Even though it was cold and cloudy much of our stay, this was our best time ever at the park, mostly because we stayed 5 nights and hiked 6 days, though today only until noon. A chance remark to a volunteer ranger yesterday afternoon led to a discussion of a remote area we had never before visited, and this morning we got up early, packed the car and drove the 35 miles to Ernst Tinaja. What a spectacular canyon and pools. We also did some hiking at Boquillas Canyon along the Rio Grande River. We left as the weather was turning warm, promising to be back again next year. Tonight we're staying at a nice Quality Inn in Abilene and hope to make it home by early Sunday afternoon. The stranger in this pic is Barb, a real inspiration to us. We met her at Balanced Rock yesterday. She's 75 and has a serious lung disease that she contracted from cleaning the cages of her late husband's racing pigeons. She hadn't realized that the dust was getting into her lungs, and now has to carry oxygen with her, but refuses to quit hiking---had come to Big Bend all the way from Utah.
