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Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Locked IN our rig at Big Bend!

We drove across from Seminole Canyon and arrived in the small town of Sanderson, TX.  There we stopped at a little grocery place called Aurora's Fruits and Vegetables.  The owner introduced herself to us and asked our names too.  So polite.  We started loading up her counter with things we needed to replenish our stash.  We were warned by blogger friend Barney OFM that groceries were hard to come by and a premium price as we got closer to Big Bend, and this was the place to stock up.  So we did... the essentials like bottled water and toilet paper were both high on our list!   Also we got extras of things we already had but figured on 2 weeks worth of stuff to make us comfortable.  We asked if she had potato peelers, as ours mysteriously disappeared after Steve peeled potatoes one day.  I assume it went out rolled up with the peelings into the trash.  This lovely lady Aurora, went back in her kitchen and GAVE us hers for FREE... no charge!  She said she had an extra on hand.  What service!  We paid and left with our arms full, and smiles on our faces.  No tourist-gouging there!

We also topped off our diesel fuel tank, and filled up at Sanderson Propane on our big bulk tank that our motorhome has built in.

NOW we were good to go....

Off we went to Big Bend.  On Barney OFM's advice, we made it in to Stillwell Store and RV park for our first night.   http://stillwellstore.com/

As we pulled in to the parking lot, we shut off the motorhome and tried to get out the door...  It seems the extreme heat shining on the passenger side of our motorhome has caused our door lock to stick again!  (we know it does this when parked facing the hot sun)   The deadbolt lock gets caught behind the black trim that expands and the bolt won't slide back.  Steve had to slide open a window and JUMP out of our motorhome....  He tried the key on the outside and it wouldn't work.  I unscrewed the lock from the inside and disassembled it and then between the two of us, we were able to open the door!     Whew...  and the 90+ degree heat was blasting down on us as we were working it too.



The temps were in the low 90's and I sure needed that AC blowing on me BAD!   So we signed up for a 50amp site and had both of those air conditioners cranking out joyful coolness in no time flat!




I must say, I had such a peaceful night's rest and totally enjoyed having a full service site hookup, that I am content to stay right here and day-trip around the park!

Steve don't seem to think so... but we will see who wins?

Tuesday morning we slow moving, as I still seem quite weak yet... not sure what is going on, but I best not overdo it.  We decided to take an afternoon ride around the park a bit.. .we drove down our road 2627 all the way to the end at the Rio Grande and saw Mexico on the other side.  A nearby rancher came out on his dirt bike to chat with us while we were down there.

Then we drove back up to the Stillwell and past and down into the park... we drove around the large basin area and did a bit of rubberneckking.   I took 132 photos.. and we drove 137 miles.  Not too bad, that is one photo per mile!   I will only punish you with a few .....   how about 10?




 *this one is my favorite*








DANGED TOURISTS! 


















Words can not describe all we had seen today.... 
nor can the pictures capture it.   All I can say is WOW! 


We are heading over to the Stillwell museum for some 
live music tonight... ! 




11 comments:

  1. Great pics! I love the blue bells! I dont blame you anything over 79 and I want my l AC!! Stay safe and hope you get to feeling better

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  2. There's a decent RV park at Terlingua which is just outside the park and has full service hookups. It's called Big Bend Motor Inn & RV Park. There is also a couple of parks right inside the park itself but I think they're first come first served. Alpine is quite a ways away - 80 miles or so.

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  3. Your favorite photo is my favorite photo too...bluebonnets, blue sky and mountains. Gorgeous!

    I'm glad you posted about Stillwell Store and RV Park. We saw it on the map but had no idea what the park was like. That would have been a much closer base for exploring the park than Marathon! But, we still think Rio Grande Village is better because it's closer to everything.

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  4. Oh wow, the heat and the lock situation ......leave it to you two to get that solved..... Glad you can now come and gooooo.... Hey, remember I grew up in Door County that heat hits ninety and we MUST have air and lots of it !!!!!! That's why I can understand the Canadians getting out of sorts when the heat and humidity arrive here in Sarasota...... The photos are beautiful ..... Keep'em coming !!! That is great, the keepsake potato peeler !!! Kindness is such a shared virtue ..... HAVE FUN !!!

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  5. The blue bells are not blooming here yet. Or maybe I have just not seen any. If they aren't they should be real soon. Those were some beautiful pictures. Wish I were there.

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  6. Great pictures. I agree; the one with the Texas Bluebonnets is definitely a keeper. Hope you get to feeling back to normal so you can really enjoy your time here in Texas.

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  7. We stayed at the Alpine Village RV park when there at Christmas time in 04. The other one at the west end of Big Bend is called Cottonwood I think. Looked nice but we didn't stay there. Too bad about that troublesome lock. There is a hot spring place right on the Rio Grande river you can hike to for a soak. At least I think it's hot, Terilingua & Study Butte are kinda neat little places too. Big Bend was Kelly's first time in the Southwest & the mountains there one her over. We have made the southwest our winter home ever since.....

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  8. So great to see the Lupines blooming out west, soon the bluebonnets in the part of Texas we are in should start blooming...

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  9. Stillwell Store...loving it! And thumbs up to Aurora to pass on the peeler....some can be so thoughtful!

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  10. We are eagerly awaiting the flowers here in the California desert. So happy that you posted some color. Fell better soon!

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