Category Archives: Marilyn

A Close-up Look at the McDonald Observatory

Teardrop Trail Log: March 29, 2016

We headed south to the McDonald Observatory, located in the mountains of West Texas. At an elevation of 6719 feet, it is under some of the darkest skies in the continental United States.

My introduction to the Observatory came through the StarDate radio broadcasts on Public Radio. At last, we were driving up Dark Sky Drive on Mt. Locke towards the Visitors Center. We had reservations for a 2:00 pm solar viewing and tour. We met our tour guide and enjoyed the solar program in the visitors center for an up-close look at the large research telescopes. We took the shuttle to the top of Mt. Locke and the overlook of the 107″ dome.

Our guide at the top of Mt. Locke

After sharing the history of the Observatory, the guide took our group to the lobby and we climbed the four flights of stairs. He described the parts of the telescope, the functions and how the astronomers use it.

The most exciting parts of the demonstration were when he showed the telescope’s motions and then rotated the dome. We felt the power of the motors that moved the large structure.

Hobby-Eberly Telescope

The next part of the tour continued at the summit of Mt. Fawkes and the Hobby-Eberly Telescope. The guide explained that an amazing collaboration between four universities allowed this telescope to be built at 80% of the cost of an optical telescope of similar size. The primary mirror is the largest yet constructed making it one of five biggest telescopes in the world. Renovations have just been completed for a new cutting-edge research project, Hobby-Eberly Telescope Dark Energy Experiment (HETDEX). It is the quest to understand dark energy, the mysterious force that makes up 70 percent of the matter and energy in the universe.

We were hoping to attend one of the “Star Parties,” later that evening but the forecast called for cloudy skies so we headed back to Balmorhea and our teardrop.

Balmorhea, A Cool Oasis in the High Desert

Teardrop Trail Log: March 28, 2016

We headed north from Fort Davis to Balmorhea State Park. The park’s name comes from four men’s surnames: E.D. Balcom, H.R. Morrow, Joe Rhea and John Rhea – Bal-mor-hea. They formed an irrigation company in the early 20th century.

The park is located on the San Solomon Springs. In 1849, the springs were known as Mescalero Springs for the Mescalero Apache who watered their horses here. The 1.75-acre pool with 3.5-million gallons of crystal-clear freshwater was built around the springs, one of the largest artesian, spring-fed pools in the world. It’s now considered one of the best swimming holes in Texas. The water is 72 to 76 degrees year-round and the constant flow of water means no chlorination is required.

Spanish Revival Architecture

The Civilian Conservation Corps built the pool during FDR’s New Deal between 1936 and 1941. In addition to the pool, they built barracks, a concession building, two bath houses and San Solomon Courts using local limestone. They also made adobe bricks for the construction.

Our campsite

I’d spoken with several folks from the park while we traveled and it was nice to put names and faces with the voices. They were very welcoming. The campground is a small jewel with only 34 sites. We backed the Ambassador into our site and began to settle into the magic that is Balmorhea. We took a stroll around the pool. There’s a high diving board and the shallow end has a concrete floor. We forgot to bring bathing suits on this trip so we will be coming back to Balmorhea.

Camp Inn Teardrop

The next day we headed off to the McDonald Observatory, another must-do on anyone’s West Texas visit. Our return to Balmorhea was like coming home. It’s always fun to check out the other campers and trailers in the campground. There was another teardrop, a Camp Inn. We also caught up with another couple we’d met in the campground outside Big Bend. We noticed their distinctive Scamp trailer with its unusual aerodynamic design near the showers. On our last day, Moth Man and his wife, the couple we met in Seminole Canyon, stopped by to Balmorhea for a short visit. We have made many good friends on the Teardrop Trail.

photo of sunset over Balmorhea campground

The magic …

On the Road to Fort Davis

Teardrop Trail Log: March 28, 2016

Our next stop was the town of Fort Davis. On the way, we passed several giant greenhouses. I had purchased cherry tomatoes a few weeks ago in Austin and the package said these tasty gems were from Village Farms in Marfa. Tomato farming in Marfa? Yes, hydroponic greenhouses on a huge scale. Who would have known? You just never know what you are likely to see on the teardrop trail.

