Day 11 – Uvalde, TX to Comstock, TX

Note:  We had no cell phone service at the end of the day … hence, no hot spot, no internet access, and no ability to post to the blog.  This didn’t get posted until we got to Alpine.

Short trips can be adventures, too.

The Route

Navigation was really simple today.  We turned left out of the campground onto US-90 and followed it through Uvalde to Del Rio, passed the Amistad National Recreation Area and stopped at Seminole Canyon State Park west of Comstock.  It was a 119 mile trip with some excitement.

About the Day

We were up at 8:30am, showered, got connected, shopped at Walmart and were on the road by 11am.

The day was a bit cooler than yesterday. It was 80°F when we got up and made it to the mid 90’s later in the day.

The drive from Uvalde, through Del Rio and to the Border Inspection Station (just before crossing Lake Amistad) was pleasant.

Del Rio is an attractive, vibrant, border city.  Laughlin AFB is located there.  We watched student pilots practicing approaches as we passed the runways.

On the Way

US-90 is a desolate drive.

Lake Amistad

Railroad and highway bridges
cross Lake Amistad

And on we go.

Border Inspection Station

And Then!

We were a mile or so beyond the Inspection Station when the TPMS alarm sounded.  Air pressure in the right-rear tire had dropped from 53 psi to 35 psi.  We slowed, pulled onto the berm and stopped immediately.  There was no wheel damage, but the tire continued to lose air.

A father (Ariel) and his young twin sons (Harley & Bentley) pulled up behind us as we were inspecting the problem. 

We learned later that Ariel and his boys were on the way to Del Rio.  The boys asked what their dad was doing when he turned around and pulled up behind us.  He said “They’re in trouble.  We’re going to help them.”

And they really did!  Ariel had us pull onto a gravel side road.  We discovered that a hex screw had penetrated the tread when we were somewhere near the Inspection Station.  He jacked the trailer, mounted the spare, and had us drive the last 10 miles or so to the campground.  He and the boys took the damaged tire to Del Rio for repair, and returned the repaired tire to us at the campground.

Harley, Ariel and Bentley

Yes Dad, the tire's leaking air.

The culprit

Call it “helping”, “paying forward” or “being Good Samaritans”, Ariel Mejia and his sons got us through a big problem today.  We are so grateful! 

Ariel is a border patrol agent who owns an RV also.  We visited in the cool trailer after the work was done.  The boys had a snack and we shared stories of our Alaska trips.

Rest of the Way

Approaching Seminole Canyon State Park

Approaching the Pecos River

Across the Pecos

Upstream view

The Campground

We’re staying at Seminole Canyon State Park.  It’s a sentimental stop.  We stayed here on our first trip (October 18-19, 2008).

This stop is different and has become quite memorable.  We’re the ONLY campers in the park.  Are we special?  Are we dumb to stay here in the heat?  Did we miss the memo?

Actually, we think we’re very lucky to revisit what may have been our most remote campsite over the years.  We’re alone in the desert, surrounded by sand and sagebrush.  The Pecos and Rio Grande Rivers flow just south of the park.  We can see Mexico.

A glimpse of the canyon.

It's pretty hot for a picnic.

Site E-31

All sites come with desert landscaping.

We had a surprise visitor as the sun began to set.   A border patrol agent arrived and set-up an observation post near our campsite.  We weren’t alone in the park after all.

Sunset in the park

Our night watchman.

Tomorrow

We’ll continue on US-90 to Alpine, TX where we’ll stop for 3 days.