Tag Archives: camping

Far West Texas

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The high desert in Far West Texas has a certain something that calls to me, and though it’s been less than a year since I’d camped in The Davis Mountains and Marfa, I wanted to go back.

The weather was good, the crowds were low, I had the time and so did my boyfriend, so we packed up the car and headed west.

We took our time exploring Marfa. We stayed a few days in the middle of the week, enjoying the empty feeling of the place (though tracking down meals became a game of cat and mouse), and took day trips to swim in Balmorhea Pool, attend a Star Party at the McDonald Observatory, and check out some art installations along Highway 90.

Soaking up the things that make Marfa different.
A yucca plant at El Cosmico.
We stayed at El Cosmico, a hip hotel/campground that offers unusual lodging like teepees, yurts, and travel trailers.
Our teepee at El Cosmico.
We got a teepee which felt incredibly romantic…until I was startled by a camel spider who decided to hang out on the canvas wall all night (I had never seen one before and thought it looked seriously creepy. Like if a scorpion and a tarantula had a baby!). Luckily, it had moved on by the morning.
Toes sticking out of hot tub.
One night was spent soaking in one of El Cosmico’s wood-fired Dutch hot tubs. It was perfection!
A nightime view of the observatory.
The McDonald Observatory during their Star Party, where we got the chance to look at stars through several large telescopes.
The Giant Marfa Mural
Spotted along Highway 90: “The Giant Marfa Mural” by John Cerney.

After Marfa, we headed to Big Bend National Park for two days of camping and hiking, stopping in Terlingua on the way.

The ghost town in Terlingua.
Cemetery in Terlingua Ghost Town
Terlingua Ghost Town’s cemetery, which is still actively used. We found many types of offerings to the dead, but beer and liquor were the most popular.
Stunning views while hiking the Hot Springs Canyon Trail in Big Bend.
A yucca along the trail in Big Bend.
I took so many pictures while hiking! How could I not, surrounded by beauty like this? I’m excited to begin working on a series of paintings inspired by this trip.
The Rio Grande along the Hot Springs Canyon trail in Big Bend
The Rio Grande brings life to the arid landscape. We even spied some wild horses near its banks.
The sun set at Langford Hot Springs.
We arrived at the hot springs just in time to catch the sunset.
A blooming cactus on the hike into Santa Elena Canyon.
Blooming cactus along the hike into Santa Elena Canyon.
Santa Elena Canyon in Big Bend National Park
The Rio Grande running through Santa Elena Canyon. The Rio Grande marks the border between the US and Mexico and we heard many hikers, wading out into the river, joking that they’d crossed over (Mexico on the left, the US on the right). Of course, even if you did cross over, there’d be nothing around for miles except dry, sun-scorched desert.
At the Chisos Basin campground, stars were visible down to the horizon, even with the moon out.

On our way out of Big Bend we stopped in Marathon, which proved to be much cuter and friendlier than expected. I was so charmed by it, I decided that I must return on my next trip out west. From there, we made our way east and then to a little-known and very remote state park along Devils River.

We stayed two nights and enjoyed a spectacular night sky. The river is difficult to reach (the campsite was miles down a rutted dirt road, offered no water or even a toilet, and an additional drive and then mile-something hike was required to reach the river) which meant that we only had one day to enjoy the water.

So, we packed up our snorkels, a big lunch, some wine, lots of water, and headed through the desert in search of the river.

Devils River State Natural Area
The glorious Devils River, an oasis at the edge of the Chihuahuan Desert.
A selfie by the spring at Devils River
The whole day was spent hiking, swimming, picnicking, and snorkeling. I was thrilled! The perfect end to a week in the desert.

This was such an inspiring trip, by its end I felt filled up with ideas and a drive to create. I also felt a shift in my personal life become solidified. There’s a simplicity in the desert that I’ve been longing for. I think it’s one of the reasons I always want to go back. Every time, I feel a little clearer on what I want, what I want to create, and who I want to be.

Surrounded by nothing but desert, time stretches out and I get more in tune with my thoughts and feelings. It’s a wonderful thing to realize and to know that if I’m ever feeling frazzled and lost I can always travel west and return to myself.

Colorado Bend

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When you get a Texas State Parks pass, you receive a booklet with a map of all the state parks. While recently perusing the map I realized that there are a few parks close to Austin that I haven’t visited yet. The description of Colorado Bend jumped out at me – a 70-foot waterfall?!

So, I made a reservation for a couple nights and grabbed a friend.

We arrived on a Sunday and the park was busy, but by Tuesday it’d emptied out. It’s a small campground but we were luck to find ourselves in a pretty secluded spot near the river.

Wildlife was everywhere! Deer and armadillos greeted us and at night we were entertained and annoyed by javelinas and raccoons.

I was delighted by the diversity of the park. We went kayaking in the river, hiked to a waterfall and around a cave, and swam in a spring. We saw people fishing and heard that someone caught an enormous catfish. We watched the full moon rise and wondered how the stars might look on a darker night.

This is definitely a park that I’ll be returning to.

COMING UP

The Austin Studio Tour is returning this year and will be bigger than ever! We’re combining East and West Austin into one citywide art event that spans three weekends in November. The Studio Tour is a free event, with in-person and virtual activities. Look out for me (#123) in the catalog and online.

