West Texas

Thursday,  October 4, 2012

Got up at 5 and left the hotel at 6:45 to embark upon the dreaded West Texas drive (albeit easier than when they used to ride horses and wagons.)  First stop Fredericksburg for a quick breakfast and stop at the bakery (This has to stop)  Jack got the best apple fritter he has ever had at the Fredericksburg Donut and Komache shop. Stopped briefly at the visitor center to get the Texas map we lost and headed west.  It actually wasn’t too bad.  The scenery was not too bad until Fort Stockton which is where we originally planning on stopping.  The speed limit was 80, let’s just say we made good time and the Ord has never seen speeds like this before.  Fort Stockton, 12 noon.  I hope there is something better than the giant roadrunner in Fort Stockton, because otherwise I feel really bad for the fine folks that live here.  Dust, wind, desert, flat, flat, flat. 

 We turned off the I10 shortly after and headed toward Fort Davis and the Davis Mountains, which are quite beautiful  with rocky formations much like the needles in the Black Hills.  Rolled into the State Park at 2:30 and walked around.  They have a lovely Indian Lodge built by the CCC but we of course camped.  We drove up to the lookouts that looks over Fort Davis National Monument the surrounding mountains and the small town of Fort Davis.  Jodi talked to a lady who told us to be really careful and not sleep in our cooking clothes and not keep anything to eat in the tent as the Javelina’s come in herds and sometimes run through people’s tents.  (like through the side).  She also said a friend of hers had camped here and had her purse stolen by a javelina last spring break.  The javelina got the purse over its snout and ran down the wash.  The lady never got her purse or her cash back.She also told me it was tarantula mating season so they were out and about and coyotes in her campground last night.  This lady also told me she had brain surgery in Houston.  She seemed quite credible but so far, no javelina, tarantula or coyote sightings.  I wasn’t going to tell Jack any of this except he heard me say to her, “thanks for the warning”.  I did neglect to tell him about tarantulas and coyotes as I figured he would book it to the first motel, although I could have told him that they don’t cross this road (like in east Texas).  Had to go to bed early due to insects and darkness but it was nice and cool.  It got down into 50’s, felt great!

Indian Lodge at Davis Mountains State Park