Resort Day and Big Bend Ranch State Park

 February 9, 2021

Today is resort day!  The Maverick RV Ranch is part of Lajitas Golf Resort and as guests here we can use all of the resort features.  So today we are not hiking we are checking out the resort. Let's walk on over.

The first thing we see on our walk over is Lajitas Cemetery.

"LAJITAS, THE SPANISH WORD FOR FLAGSTONE, COMES FROM THE BOQUILLAS GEOLOGIC FORMATION LOCATED NEAR THE LAJITAS CROSSING/SAN CARLOS FORD ON THE RIO GRANDE, THE LAJITAS CEMETERY HAS BEEN IN USE SINCE AT LEAST THE EARLY 1900s. FOR MILLENNIA, THE FORD WAS USED BY NATIVES OF THE REGION; THE COMANCHE, APACHE AND OTHER TRIBES USED IT DURING RAIDS INTO NORTHERN NEW SPAIN/MEXICO. IN 1747-1748, TWO SPANISH ENTRADAS, LED BY PEDRO DE RÁBAGO Y THERÁN AND DON FERMÍN DE VIDAURRE, TRAVERSED THE CROSSING LOOKING FOR A LOCATION FOR A PRESIDIO. FOLLOWING THE COMANCHE TRAIL, BREVET 2ND LIEUTENANT ECHOLS STOPPED HERE ON JULY 27, 1860, DURING THE SECOND EXPERIMENTAL CAMEL EXPEDITION. IN 1899, RANCHER H.W. MCGUIRK OPENED A TRADING POST NEAR THE CROSSING TO SERVE THE GROWING HISPANIC AND ANGLO POPULATION. BY 1900, THE LAJITAS CROSSING WAS A SUBSTATION PORT OF ENTRY WITH UNIFORMED AND MOUNTED INSPECTORS. ULTIMATELY, A SMALL SETTLEMENT EMERGED WITH BUSINESSES, A SCHOOL, CHURCH AND CEMETERY. FROM 1911-1917, U.S. TROOPS MANNED THE CROSSING.

FOR ABOUT A CENTURY, THE LAJITAS CEMETERY HAS BEEN THE RESTING PLACE FOR HISPANIC AND ANGLO RESIDENTS AND AREA WORKERS. "

"THE CEMETERY IS ENCLOSED BY COLUMNS OF BOQUILLAS FLAGSTONE CONNECTED BY A WROUGHT-IRON FENCE. THE 138 IDENTIFIED GRAVES IN THE CEMETERY ARE PRIMARILY FROM THE EARLY TO MID-20TH CENTURY VERNACULAR CONSTRUCTION PREDOMINATES IN A VARIETY OF FORMS, INCLUDING BARROWS (SIMPLE ROCK OR SEDIMENT MOUNDS) AND GRUTAS (ELEVATED MONUMENTS WITH OPENINGS OR NICHES FOR MEMORIALS). USED SPORADICALLY IN RECENT TIMES, THE CEMETERY'S POST-1950 BURIALS TYPICALLY HAVE ENGRAVED MODERN HEADSTONES AND STATUES, OFTEN WITH CEMENT SLABS OVER THE TOMBS. THE LAJITAS CEMETERY IS A REMINDER OF THE VARIED CI URE AND HISTORY OF THIS AREA OF

BREWSTER COUNTY."

This one is a modern gravesite with a historic feel.

Still on our side of the street we checked out these accommodations

We are in the desert, not sure why they went with real grass but it looks nice.

If you aren't into RVing I think you would be comfortable here.

Most of the resort is across the street.

The resort is set up to look like a Western town.  Here is the Badlands Hotel.

Also along the strip, an outfitter, zip-line office, fitness center, spa.

Bakery, Restaurant, Saloon, and 18 Hole Golf Course.

Down the street is the horse stable for trail rides.

Shooting Activities are also available.

Our interests lean more to the historical.

"REX IVEY BUILT THE NATIVE ROCK STRUCTURE ASA FAMILY HOMESTEAD IN 1946. IVEY WAS ARANCHER AND CANDELILIA WAX TRADER HE ALSO RAISED ALFALFA AND COTTON AND LATER SERVED AS A BREWSTER COUNTY COMMISSIONER IVEY BUILT THE BATHROOM IN THE HOUSE TO BE BULLETPROOF MEN

