daily slice-of-life blog of a Gen-X dad
Our last day at Big Bend was spent hiking the iconic Santa Elena Canyon. The canyon is always stunning, and this time there was someone in a canoe enjoying the Rio Grande. It looked so fun!
The canyon was a perfect way to end the trip to Big Bend. But there was one more thing that we were looking forward to: burgers at Pepito’s Cafe. It was so good!
Today is day one of a camping trip to Big Bend National Park. My buddy and I have camped out here a few times before so the itinerary was a mix of our favorite trails and a couple of new ones.
We took my friend’s Jeep which meant we could visit a remote trails and stay any of the backcountry campsites. It really opens up the park to more activities!
Our first trail was the Grapevine Hills Trail to Balanced Rock. It was my third time hiking this one, and every time has been great. It’s a short trail, but the rock formations at the end are super cool!
Next up was a drive to Ernst Tinaja. On the way we stopped at an old cowboy gravesite. I’d love to know the story behind this person. Or perhaps it’s better left to the imagination. 😃
The tinaja was really interesting, with layered canyon walls and plenty of fossils in the exposed limestone. Another short hike with a big payoff. Recommended if you have a high-clearance vehicle.
We were treated to some awesome skies and storm clouds on the drive to our campsite. Luckily we didn’t get any rain. But the photos were much better because of the clouds.
When we reached the Rio Grande Village campsite we were greeted by a pack of friendly javelina. And by friendly, I mean they weren’t aggressive. The pack of 13 javelina just slowly moved their way through the campground, looking for grubs and other goodies. So cute! 🐗
We set up our tents, had dinner and then settled in for the evening. It was a long day on the road, a couple of nice, short hikes, and wildlife in the campground. Oh, there were also a few wild horses walking around the campground. So funny and unexpected! 🏕
Today was our last day on Maui, but since we were taking the red-eye flight in the late afternoon, we had some time to do a few last-minute things. That included lunch at the Ono Teppanyaki and Seafood truck, followed by a quick visit to Kanaha Beach. The shrimp and ahi were delicious, and the beach was lovely. I wish we had enough time to go for a swim, but we’ll have to do that next time.
Thank you Maui. Mahalo and aloha!
A few days ago, we saw the sunrise from Haleakalā and today we drove back up to see the sunset. When we reached the summit, the area was covered in clouds and the 47°F / 8.3°C wind was howling like mad. It was so cold and wet. I didn’t think we’d see the sun come out.
But about 10 minutes before sunset, the clouds broke and we had a gorgeous view. It was spectacular!
By the way, the entrance fee to Haleakalā National Park is good for three days, so no problem coming back for a second visit. Also, you don’t need a reservation for sunset, but the parking lot at the summit might get crowded. And lastly make sure to bring warm clothes!
For lunch today, we went to It’s Cherry in Lahaina. They serve yummy veggie burgers at the old Sugar Cane Train location. The burgers were pretty good! If you are visiting Lahaina, it’s a solid choice to grab a bite.
After that, we went to Koholā Brewery next door for a drink before heading back home. Lahaina is about a 30-minute drive from Wailuku, so it’s not too long a trip, especially because the views of the water, beaches, and Kahoʻolawe are so nice.
