Day 1 12/24/2018 Monday
Got up at 4 AM, after a quick shower, dress up, loaded our previously well-organized and packed camera backpacks and other bags filled with food and warm clothes to “Beast” then hooked together with “Titan”. Based on my inexperience with the trailer, took me 30 minutes for this part, but did it right. Tested all electric connections and lights, we were ready. Ate a great breakfast and left Houston at 6 AM. Drove on Westpark Toll, 99 Toll then on Hwy 290 and Hwy 6 to Waco then on I-35W to Fort Worth and on 287 to Wichita Falls and continued on it to Quanah and to I-40 at Amarillo down to the connecting road to Park road 5 and to Palo Duro Canyon SP. We stopped a few places and rest areas, ate our sandwiches, stretched, and got a few times gas. We had to learn several things with the trailer, but we are getting there. This is our first trip with the ”Titan”. Arrived in the dark at 6:30 PM, then drove down to the Mesquite Camp at the far end Canyon on the steep curvy road in the pitch dark. No Sprint cell phone service in the area. Arrived at 7 PM, met with Gergo, and set up our “Titan” for the camp. All things worked fine, the heat pump warmed up our tiny house and protected us from the outside cold. We were tired after the long drive and my inexperienced trailer backing resulted in an unwanted trailer attached Thule box push-in damage on “Beast”… Sorry guy, we will fix you at home. Lexi warmed up her excellent stuffed cabbage for dinner; I decorated our Christmas tree and celebrated Christmas Eve in peace, The Christmas lights and the starry sky made our day happy. Slept very well on the first night in our “Titan”.
Day 2 12/25/2018 Tuesday
Woke up at 7 AM, after the morning routine, organized, and drove up to the Ranger Station at the Canyon rim. Because today was Christmas Day, the Ranger station was closed. Registered our site temporarily and drove back to our Mesquite camp. Lexi made a good hearty breakfast and the burning bacon started our smoke alarm located high on the rooftop… We did not get fire, but we made some attention, and at least we tested the alarm. After its relocation, all problems were solved. I relaxed and made few short hikes around the camp area, several nice trails are in the Park. Took a few 4×5 photographs then drove around on PRd5 and AltPRd5, checked a few camps and trailheads, took few pictures at the rock formations near the Amphitheatre, then back to the far end group campsites at the river where the side lit Cottonwoods were glowing. When the light was low we drove back to the camp and Lexi made dinner. Took a warm-water shower at the camp bathhouse, shaved, ate together a good dinner, drank a beer, and relaxed. Gergo, Emily, and the dogs visited us, they waited for their friend’s arrival, and then they ate dinner with them around 7 PM. I planned to fix few things on the “Titan” but I was still tired after yesterday’s long drive, even I did not write my journal… slept. Never slept this early … our Christmas lights were on telling the World this is Christmas.
Day 3 12/26/2018 Wednesday
Slept well, but we got up few times when the rain was drumming on the Titan’s roof and windows. The rain stopped and started again a few times, even the bathroom outing was a challenge. We woke up around 7:30 AM, the rain is in and out, cloudy and we had wind. We drove with Gergo and his Friends to the Ranger Station at 8:30 AM, fixed all of the paperwork, and paid for the camp. We stopped at the Trading Post, I got few missing things and a carved Horny toad to Lexi. She really wanted to see but probably those are hibernated in this cold. Returned to the camp, ate a good breakfast, took shower and I fixed the electricity for the computer, made light for the stove, fixed phone charging. Our Christmas tree lights are nice and gave a festive mood for the end of the year. Around 1 PM we drove around the Park roads, checked sites, camps, picnic, and day-use areas, Amphitheater, Old West Stables, Trading Post, and Visitor Center, which has a nice Indian art store, bookstore, and several exhibitions. Driving back to the Canyon, took few pictures of the Amphitheater area rocks and at the Chinaberry day-use area riverside Cottonwoods. The weather started to be stormy and dark clouds darkened the sky. We just made it back to the camp, when the heavy rain started, lightning and thunder and pea size hail hit us. We believed that Gergo and their friends were on a hike, and the storm hit them on the trail, but when the storm passed and the rain stopped around 5 PM, we checked their trailer and they were all inside as happy campers. No more worry. Walked around a few shots on 4×5 around the camp from the hat-like balanced rock area. Lexi made good soup and potato sausage dinner ate together and enjoyed our little Titan home. Opened a small bottle of champagne, and celebrated 2nd day of Christmas. We have a cold, overcast sky, no stars, and from 6 PM dark. Gergo visited us, talked about today’s hikes, listened to Christmas music, readings and before we went to sleep at 9 PM, the sky cleared and we enjoyed the zillions of stars above us.
