an ore processing plant in the former town of Graham. The Catwalk refers to the original plank-board walkway placed on top of the steel water pipe, which was suspended above the canyon floor to avoid washouts. You can still see the foundation of the mill, which processed gold and silver ore from the nearby Mogollon mines. The Catwalk Trail was improved by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930's and again by the Forest Service in later years. 

The Catwalk is affixed to the canyon wall.

There are two options for the trail, one is paved and the other is a more rocky strenuous hike – both connect to the metal catwalk. Of course we chose the more difficult (and less traveled) path. Lol. The canyon is truly stunning with areas of huge lavender pink boulders. 

The trail to the Catwalk was lovely!

 

A glorious day for a hike.

The weather was beautiful and we crisscrossed over Whitewater Creek a few times. The catwalk has been rebuilt, no sketchy wooden planks, it’s all sturdy metal girders securely attached to the sides of the canyon. It’s a super fun and absolutely gorgeous hike. We went to the end of the developed trail, you can hike further into the Gila Mountain Wilderness area, but we opted to turn around and head back.

The catwalk curves along the canyon wall above the creek.

Turtle stepping stones and more catwalk.

So much better than any fashion show catwalk!

We took the “easy” path on the return and ended up on the wrong side of the creek at the picnic area. We managed a final scramble across the creek on rocks and logs. Ta da! No wet feet. 😊   (Note: the trail is dog friendly, but we left the pups napping in the RV.)

 

The end of the trail.

Gorgeous views coming and going.

This section of the trail was paved.

Careful... careful... Ta Da! I made it!

City of Rocks State Park. Our next destination in New Mexico has been on my wish list for quite a while. We arrived at City of Rocks State Park on Monday, 4/6. I think I have a new favorite campground! It’s at least going into the top ten. The name refers to the “city” made of volcanic formations featuring large, sculptured rock columns, pinnacles and boulders, rising up to 40 feet and separated by paths or lanes resembling streets. It’s like a giant playground!

There are 10 water/electric sites near the entrance, but trust me, you’ll want to pick one of the dry camping areas tucked into the rocks. We were in site #16 and it was amazing. The picnic table and firepit were tucked in an alcove surrounded by huge columns and boulders. The wind was howling when we arrived (surprise!), so Rog oriented the coach to act as a wind block for the patio side. 

What an amazing campsite!!

The views were fabulous everywhere you looked. We also had our first snaky encounter while setting up. Rog walked around the side of the coach to set up the Starlink and came to an abrupt halt. There was a 3-foot-long snake right next to the rig (just where I’d been kneeling to check the jacks earlier!). I didn’t have time to get a pic, but we’re pretty sure it was a Desert Kingsnake. They are non-venomous snakes that grow up to four feet long. This guy was about three feet, which is plenty big enough if you ask me. They are constrictors and eat mainly rodents, lizards, and other snakes. Kingsnakes are immune to rattlesnake venom and will hunt and kill them, so they are good neighbors to have around.

View from our campsite.

 

Bonus Points. Our campsite was right next to the Hydra Trail.

We had some light rain on our arrival day. On Tuesday, the weather was cool and (you guessed it) windy, with huge thunderclouds threatening on the horizon. We weren’t sure if we were going to get drenched, but decided to chance it and rode our bikes five miles on the Hydra Trail around the park.

That does not look promising. Stay or go? GO!

Some parts of the trail were pretty sketchy for my limited mountain biking skills, but I made it without crashing (although there were a few close calls, Lol.). It’s humbling to watch Rog effortlessly weave back and forth, negotiating the loose rock washes with ease. While I’m white knuckling it, thinking oh shit, oh shit, oh shit. It’s not fair that he makes it look so easy!  The weather gods smiled and the storms passed by without dumping on us, although they did get the last laugh. As soon as we’d gotten the bikes loaded back on the rig, the sun came out. How’s that for timing?

 

He makes it look so easy!

This vulture was waiting patiently for me by the trail.
He obviously knew an easy meal when he saw one. Lol.

The Hydra Tail also went through the park's Botanical Garden.

We made it back without getting drenched. Yay!

Later in the afternoon, I took Raney for walkies. At City of Rocks you can go on an adventure hike without leaving the campground! We had great fun scrambling through the formations and girlfriend was a trooper. We had a few hours of sunshine and then the thunderclouds came back with lightning later in the evening. But the storm passed us by again, so no rain in the City.

Pretty Raney is a good trail dog too.

Raney and I had fun exploring the campground. 