Jeff Davis County Courthouse

Fort Davis was originally a frontier military post on the Old Overland Trail. This small community has 23 historic sites on the 1 1/2 mile walking tour that starts and ends in the town square which seems to have changed little since the early Twentieth Century. Jim enjoyed photographing the Jeff Davis County Courthouse that was completed in 1911. Unlike the courthouse in Marfa, this one was surrounded by a fence with turnstiles to keep out the donkeys that had been set free after wagons became more prevalent.

Hotel Limpia

Hotel Limpia, built in 1913, from locally quarried pink granite is named for a nearby creek. This 31 room, historic hotel has forty rocking chairs on the expansive porches that invite guests to relax after a day of hiking or visiting the McDonald Observatory. Next time we will make a reservation.

Fort Davis Drug Store

The Fort Davis Drug Store was built in 1913 inside the Hotel Limpia and became a gathering spot for locals to get newspapers, visit the doctor and fill a prescription. It was relocated across the street in 1950. It offered a step back in time with a traditional 22-foot soda fountain, much like the one in the West Texas town I grew up in – a true old fashioned Texas experience.

After looking at the guide to Fort Davis, we know a repeat visit is in our future, especially when the brochure promises that it’s cooler in the summer in the Davis Mountains than anywhere else in Texas. Our next stop was the town’s namesake, Fort Davis Historical Site.

Classic Soda Fountain

Bidding Marfa Farewell

Teardrop Trail Log: March 28, 2016

We went in search of breakfast. On the teardrop trail, we try to avoid chain restaurants and convenience stores. We explore the local spots. We often rely on the Internet, an app or just exploring.

Breakfast taco at Farma

The day before, we found Farma (an anagram of Marfa) at the Tumbleweed Laundry where Jim had gotten his daily mocha. A uniquely quirky Marfa combination of lattes and laundry. The menu is spelled out in Scrabble letters. We returned, grabbed breakfast tacos and beverages. The bulletin board offers a listing of the happenings around Marfa, an interesting introduction to local goings on.

The Get Go

Next – resupply provisions. I’d heard about The Get Go. “Small desert outpost delivering natural and gourmet foods, wine, beer and a friendly attitude.” The offerings were amazing. A great selection of cheeses including Marfa Maid Goat Cheese. Local products and produce amongst hipster treats. Such a wonderful assortment stuffed into a convenience store size space in this tiny West Texas town. We will eat well!

While visiting Marfa, we enjoyed KRTS Marfa Public Radio, the NPR-affiliated station at 93.5 FM. I had discovered it when working in West Texas. The station was founded in 2005. They combine NPR with local news and programming, a very Marfa-centric mix. The station recently won every category in the regional Edward R. Murrow Awards. It has the smallest listenership of PBS stations in the lower 48. It has a geographic coverage about the size of South Carolina but a much greater reach through partnerships and live-streaming. We continued to enjoy the variety of offerings until we lost the signal after we left Ft. Davis heading north.

We found boomer heaven in Marfa and know we will return….

Dining — Marfa Style

The Buffalo

Teardrop Trail Log: March 27, 2016

We treated ourselves to dinner Jett’s Grill in the Hotel Paisano, located just one block from the courthouse. We entered through the historic hotel. The lobby is appointed with a beautiful tan and brown tile floor and ornate wrought iron light fixtures with mica panel inserts around glass globes, remnants from the past. Buffalo and longhorn trophies gaze down from the white washed walls.

