Mileage: 56,901 Walmart El Paso, Texas

As we left it was 40 degrees. The mountains and cliffs were pretty in the morning light.

We entered Big Bend Ranch State Park and traveled along Route 170. This park is a “dark sky park.” It is far away from all city ambient light and there is limited artificial light in the area. It is the darkest sky in Texas. The stargazing here is said to be phenomenal. 80% of the population of the United States is not able to see the Milky Way. the first time we ever saw it in the Outer Banks in North Carolina, we were not sure what we were seeing.

We were told that people come from all over the place to make this drive…it doesn’t disappoint. This park road writhes and twists along the Rio Grand. There are steep sections and tight curves. As we rounded each bend and climbed each incline, we were treated to outstanding views of the river, mountains, buttes, mesas, cliffs, bluffs and hoodoos. The pictures absolutely do NO justice to this beautiful drive.

Too soon we were through this area and on our way to Route 90 and then Route 10. I did a brief stint in the driver’s seat today…trying to get more practice.

Here is a random blimp along the road…it was a tethered radar system of some sort.

Lots of trains.

We drove to El Paso where we decided to stay at a Walmart. We need supplies and groceries and since Walmart is a free place to stay…here we are. Tomorrow we will drive further west into New Mexico.