West Texas Travels
I have traveled by automobile three times in recent years from Houston to the Big Bend area of Texas, a distance of approximately 650 miles. The route is west on Interstate 10 from Houston to San Antonio, west on Texas Highway 90 from San Antonio through Uvalde, Del Rio and Marathon to Alpine, then south on Texas Highway 118 from Alpine to Study Butte and Terlingua. Once settled in the Big Bend area, I never fail to drive Texas Highway 170, the scenic “River Road” along the Rio Grande from Terlingua to Presidio. My destinations, the Big Bend national and state parks, are wonderful and well worth the long drive, but the weather, food, scenery and interesting sights along the way make the trip itself enjoyable.
Amistad Reservoir, Del Rio.
Amistad cactus.
Residents of the Uvalde city park.
The Pecos River flowing to the Rio Grande.
Highway 90 bridge over the Pecos.
Bridge shadows.
The Jersey Lilly, Langtry, Texas.
West Texas repast.
Following a storm south of Alpine on Highway 118.
The storm moves away.
Looking east from Highway 118.
West Texas roads—long, straight and open.
Study Butte at dusk.
The Rio Grande, the border between Texas and Mexico, from a high pass on River Road.
River Road up.
River Road down.
A dramatic passageway between River Road and the Rio Grande.
“Ghost town” Contrabando, a movie set built in 1985 between River Road and the Rio Grande.
The Santiago Mountains at dawn from Highway 118.
Mount Ord, southeast of Alpine, from Highway 118.
Long day of photography. Faithful SUV. Large, friendly cat. Single malt scotch. Steak dinner soon. Heaven.