Day 4 12/27/2018 Thursday
Slept well, but woke up few times during the night for the rain and wind. Got up at 6:15 AM, walked to the warm and cozy camp bathhouse, took a shower and shaving then back to the Titan and made a good hot morning coffee from Gergo’s Christmas gift. Slowly drinking, enjoying… getting cold fast. Snowing outside. When Lexi woke up I put together our small propane heater, which worked very well. Working on my journal and thinking about the passing year. Puffy strong wind, sunrise at 8 AM, then slowly warming up a little bit. After a good breakfast, we drove to the Mack Dick Group Pavilion and walked the short 0.5 miles Pioneer Nature Trail Hike. Took a photograph next to the river, then walked back, looked for other trails, finally parked at Chinaberry Day Use Area, where we got on the Paseo del Rio trail, which is a nice riverside 2-mile long round trip trail, touching few nice trees reeds and cactus fields. We photographed that area on 4×5 and hoping to get a good one at the backlit cactus field with old dried banding trees in the backdrop. Drove back to camp then tried to get a photo at campsite 79 from the rocky mountainscape. I did it but I took off my camera earlier and the light changed, painted gold on the top of the rock for a short time… and I was not ready with my 4×5. Well, I saw that and learned from that situation. Luckily I took a reference shot with my small digital camera, and maybe tomorrow I can be there ready. Lexi made a Potato-quinoa-spinach soup and pasta with trout fancy dinner; a slice of Emily made Banana bread, a piece of Ferrero chocolate, and a good beer made our dinner to a feast. Gergo stopped by, talked about our and their hikes, and the next day’s plans. Cold arrived, but the real cold and snow will start tomorrow… we will see. Went to sleep early again, our sleeping bags are warm and cozy. We like to sleep in cold and quiet, so we every night turn off the Titan’s heat pump… Woke up few times during the night, freezing outside, but no rain or snow yet…
Day 5 12/28/2018 Friday
Got up at 6:30 AM, took a shower, and shaving séance in the warm camp bathhouse. Outside is freezing cold, started to snow, but stopped. Around 7:30 the light of Dawn painted magic colors to the sky and the rising sun gave nice light to the west side rocks for a short time. Park maintenance turned off the drinking water faucets at campsites and water filling stations protecting the pipes. Luckily we have drinking water and the camp bathhouse has heating, cold and warm water. Started to snow around 9 AM, brewed coffee and tea then Lexi made a good breakfast, we will be fine all day. Gergo’s friends visited us, showed them our camper, then with Gergo they drove to Amarillo to fix Gergo’s camper’s tire and buy supplies. Cold outside… at 2 PM we had 1 oC and inside 21 oC, what a great difference! Lexi read her new book and I caught up with my journal. I set up my camera gear and walked and photographed on the close to the camp Lower Comanche Trail area from 3 PM till 5 PM. The temperature dropped to -2 oC, but the wind slowed down. I got a few nice 4×5 shots. At 5:45 PM almost dark. Gergo bought 1-gallon water and a lighter for us and will stop by with a beer from their friend’s brewery. We were mostly inside the camper walked around the camp but we enjoyed it very much. Lexi made a great fancy dinner again, split peas and ham soup and rice and shredded brisket with BBQ sauce. We just finished dinner when Gergo and Emily and the dogs visited us, shared the leftover Banana bread, Ferrero chocolate, oranges, and a 32 oz. can of I-40 IPA beer from the friend’s Pondasetta Brewing Co. Talked till 7:30 PM then they left, cleaning dishes and around 8 PM after some readings we finished the day.