After a brief respite, the thunderclouds came back.
This time with a light show.

Leasburg Dam State Park. On Wednesday, 4/8, we left for Leasburg Dam State Park in Radium Springs, NM. We stopped on the way to give baby a bath, a half hour and $15 in quarters later, she was squeaky clean. Unfortunately, when it comes to campgrounds you can’t hit a homerun every time. We’d gotten a notification that the comfort station and dump station would be closed for renovation at Leasburg Dam. No worries. Then just a day before our arrival, Rog saw on the website that they’d also closed the day use area and access to the Rio Grande. Ugh. And when we arrived, the road into the park was completely torn up and the detour was a dusty dirt road. So much for baby being squeaky clean. Sigh.

Baby gets a bath!

The campground itself is very nicely laid out with spacious sites and nice views. We had three days booked here in hopes of getting some kayaking in, but with the Rio Grande nearly dry and no access from the campground that was a bust. We still found plenty to do however. The rules of the road are go with the flow and consider it part of the adventure.

Raney’s Day Out. On Thursday, we loaded Raney into the pupwagon and headed to Las Cruces. We ran some errands and then took Raney to the Spotted Dog Brewery for lunch. She was a good girl, although the staff do not need to worry about sweeping. Miss Hoover took care of any stray French fries. Lol.  Do not feel bad for Riley, he would have been miserable in the heat and the pic shows how he spent his afternoon enjoying the A/C. Silly boy.

Raney at the Spotted Dog Brewery.

Awwwww, Riley.
My old man loves his couch and A/C. Lol.

We also upped the game on my new vice! We looked for paletas for dessert and found a place called the Paletas Bar. You choose your paletas (tons of flavors), then pick your dip (white, milk or dark chocolate), then your topping (nuts, candies, all kinds of goodies) and then add fresh fruit if you want. Oh boy! Talk about amazing. I chose a Reese’s Peanut Butter paletas, dipped in dark chocolate with chopped peanuts. Rog opted for a coconut paletas, dipped in dark chocolate with almonds. Can you say Almond Joy? Both were decadent and delicious. Next time maybe I’ll try a more traditional Mexican flavor, but it’s really hard for me to pass on peanut butter and chocolate. Lol.

Talk about raising the bar! 
This is a must do if you get the chance.

I ended back up in Las Cruses on Friday to do several weeks’ worth of laundry and then spent the rest of the day cleaning. Rog did some maintenance on the RV and worked on his bike. In the evening, the wind kicked up a dust storm and visibility dropped dramatically. No mountain views or starry skies tonight.

Have I mentioned the winds? Lol. 

Slot Canyon Heaven. We were scheduled to leave Leasburg on Saturday, 4/11, but decided we had time for one more adventure before we left. There was a slot canyon just a few miles from the state park and I LOVE slot canyons! Look for an unmarked green farm gate along Hwy 185 just a few miles past the state park. Crawl over (or under) the fence and follow the dry wash to the canyon. There are lots of social trails, but the way is pretty well marked. (Many thanks for the stone arrows!). 

Even I can follow this trail. Lol. 

The slot canyon is probably about a half mile long and the walls are a conglomerate rock that really looks like it should be soft and crumbly, but is hard as cement. As you walk deeper into the canyon, the walls get steeper, taller, and closer together. The twisting path was carved over eons by rushing waters. Evidence of more recent flooding indicates that mother nature still considers this a work in progress.  

The deeper into the canyon you go, the taller and narrower it gets.

Love the twisties.

A little bit of scrambling is fun too.

Around one last curve and then we come out of the canyon.

When you exit the canyon, you can hike to the top of the mesa for a 2.5 mile loop trail. We opted to go back through the slot canyon. That’s the thing about narrow, twisty, curving slot canyons – the view changes every few feet and looks totally different coming and going. Something about slot canyons just brings out the kid in me, so apologies for the photo dump. But isn’t it cool?

Climb to the top of the mesa or back through the slot? 
You know what I picked!

One of my happy places. :) 

Don't forget to look up!

Back through the canyon we go.

Last one, I promise!
Do you see tiny Rog in the canyon?

After our hike we got the rig ready and headed out for our next stop. As we exited the park, one of locals came out to say good-bye. I’m just glad we saw him from the comfort and safety of the RV. Made me wonder just what I missed while walking the pups in the scrub in the middle of the night. Yikes! 

Danger Noodle. Nope Rope. Spicy Worm.
Whatever you call him, I'll pass.

Coming up next – a Harvest Host stop with an unexpected treat, bull riding!