Amistad Recreation Area, Del Rio, TX

 

We just couldn’t take another day of 90’s in Big Bend with no air conditioning, so Thursday we moved on about 250 miles to Amistad National Recreation Area. Before we left Jim plugged in the Doran tire pressure monitor, and our rear passenger side outer tire was down to 47 pounds. Miles from nowhere in Big Bend is not the most ideal place to have a problem, but since Jim had aired up the tires just last week, he suspected it might be a valve issue. He tightened the valve stem, pumped the tire back up to 75, and reapplied the pressure sensor. Having the monitor sure was nice so that we didn’t have to keep stopping to check the tire pressure. Luckily it stayed equal to the others the entire trip here. He checked it again yesterday, though, and it was down about 10 pounds so we will probably take it in somewhere today to get checked. At least here we’re only about 7 miles to town, unlike Big Bend where we were 70 miles from civilization.

On our way to Big Bend in December 2008, we stayed at Seminole Canyon State Park, about 30 miles from Amistad. One day we took a drive around and remembered this as being a pretty area with lots of water. Well, that was 4 years ago. This is now another lake with very little water remaining.

Where the blacktop ends used to be the beginning of the lake. The little water that remains is home to lots of birds and ducks, though.

We had been in contact with Barney, aka The Old Fat Man, whom we met last year in New Mexico. He’s been staying here recently and told us campground 277 North was the only one with water access, and places to walk and bike. So that’s where we are, and we had a nice visit with Barney after we got set up.

There is no water or electric here but they do have clean vault toilets, covered picnic tables, and a trash can at each site. Not the most scenic place, especially since the lake is barely visible, but for $2 a night with the senior pass it’s adequate. And you get to hear the traffic noise from nearby 277. Out of the several campgrounds around the reservoir, Governor’s Landing is the only on with water and there is a dump at the main boat ramp a few miles away.

What a difference a day makes in the weather. When we got here it was in the upper 80’s, a bit cooler than Big Bend, but still pretty warm. We did run the generator legally for a couple hours to cool things off. Woke up yesterday to cloudy skies, wind and falling temperatures, and it barely got to 60! Supposed to warm into the 70’s this weekend. Much more pleasant, and I wish we could have waited it out at Big Bend, but that kind of heat gets to you after a few days.

Yesterday Debbie and I went to Del Rio to pick up some groceries at HEB. Nice store. She had never shopped at one before, and I really liked the one in Mission last winter. We also stopped at a couple thrift stores for fun. Didn’t buy anything but you never know what you might come across.

It’s obvious we’re close to the Mexican border again as we heard lots of Spanish being spoken in town, and the border patrol was just outside the campground gate last night. Guess we’d better get used to it as this is how it will be for the next 5 months.

I think we’ve decided to just make a long 350 mile drive to Mission and get there a few days early. Unless someone has any ideas of interesting places between here and there, like Laredo??? From what we can tell, it doesn’t look very inviting.