Jett’s Grill

Described by Vogue Magazine as the place for a proper sit-down meal, Jett’s offers patio dining in the picturesque courtyard complete with a four-tiered fountain. Our reservation was for inside. While cooking in the galley of the teardrop and eating in the great outdoors is an adventure, we welcomed the chance to relax with a white table cloth and a littleTexas flair.

Grilled Salmon over Asparagus and Pasta

We had in a lovely sauvignon blanc. I enjoyed grilled salmon over asparagus and pasta. Jim indulged his culinary wild side with

Chile Rellaño

Chile Rellaños, long green chili peppers stuffed with Asadero cheese coated with a tortilla chip crust. Avocado cream sauce. Topped with Pico de Gallo. Served over rice.

We splurged and split a Crème Brŭlée.

Crème Brŭlée

The Art Scene in Marfa

Teardrop Trail Log: March 27, 2016

Marfa was founded as a railroad water stop in the 1880’s. The Marfa Plateau on the edge of far West Texas was known for the high grass and ranching. That is until minimalist sculptor Donald Judd fell in love with Marfa and in 1971 moved to Texas to escape the New York art scene. He bought two large hangars that had been a training facility during WWII and eventually acquired dozens of buildings. His vision was to create a new kind of museum where large collections of individual artists’ work would be on permanent display in harmony with landscape and architecture, often referred to as an anti-museum. This resulted in permanent installations of contemporary art that are among the largest and most beautiful in the world.

Marker of Marfa

Marfa has become an unlikely arts mecca. The Chinati and Judd Foundations were created after Judd’s death in 1994. Other foundations, art collectives, theaters, performance spaces and nonprofit organizations have come to town. One source describes downtown as overrun by galleries.

Art tourism soars. The artsy population grows as new waves of artists move to Marfa to live and work. Celebrities continue to make pilgrimages. Marfa is a thriving international arts destination that is about as far removed from the pretentious art scenes like New York or Amsterdam.

Big Bend Ranch and the Hoodoos

Teardrop Trail Log: March 27, 2016

Purple Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia macrocentra)

We bid Lajitas farewell and headed west through Big Bend Ranch State Park. The scenic El Camino del Rio (Farm Road 170) hugs Rio Grande River and winds 23 miles through the panoramic views of the Chihuahuan Dessert where sotol, ocotillo and mesquite dot the dramatic landscape. The rugged mountains, steep canyons speak to the region’s fiery volcanic history. The Purple Prickly Pear and Strawberry Pitaya cactus, ablaze with blooms, line the colorful limestone layered bluffs. Unlike the national park, the state park encompasses a network of open range cattle ranches, a nod to Texas of old.

The Hoodoo Trail

We stopped at a parking area for photo opportunity and a short walk on the easy trail overlooking a series hoodoos, weather-carved volcanic ash, along the Rio Grande. Hoodoo is an African word that refers to the strange animal shapes of the rocks that were said to embody evil spirits. We struck up a conversation with a friendly man from El Paso on the trail who was traveling through the park. He introduced us to his traveling companion, a small mixed breed puppy whose name was Dog.

We continued down El Camino del Rio to the former Spanish mission town of Presidio. An interesting aside – it is important to pay attention driving in West Texas. Not all routes are marked. Guess the locals know where they are going. We followed what we thought was our route in Presidio and the street came to a dead end. We weren’t the only ones to miss the turn. Our friend and Dog had gone down the same street. We waved and laughed, executing a U-turn. On to Marfa.

The Lady and the Ambassador wait patiently

Lajitas

Teardrop Trail Log: March 27, 2016

My first trip to the Big Bend area came when I had been hired to work on the marketing team for Lajitas. The name is Spanish for “little flat rocks” and refers to the Boquillas limestone of the region. The office was located in Austin, but we would fly into the far West Texas resort for meetings. Sadly, we were working and not sight seeing. The only view I had of Santa Elena Canyon was a marketing photograph. This trip was my chance to see the Big Bend country.