My solo art exhibition Iconic Texas is opening on Saturday, November 6th at the Dougherty Arts Center! The show will feature 18 acrylic paintings inspired by my experiences camping and hiking in Texas’ public parks and will run until January 8th. For up-to-date information about visiting the gallery, please check their website or call 512-974-4000.

MORE GOOD STUFF

If you’ve been following me, you know that I’ve recently gotten into meditation. I’ve tried explaining its benefits and how I relate to it, but have often struggled. This episode of How To Build A Happy Life does a great job explaining the how and why of meditation.

I’m loving the Heavy Metal episode of Radiolab for its exploration of curiosity, history, science, and an unexpected look at the Meteor Crater I visited in 2019.

Want something spooky to read? Check out The Necromancer’s House for an unforgettably weird and wild ride.

Happy Halloween!

Homeland

We decided that it had been too long since we’d seen our families and friends in North Carolina, so my friend Laura and I took off on a road trip.

On the drive up we camped in Arkansas at Lake Catherine State Park. We managed to set up our tents, change, grab a drink, and walk to the lake in time for a sunset swim.
That night we watched and laughed as a mother raccoon lifted the top of an “animal proof” trashcan, hopped inside, and emerged with a nearly-full bag of chips, which she tossed to her waiting kits.
The next day, after making the beautiful but long drive across Tennessee and Western North Carolina, we arrived in Greensboro late at night. Only the cats were up to greet us!
I left Laura with her parents and drove southeast. I’d decided to camp at Jordan Lake so that I could visit my dad, my brother and his family, and a college friend, who were all living in the area. When I arrived at my site in the Poplar Point Campground I was treated to this spectacular view of far-off thunderstorms.
Mushrooms grew throughout the woods and along the campground trail.
I met my dad for lunch at Pinehurst, where we enjoyed watching golfers move across the course. Next time I’m going to get in a game of croquet!
My dad has befriended a group of deer, feeding them from the backyard, while his fluffy black cat tags along, begging for pets. With those trees and flowers, it’s like a scene from Snow White!
After a few days at Jordan Lake I drove to Holden Beach to stay with some friends. I spent an afternoon floating around on the comfortably warm, calm waves.
Pelicans gliding over the beach.
Quality pool time with two of my favorite people.
Maximum pool floats for maximum pool fun.
On my last night at Holden Beach, we watched the full moon rise over the ocean.
As the moon rose, it seemed to float among the clouds in an eerily beautiful display.
After two nights at the beach, I rejoined Laura at the Burke Manor Inn in Gibsonville, where we celebrated a birthday with her family and friends.
The next day, on our way out of North Carolina, we briefly stopped to grab coffee and catch-up with a friend at Dripolator Coffeehouse in Black Mountain (near Asheville).

We spent our last night at Meeman-Shelby State Park in Tennessee. The weather was much warmer than expected and we were swarmed by mosquitos so we didn’t get to enjoy the park as much as I’d hoped. But we did get to watch about a hundred hummingbirds flying around the visitors center the next morning. That park is definitely on my list of places to go back to, just maybe in cooler weather when there aren’t so many bugs.

It was a whirlwind trip and I’m so glad I got to see everyone I did, I only wish I could have spent more time!

Anyone else feeling like you’re in a time warp this year?

South Llano River State Park

Every year in mid-August I try to catch the Perseids meteor shower. It’s easy to plan for, the peak lasts a few nights, and it’s comfortable to stay up all night in the summer. It’s a rewarding experience, especially if you can get away from the city lights, because you can see shooting stars that glow or sparkle across the sky.

This year has been difficult and I wasn’t sure about travel, but I finally decided that camping would be safe and I put it out there to some friends to see if anyone wanted to join me for a couple nights.

I chose South Llano River State Park because I’d never been, it has swimming (which would make the 100-degree afternoons bearable), and it’s a dark sky park (with almost no light pollution, the milky way is clearly visible at night).

We had excellent viewing of Perseids, including some stunning shooting stars that made us all go “Wow!” and the water was the perfect temperature to sit in all afternoon. But the best part was just getting out of my house and spending time with friends.

The South Llano River.
The light around sunset was gorgeous and it melted into a spectacular night sky.
I noticed lots of dried flowers along the trails and made a mental note to come back in the spring.
Deer moved silently in brush around us. I also saw a jackrabbit, bats, lizards, and lots of armadillos.
Giant pecan trees provided much-appreciated shade.
My friend spotted this beautiful (and toxic) flower called Snow On The Mountain.
We spent hours just digging around in the smooth rocks of this shallow area, building walls that would soon topple. There’s something about these “pointless” activities that feels like an antidote to stress.

The park is much larger than the areas we saw, with lots of trails that I’m itching to explore, so I’ll definitely be returning when it’s a little cooler.

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WHAT’S BRINGING ME JOY

Watching Tesla coil music videos by Arc Attack.

Retro-fabulous art by Lou Brooks, now available as shirts, stickers, and more (I want it all!).

Watching The One I Love on Netflix. Part suspenseful-thriller, part romantic comedy, part science-fiction; I had so much fun with this weird film.

Working on a new painting of Saguaro National Park. I’ve been wanting to paint those giant cacti since I was a kid! I still can’t believe I finally saw them in person (on my trip to Havasu Falls).