January 24, 2005; Big Bend Windows Trail

Watch that last step, it's a doozy!

Dawn was veiled in clouds. As they left with the approaching day, they seemed to slalom between the mountain peeks. For the first time I began to see the clouds as dynamic component of the scenery, instead of a nuisance.

I set out to hike the Windows Trail with the ultimate goal of finding the falls somewhere past Windows on an unadvertised trail. The end of the windows trail brought a beautiful view of the sweeping Big Bend landscape that I would fail to do justice to even with a panoramic lens. It was here I met Tom, a house builder from Maine on route to Baja. After a few minutes of conversation, I asked if he would like a travel companion. He obliged.

So Tom and I set out, taking care to bring our eyes off the trail periodically enjoy the constantly changing scenery and snap some choice shots. Along the way I prodded him for tips he had for photography, and he questioned me about posting images on the net.

shot of something, whatever I felt like at the moment

The scenery was equally breath-taking from prospectives both above and below Windows. Looking at these massive formations made me half-heartedly wish I had paid more attention in geology class. I knew enough to sound good, but all I was really doing is being wrong in a more specific manner. I was bothered knowing that I would fail both in words and pictures to capture the grandeur in front of me. I got over quickly though.

The quest for the waterfall took us down an unmarked steep path of loose shale lined with cacti, then along a dried riverbed, and finally though a passage littered with large, slick boulders. At the end of the trail stood a waterfall barely worth exposing. This was obviously not the falls of great beauty that I have heard of. Surely I would find it, but not today.

Tom and I

On the way back Tom and I stopped for lunch. There he revealed one of his favorite road snacks. Tom gave me a workout on the way back. At times I struggled just to keep up with him. After a nearly 10 mile hike I was thirsty, hungry, tired, and sore. Back at camp, I peeled of my boots not to find blisters, but simply bloody holes on my heels. It was worth it though.

Tom headed out in short order to a primitive campsite for the night before setting out for Baja. I to found another site on the banks of the Rio Grande.