STILL CARRIED WEAPONS IN THE 1940S AND ON WILD SATURDAY NIGHTS GUNS COULD BE FIRED IN ANY DIRECTION, SOMETIMES IN ANGER AT THOSE TIMES, KITTY IVEY WOULD GATHER UP HER CHILDREN AND HAVE THEM SIT ON THE BATHROOM FLOOR AND PLAY GAMES IVEY ALSO OWNED THE LAJITAS TRADING POST WHICH BECAME A GREAT SOCIAL AND TRADING CENTER ALONG THE RIVER PEOPLE FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE RIO GRANDE CAME TO KEEP IN TOUCH AND DO BUSINESS IVEY'S LEGENDARY BARBECUES WERE ATTENDED BY HUNDREDS SOMETIMES THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THE ROCK WALLS OF THE TVEY STRUCTURE ARE THE HEART OF THE OCOTILLO RESTAURANTS"

"SANTA MARIA Y SAN JOSE MISSION

SHORTLY AFTER ESTABLISHING THE LAJITAS TRADING POST IN 1899, ADVENTURER AND ENTREPRENEUR H.W.MCGUIRK DONATED LAND FOR A CHURCH. 

THE PRESENT DAY SANTA MARIA Y SAN JOSE MISSION IS LOCATED ON IT.

IN 1901, MCGUIRK FOUNDED A SCHOOL, AND THE FIRST CLASSES WERE HELD IN THE CHURCH. THE MISSION HAS BEEN A CONSTANT, REASSURING PRESENCE IN THE LIVES OF GENERATIONS OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE LIVED IN LAJITAS BUT AS TIME WORE ON, THE OLD STRUCTURE FELL INTO DISREPAIR"

Door to the church, the cord rings the bell.

I wanted to ring it, but I did not.

"IN RECENT YEARS, A GROUP LED BY ELLE WEBB HAS RESTORÉD THE MISSION. A NEW ROOF, BEAMED CEILINGS, SALTILLO TILE FLOORING, CEILING FANS, DECORATIVE LIGHTING, DOUBLE DOORS, AND CENTRAL AIR AND HEATING HAVE BEEN ADDED, AND ADOBE HAS BEEN PLASTERED. ORIGINAL HAND-PAINTED, PUNCHED-TIN RETABLOS OF THE TWELVE STATIONS OF THE CROSS BY ARTIST ANN MATHIEU WERE ALSO

DONATED SEVERAL DENOMINATIONS USE THE CHURCH FOR SERVICES TODAY."

While we did not partake of most of there features, we did stay for lunch.

Candelilla a desert plant with waxy substance in its stems that is used to make candles.

"It is native to the Trans-Pecos of Texas and southern New Mexico in the United States as well as Chihuahua, Coahuila, Hidalgo, and Querétaro in Mexico."

We go down here, past the saloon to the restaurant.

A view from our table.

A fountain right out by our table.

Jim could not not get some queso and chips

I mean if Tex Mex was born here. . .

We split lunch so we each had half of a sliced brisket - Slow Smoked and Slathered in House Made Bourbon-Peach BBQ Sauce on a Brioche Bun and half a Torte Carne -Hand Shaved Prime Ribeye Topped with Grilled Onions, Roasted Jalapenos, Smashed Avocado, Horseradish Sauce and Chihuahua Cheese on a Bolillo Bun.  Both were muy bueno.

After lunch we went to see the Rio Grande River here at the resort.

It is still a gentle river in February

and it still bends here

It's still wild to me that Mexico is just across the river.

And then we enjoyed some time at the pool here at the RV Campground.

The water was very refreshing.  You can also see the clubhouse, it houses a rec room with ping pong table, a kitchenette, a tv room, men's and women's washrooms with individual showers and the laundry.

Yes, this was a very nice campground.

February 10, 2021

First thing get the laundry done.

Next thing drive just west of our RV park on Farm Road 170

"El Camino del Rio, “The River Road”, is one of Texas’s best scenic routes, following the twists and turns of the Rio Grande and revealing a fiery volcanic history. The majority of this drive is within the boundaries of Big Bend Ranch State Park. On the other side of the Rio Grande is Mexico."

Here are some roadside shots.

Closed Canyon

The road seems to disappear when it goes down like a roller coaster.

Just one of the many sharp curves

A four site dry camp ground.  Dry means nothing is provided but the ground.

You need to bring your own water, power source, and take care of your own sewage.

The Rio Grande, the road runs parallel to the river but the spots you can see it are few and far between. 

Glad to be on a driving tour today its sunny and hot.

Care to take a spin here's a video

Rio Grande twisting on the left, road twisting on the right.

We didn't bring lunch today, but this would have been a fun place in the shade to eat.

The view is everywhere.  Jim did a great job on this twisty road.

3 canoes set down the river at a very slow pace, the river is shallow

So glad we were able to experience this scenic route.

And so comes to an end our week at Big Bend.  I encourage you to go see it in person, especially in February when the temperatures are warm in the day and cool at night.

Here is the reflection on our Reflection at our campsite, the views here are wonderful.  It was so nice to be able to hike right here from the campground and enjoy the resort facilities.