Sunday, January 29, 2017: Sanderson to San Antonio, Texas

Today was a driving day and while enduring mind-numbing dry desert landscapes, I reflected back on Big Bend, it's name coming from the big 90 degree bend that the Rio Grande makes here.  I think the biggest surprise for me was that the Rio Grande was not a large, muddy meandering river, nor was it the small stream that you would sometimes see in the old westerns as they galloped their horses through the river and across the border.



It has always been a powerful river, cutting 1,000 foot deep canyons into the rock and the and the swirling rapids in the narrowed canyons prevented its navigation until (I think) the late 1800's.

Today's Rio Grande current can be deadly, even where it looks calm.  But, the river is much smaller because so much water is removed for irrigation.  Where the river had been wide, muddy and meandering, it is now often broken into a smallish main channel and even smaller side channels.  When it does flood, however, it covers vast areas because except for the rocky canyons, the surrounding landscape is so flat.

Float trips can be done through the canyons, but it is at least a full day trip.  They say the river carries so much sand that on a float trip you can actually hear it grinding away under the raft.  Another item for the bucket list.

Back to driving..... I followed US Route 90 east across south Texas.  On my approaching Big Bend on I-10 and Route 90 as well as leaving and driving Route 90 east, I encountered four border patrol stops where they had dogs and could (but didn't) inspect every vehicle.  But every vehicle was stopped and driver questioned.  I did see some vehicles that were being searched.  I also passed dozens and dozens of border patrol SUVs patrolling along the fenced ranchlands between the highway and the border.

Once I got to Del Rio - a nice little city, the landscape began to change from the dry desert to irrigated plowed fields.  More towns, closer together and lots of green stuff - grass, trees, and in general, much more to see and enjoy.  Just before Del Rio, I crossed the Pecos River and stopped by the overlook to get some photos.  There is a major reservoir in the area called Amistad that is a joint damming project of Mexico and the USA.  After being in the desert so long, it was wonderful to see a large body of water!

Pecos River

Stopped for the night just outside San Antonio.  I have been to the Alamo a few times as well as the Riverwalk, so will not be making any stops here, but continuing east, but now back on I-10.