Day 6 12/29/2018 Saturday
Woke up at night at 3 AM, looked around and about 1-inch snow covered everything. That was so nice and quiet. Later the moon came out and few stars. Slept till 6 AM, then after a warm shower and my usual shaving séance, walked around and back to the Titan at 7 AM. Snow-covered everything, songbirds on the nearby bush. Lexi made a great breakfast, then we walked around, took few snapshots, then prepared for a nearby photo hike on the Lower Comanche trail hidden areas. Took few nice 4×5 shots then we had to turn back because the late morning sun melted the snow and made terracotta color mud on the trail. Turned back and cleaned our hiking boots then drove to the Light House Rock Trailhead. Packed for the 5.4-mile round trip hike, then around 2 PM, we were on the very nice trail. Took 3 rolls of 120 films with my 6×9 Texas Leica and several shots with Sony digital, until its battery died. We walked to the end of the trail, but the last short section was climbing on the rocks and that was snowy and slippery for us, then we walked back to the parking, arrived at 6 PM. Saw many nice rock formations and layered Spanish skirt mountains, crossed the dry riverbed at least 6 times one way. Back to the camp, packed, organized camera gear, made hot tea then Lexi cooked a great dinner. We were tired but happy. No extra battery and no charger for my small digital… no more snapshots. Gergo and Emily and the dogs visited us, ate some chips and salsa together, and exchanged our hiking trail experiences. The dogs were so cute slept together. Around 8 PM they left, Lexi worked on the dishes, read more, and worked on images and my journal. Around 9 PM we had a good night’s sleep. Very cold was outside, but we had warm inside. Today was a very nice day, even we felt tired… slept well of course.
Day 7 12/30/2018 Sunday
Woke up during the night and looked around outside, there was a cold but clear sky and I enjoyed seeing my friends, the Orion, and others, and the number of stars and the infinite Universe amazed me. Slept till 6:30 AM, busted my sleeping bag’s zipper, causing some difficulties to get out… but finally, I made it. Took a hot shower and shaving in the warm camp bathhouse, then back to our cozy Titan. Brew coffee and tea, Lexi arrived from the bathhouse and made a good breakfast and we ate together enough for the day. Put together with our camera gear and drove on AltPkRd5 to the Juniper/Riverside Trailhead and walked on it, took few 4×5 photographs then continued on the Sunflower trail to the Juniper/Cliffside trail connection. The trails after the melted snow became muddy, so I walked back to the car on the road then picked Lexi up. At the Fortress Cliff Camp area, we saw a roadrunner and Lexi tried to photograph it. Back to the camp and we were happy. I made a short hike and photographed on the backside of the Camp near the Lower Comanche trail, back to camp around 5:30 PM. Lexi made a good dinner, ate together then visited Gergo and Emily. Gergo made a nice campfire and Emily made a special campfire cooked sweet banana treat. We had a beautiful starry night, talked about the constellations and stars; we saw Mars, the Seven Sisters, the Orion, the Vega, and the Milky Way. We were thrilled to see Gergo’s i-phone application for the starry night. Enjoyed the get-together and we were happy all day. What a nice farewell for the passing year! Lexi prepared a lot of things for the packing organized things, then we read a bit, worked on my journal, then good night sleep before the long drive home tomorrow, on the last day of the year.
Day 8 12/31/2018 Monday
This is our last day at Palo Duro Canyon SP and the last day of the year. Slept well, but woke up few times during the night, because thought about the day-long drive pulling the trailer in windy conditions and highly aggressive traffic on the last day of the year. Around 9:30 AM we left the camp and drove on Hwy 287, I-35W to Fort Worth where we ate a good dinner at Cracker Barrel, then continued on I-35 and Hwy 6, Hwy 290, Park road 99 toll and Westpark toll, Beltway 8, Hwy 59, finally we made it home at 11:30 PM and pushed “Titan” into the garage at 11:45 PM. We were home again… opened a bottle of champagne and celebrated the New Year! We were tired after this trip, but happy. I exposed 64 sheets of black and white 4×5 sheet films and 4 rolls of color 120 films.