Yesterday, I drove to Santa Elena Canyon and walked the short trail back into the canyon. It’s an awesome place to see. The gorge narrows to 30 feet with vertical rock walls 1500 feet high on either side. I took some pictures, but you really can’t capture the experience with anything but your eyes. The Rio Grande River is famous for it’s beautiful passage through spectacular scenery in and above the Big Bend area, and that’s why many people raft/canoe the miles of waterway along the border. I decided to drive the road that follows the river through Big Bend Ranch State Park to Presido and check out the scenery.
Mexico is privileged to hold most of the beautiful mountains and canyons along the Rio Grande and I often wished I could explore them. I heard tell of one canyon, feeding into the Rio Grande, that is so lush with vegetation it is like a rain forest. The drive was very pretty and interspersed with information at canoe access points.
From Presido I drove north and soon came to the Border Patrol checkpoint. I have the wrong kind of vehicle to pass through an inspection station in innocence, and they always give me the third degree. I answered questions about every part of my life for the last few years and even some about the future. I kind of guessed I was in for a grilling when I saw the narcotics dog held by one of the patrolmen as i pulled up. I guess it’s good that they are spending money and time with these inspection stations, but all the miles I drove along the border, not once did I see a Border Patrol vehicle.
Last night i stayed at Davis Mountain SP in Texas, and tonight I will camp somewhere near Carlsbad. I want to see the cave one more time and then head back to Arizona.
And I’m sure that any illegals aren’t going to drive the road where they know that there is a checkpoint. Glad you made it through, and Daryl didn’t have to drive to Mexico and bail you out of some prison there
You didn’t actually go south of the border did you? I assume that the check point was just along the road within the US.
I think your van is exactly the kind of vehicle they like to smuggle aliens in.
I guess I don’t know much about smugglers or the smuggled. Thankfully, that is one subject I don’t need to study. I am counting the days until you return.
I did not go into Mexico. In my van, it would be a nightmare getting back in the USA. I spent the day yesterday at the cave in Carlsbad and this morning I finally got a cell signal in El Paso. I’ll be back in a day or two.
Forget the aliens. As long as they didn’t uncover all the marijuana and cocaine you have hidden, you should okay.
(Note to the U.S. Border patrol agents who are perusing family blogs: I’m KIDDING!)
Dang those border agents always perusing our blogs!