campermom

We drove to Del Rio, got provisions and headed out to Seminole which is 1 mile east of the Pecos. The area is sparse with scrub vegetation. We arrived just as the staff were getting in their cars to leave for the day. " Go ahead and pick a spot, anywhere will be fine, any questions, please don't hesitate to call upon the host".

Alrighty then, off we go, in search of a site which is slightly more protected from the stiff 10-15 MPH breeze. We staked everything down, and watched the sun set while having dinner. Since we had no real time frame of when to leave, we would do the "Fate Bell Shelter tour" in the am, @ 10.

A rain storm came thru over night. It wasn't to bad, constant drizzle. It let up at breakfast. While preparing to make coffee ( in the fancy Mr Coffee from home), we realized the site we selected was not electric ( like we paid for in the reservation). No problem, just bring it up the the restroom and make it. OOps, the power was out in there. I thought I would go to the front to check in, find out more about the tour, and snag a few cups of coffee in travel mugs for the in laws. OOOPs, power was out there also. No check in process, No paying for in laws day fee with debit card, no ranger-made coffee to borrow, no visits thru the visitor center in the dark, and no tour to the soaked canyon to see petryglyphs. The staff were sincerely appologetic. Honestly, what can you really do about the power.

We DID walk to the canyon edge on the windmill trail, lean over and photograph what we could of the shelter, taking shots of the sculpture which overlooks, the canyons, and pictures of cactus and the brick oven they had. There is a "secret garden" out there. Well, its not such a garden, but, they have a water trough for wildlife behind the restroom and irrigate the plot with recycled water. I saw the Vermillion flycatcher, orchard oriole, and some swallows out there.

The length of stay ( thursday 5pm-friday 3pm) would have been the perfect amount of time to do the tour, see the exhibit at the office, and take a second self-guided tour. The weather would have been great, not to hot, not to cold. Mother nature just wanted us to come back again another day. Maybe sometime early June. It's not like the park is going anywhere.

We did drive over to the bridge over the Pecos. That was worth it. My father in law commented that in west Texas, the Pecos is a small river/stream. When he saw how wide it was there, he was shocked. A great spot for pictures.