Camperbug

Climbing E-Rock

Halfway between Fredericksburg and Llano, Texas – about 15 miles from either – rises the most amazing sight.  As you round one of the bends in Texas Ranch Road 965 from either direction, this great batholith takes your breath away.  Vocabulary lesson time – a batholith is a rock formation under the ground that has been unearthed by erosion.  Other famous batholiths include Stone Mountain near Atlanta, GA, and El Capitan and Half Dome in Yellowstone National Park.

Comprised of pink granite, Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, or E-Rock as it is commonly known, is a great day trip from Fredericksburg or Austin, TX.  The Tonkawa Indians believed they could hear the spirits talking at night, thus, the source of the name.  Geologists tell us today that the creaking and moaning sounds come from the rock heating during the day, and cooling at night.  Still, a hike to the top of E-Rock is an “enchanting” experience for anyone.

There are two ways to see Enchanted Rock:  (1) Walk the 4-mile trail through the picturesque canyons around the base of the giant, looking up at the sheer cliffs and sides sliding toward you, or (2) walk straight up the side of E-Rock.  While there is a “path” of sorts, you pretty much walk up the side, all the while at a serious slant, until you get to the top.  With backpack in place and bottled water in hand, we tackled the rocky rise.

It was fall, and we were amazed to see the wildflowers literally growing from cracks in the great rock.  Reaching the top, the view for miles and miles around all sides defied description.  The total silence, broken only by the occasional voice of a fellow hiker or the screech of a buzzard flying below us, was intoxicating.  Sound a little dramatic?  There aren’t words to describe the peace that fell over us as we sat for a long time atop the granite dome, imagining the messages of the spirits who spoke to the Tonkawa in earlier days.

Hiking straight up E-Rock is for those in excellent physical condition.  Absolutely no knee, ankle, back, or heart problems should attempt the hike to the top.  The walk up is not nearly as challenging as the walk down!

Camping in the park is for tents only; reservations are a serious recommendation.  The park closes to day hikers, particularly on weekends, if too many people show up at once and the parking lot is filled.  You can buy some limited supplies when you check in at the Ranger Station.  Picnicking sites and restrooms are available.  Wilderness camping on the far side of E-Rock is also an option for wilderness lovers.

I have climbed Enchanted Rock twice, both times a blessing of spiritual and natural beauty.  Now, missing the ACL in one of my knees, I’ll enjoy it from the trails that wind around the base.

Wind Warning Today

Toledo Bend Lake is rated one of the top 5 Bass fishing lakes in the country. 65 miles in length with 1200 miles of shoreline, Toledo Bend Lake, or Reservoir as it is technically known, stretches for 65 miles along the southern border between Texas and Louisiana.  Toledo Bend Dam, which created the lake, is the result of the only public water conservation, hydroelectric power, and recreation project to be completed without permanent Federal Government financing.  The dam itself, located on RR 255  near Burkeville, TX and Anacoco, LA, is an amazing sight in its own right, especially when the water is released and power is being generated.

Fishing is not the only attraction for this beautiful area.  On both the Texas and Louisiana shores, recreation opportunities abound.  One of the newer and most attractive spots for campers is South Toledo Bend State Park.

Located in Anacoco, Louisiana, near the southeastern lower edge of the lake, South Toledo Bend State Park sits on several peninsulas that extend out into Toldeo Bend Lake.   Campsites and cabins mostly sit high atop hills, sloping down to beautiful beaches and lake views.

When the park was first opened, we took our granddaughters on an inaugural trip to the lake resort.  Our campsite was wonderful – sitting high on a bluff with a steep, grassy slope with a path that led to the edge of the lake, or at least what USED to be the edge of the lake.  For several hundred feet out, the lakebed lay exposed to the sun and park visitors.  We were surprised to learn that the water level of the reservoir had been lowered by nearly 30 feet for “maintenance.” Treasures abounded.  Bones of small animals that had long since left the earth, shells of little critters, rocks for the rockhound – all lay there for the collecting.  But most amazing was the petrified wood the area is known for. We came home with a collector specimen of petrified palm wood, the state fossil of Louisiana.

But the collection from the exposed lake bottom was not to be the most memorable event of this trip.  Late Saturday afternoon, a gentle wind started blowing off the lake up the hills to the campground area.  As the afternoon moved toward sundown, the wind increased.  We decided to pick up any loose items we had outside.  There was no rain, and there were no clouds.  Still, the wind kept getting stronger and stronger.  The wind was now blowing at a sustained 25-30 miles per hour.  It was strange and frightening, to say the least.  Our granddaughters were huddled in their bunk room, afraid that they would be the stars of the next Wizard of Oz tale.

With the wind howling around us, we decided to bring the awning of our trailer in.  Hmmm….  Should have thought to do that several hours earlier!  As we were undoing the guide ropes that held it tied to the ground, a strong gust of wind caught the awning, and ripped one of the support arms from the trailer wall.  Barely holding onto the other arm, we managed to roll the injured awning up before it flew over the trailer, and left us altogether.  We drove the four hours to our home with the damaged awning tied to the side of the trailer with bungy cords. Even though we worked at repairing it several times,  the connection was never the same.

The moral of this story:  Believe every tale any seasoned RV owner has ever told you about awnings, and err on the side of caution if you even THINK wind might be an issue.