Lajitas, twelve miles west of the Terlingua Ghost Town, had consisted of a trading post and an old cavalry post that was used as a hunting lodge. It had been bought by Houston business man, Walter Mischer in 1977. The scruffy, Old West-style resort was best known for its beer-swilling mayor, a goat named Clay Henry. Mischer had turned the town, into a modest resort with an Old West boardwalk, cheap hotel rooms, a nine hole golf course, and an RV park anchored by the 65-year old trading post became known locally as the Courthouse of South County.

Lobby at Lajitas

In 2000, Austin-telecommunications tycoon Steve Smith bought the town at public auction. Smith’s vision was to transform Lajitas into the Palm Springs of Texas and it was christened The Ultimate Hideout. Fast forward to 2007, the property was sold again.

We stopped General Store that has moved down the highway from the resort and is now home to the new mayor Clay Henry. The postcards I found that seemed familiar. They were from the time I had worked there.

Road Trip Eats

Teardrop Trail Log: March 27, 2016

We got a recommendation on where to camp with our teardrop and checked into Big Bend Resort and Adventures in the Study Butte Terlingua area, just outside the national park. The Cafe, which is open seven days a week, reminded me of so many places I’d eaten, like the Java Junction Cafe in the West Texas town where I had gone to elementary school. Formica tables, melamine plates divided for the main dish and two sides, plastic water glasses and two flavors of Tabasco on each table. The first time we walked in the door, we were greeted by a symphony of aromas that brought back memories of home and family.

One evening, the special was chicken fried steak, a tenderized cube steak coated with seasoned flour, deep fried with a crisp golden brown crust. A Texas classic. The other option was steak fingers, chicken fried steak cut into strips. Our plates arrived, the steak was plied high on a bed of french fries, served with white, peppered country milk gravy. There were also Texas-style green beans on the plate, cooked to the “unique” texture and color like so many women in my family did. Yum…. We were so focused on the food that we forgot to take a picture!

Breakfast with bacon, eggs and biscuit with white, peppered, country milk gravy.

The next morning, we decided to check out the breakfast buffet. While waiting in line to use the toaster when we spotted biscuits. Not the doughboy’s biscuits, but the light, flaky good ole comfort food fantasy biscuits. We left the buffet line for the table with bacon, scrambled eggs, biscuits and the white, peppered milk country gravy like my Mamaw used to make.

Ah, comfort food on the road!

Exploring Castolon En Route to Santa Elena Canyon

Teardrop Trail Log: March 26, 2016

We entered Big Bend National Park and drove down the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive, a 30-mile paved road to the Castolon Historic District on the banks of the Rio Grande. The views were amazing. Santa Elena Canyon came into view as we drove toward the river.

Alvino House, Castolon, Texas

In the early years of the Twentieth Century, people began to farm and ranch in the area. In 1901, Cipriano Hernandez irrigated the bottomland, grew crops and operated the first store in the area out of his home. The building, known as the Alvino House, was named for Alvino Ybarra who lived there with his family from 1918 to 1957. It is the oldest known adobe structure in Big Bend National Park.

The Mexican Revolution raged in Mexico and many families fled across the border until around 1920. The violence brought the U.S. military to defend the border. Numerous camps were established by the National Guard and the Air Corps established a landing field at a nearby ranch. Originally known as Camp Santa Helena, construction of a permanent post at Costolon began in 1919 but by 1920, the Revolution was over and the buildings were never occupied.

La Harmonia, Castolon, Texas

In 1921, the La Harmonia Company Store moved into the new barracks building and served as a store and post office. In 1961, the National Park Service acquired the store and a park concessioner continues to operate it. The visitors center is also located in the historic building. It is still the center of activity in this part of the park.

The parking lot of La Harmonia overlooks the Alvino House below while Santa Elena Canyon beckons in the distance. Even so, this view doesn’t prepare us for the Canyon.

Alvino House with view of Santa Elena Canyon

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