Del Rio, TX (2-22-11)

    I guess we're going to have to come back to Del Rio, TX some other time in the future.  We're here now, but I'm kind of burnt out from going  nonstop, so we're not doing what we planned to do while we're here. Paul wasn't too happy when we got here because the landing gear on the trailer broke.  That means that when he lowered the front legs that hold up trailer, only one of them would bear weight.  Luckily he had a jack that he could use in place of the leg, but then he spent hours diagnosing the problem and ordering new parts.  All that, and it was his birthday, poor guy.  We did go out to dinner, but the food was just mediocre, so we pretty much chalked the day up to bad Karma or something. We changed our plans for where we are going to stay in San Antonio because it's difficult to get things shipped to us if we stay at a state park, so we are staying at an RV resort instead.  Aw, what a sacrifice.  We'll also have our mail sent, and a few other things we've wanted to order.
So today, instead of exploring,  we washed the  truck and the trailer, and in general just took care of some paperwork.


rock art at Seminole Canyon

    On the way to Del Rio, we did stop to explore however.  We pulled in to Seminole Canyon State Park at about 2:30 in the afternoon on Sunday,  figuring we'd relax for the afternoon and then do a hike in the morning.  When we went to the ranger station, they asked us if we were here for the tour.  We said we weren't, but we thought we'd take it the following day.  Well, they only do it twice a week, as it turns out, and the tour was leaving immediately, so Paul paid for us while I ran back and threw the cat in the trailer so he wouldn't fry in the sun.  I didn't even take time to get my camera, so the picture I have is from my cell phone. 


Rio Grande River



      The tour was really good, which means something, coming from me, because I do feel like I've seen enough ancient rock art.  The ranger did a great job imparting information, and discussing different theories about rock art.  She talked the fact that some people think it was their form of graffiti, or that it was done out of boredom etc.  but she dispelled that idea with some basic information.  The people who did this art 3500 years ago, were "hunter/gatherers" and there wasn't much food to be had in the desert, so they were protein deficient. The "glue" that keeps the art on the stone is made from animal fat, and the "paint thinner" was water, both scarce commodities but essential for their survival.  So really, there is no way they would waste those resources on something that wasn't important to them.  I came away with a new understanding and appreciation for the ancient cultures that inhabited the desert.



      Once the tour was over, we booked our campsite, but in the hour and a half that we were gone, all of the sites with electricity and water were taken, so we went the night with no hookup.  Not  a big deal, but we had to put water in our tank before we settled into our spot.





fossils on the trail



     The following day we went for a 6 mile hike down to the Rio Grande and back.  I was hoping we'd get close to the water, but it was running through a deep canyon.  On the return trip to the campground, we passed through an area that was like an ancient beach, because  the ground was littered with fossilized sea shells of some kind.

    So, tomorrow we leave Del Rio for San Antonio, having done no exploring whatsoever. Oh well!