Back to The Crater of Diamonds

April 15-17, 2024

Hi Blog!

We're back! It's been two years, but we finally made it back to the Arkansas Crater of Diamonds State Park. We first visited the park in April 2022 and did a lot of digging and collected gravels to take home. Click the link to our prior blog for all the history and background on the process. We did bring back some possible diamonds for the park geologist to examine. Unfortunately, they turned our to be quartz and amethyst. However, hope springs eternal and we returned to the field to try our luck one last time.

For this visit, we made arrangements with Lovejoy Diamonds to rent a wagon complete with screens, shovels and buckets. While you can rent equipment from the State Park, they only have a few wagons. By renting ahead of time, we could leave the Jeep in the campground and pull the wagon over to the search field with all our stuff.

Rather than use the public wash stations, we decided to use our wagon to wash our gravel. There were several other miners using the spigot, but they brought a splitter, so we could attach our hose without bothering their operation.

The screens come in two sizes. The smaller top screen has large mesh which allows the smaller gravel to pass through. The larger screen has finer mess and holds the small gravel which the diamonds like to hide in. The fine gravel is then transferred to the round saruca which allows the heavy minerals like quartz and diamonds to be concentrated in the center. We scoop out the centers to take home with us.

After cleaning out four 5-gallon buckets, we had filled our 2 gallon bucket with fine, sifted gravel to take home. We took a break for lunch and then decided to stretch our legs by doing a little surface searching. When the sun is bright, it is possible to find diamonds just laying out in the field.

As the day progressed, more and more folks visited the wash station. We were glad we had our own setup to wash our gravel.

However, these Craterheads made us look like pikers. Their four-person team processed dozens and dozens of buckets of gravel.

Most of the pictures we took were from Monday. Thunderstorms were predicted for Tuesday. A heavy rain can wash diamonds from the gravel, making them easier to spot on the surface. Unfortunately, we never really got the rain they predicted. When we returned to the park on Wednesday, it was pretty much the way it was on Monday.

We ended up not staying as long on Wednesday. Lifting buckets of gravel and pulling wagons filled with gear is hard work. Once we returned to camp, it was time to clean up. We ended up taking a shower in the campground bathhouse with our pants on!

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Crater of Diamonds is a unique experience. While it can be very physical, it is also fun sharing the experience with fellow treasure hunters. 

We have TWO 2-gallon buckets of stones and gravel to take home. Once we get a chance to clean and dry it, we'll let you know if we find any treasure! Stay tuned.

Twenty Leaps on Trail Between the Lakes

We're on our way home!  After enjoying the Great American Eclipse in Uvalde, Texas, and joining our friends Kim and Jane in San Antonio, we took another step north to Sam Rayburn Lake in Brookeland, Texas.  We had one day - Saturday, April 13, 2024 - to explore and decided to hike the Trail Between the Lakes:

 

 

The Trail Between the Lakes winds through the Sabine National Forest, connecting Lake Sam Rayburn and Toledo Bend Reservoir. The well-marked, 28-mile trail, which runs from US Hwy 96 in sight of Sam Rayburn to the Lakeview Recreation Area on Toledo Bend, wanders through pine and hardwood forests, up and down East Texas’ gentle hills, across lovely stream corridors, and along Lake Toledo Bend. The trail crosses roads at a number of locations, providing access to shorter hikes. 

 

Sabine National Forest covers a total of 160,873 acres in five counties of Texas. It includes the officially designated Indian Mounds Wilderness, which is a part of the National Wilderness Preservation System. The Sabine National Forest is notable for extensive forests of American beech and other hardwood trees. Other important tree species include loblolly pine, longleaf pine, shortleaf pine, white oak, southern red oak, sweetgum, and Florida maple.  The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) helped the Texas Forest Service develop the forest between 1933 and 1940. CCC Company 893 established camp near Pineland, Texas on June 14, 1933, and planted pine seedlings in the southern part of the forest. These men also built roads and fire lookout towers and completed the Red Hills Lake Recreation Area near Toledo Bend Reservoir. CCC Company 880 established camp near Center, Texas on October 26, 1933, and planted thousands of pine trees in an area that became the northern part of Sabine National Forest. The CCC built the Boles Field Campground, including a pavilion and amphitheater, in the forest near Shelbyville, Texas. 

We started at the western end of the trail, near Sam Rayburn Lake, and decided to walk three miles into the trail, and then three miles back to our point of beginning.  It was a small sample of the whole trail, but it gave us a great introduction to the ecology of Sabine National Forest.

That ecology includes fungi as well as more traditional plants:

About a mile into the hike, we crossed a railroad track as we followed a forest road from one section of foot trail to another:

Our route along the forest road was perhaps half a mile.  It led us downhill from the upland section where we started, into a lower area laced by drainages.  We began to realize that this would be a hike of leaps across small streams and drainages as much as it was a hike across dry terrain.

As we worked our way down the road section, we saw that the forest crew was busy clearing drainages along the road, renewing culverts, and installing concrete portals for the streams crossing under the road:

At this stream crossing, the culverts looked newly installed, but -- still -- the stream seemed to be almost too much for them:

It is early spring, and we spotted a few wildflowers along the path:

The leaves are out, and, in some places, they create a bower-like effect, which offered shade that we both enjoyed:

Recent storms that had marched across the U.S. left wet sections on the trail.  They were easy to navigate, but they added needed moisture to the forest floor and gave us an unusual view of the woods:

In addition to mushrooms and other more common fungi, we spotted these unusual little red ball-like fungus growths on the trunk of one of the pine trees:

This hole with sculpted mud around it offered us a mystery.  Who was the resident?  It turned out that the ground was so damp that CRAWFISH have found the opportunity to make little tiny houses.  Who would have thought?

It was indeed damp enough that moss was growing on the shady side of trees and stumps, and we were lucky enough to see some rich samples:

 Indeed, this area, being laced with streams and drainages, offered us TEN stream crossings!  They were each small enough to leap with an easy hop, so we were not hampered.  But this may have been the most stream crossings we've had in a single day hike:  Twenty!

As we were finishing our hike, Kathy spotted this tree.  It is marked as a "bearing tree," in addition to having a blaze and other markings on it.  As a bearing tree, it is used in the survey description for boundaries of various tracts in the Sabine National Forest.  Based on this and the work along the forest road, we concluded that this forest is very well managed.

We only had one day in northwest Texas before heading on to Crater of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas, but we made the most of it.  The next time you hear from us, we will have something to say about diamonds!

Two Days in San Antonio - Eclipse Epilogue

April 10-11, 2024

Hi Blog!

On Wednesday, April 10th, we said our final goodbyes to Eric and Ginny as they pulled out of Chalk Bluff ahead of us. Despite the cloudy weather, a good time was had by all.

After leaving Uvalde, we made our way to San Antonio to meet up with Jane and Kim one last time before they fly back to the UK. While we were busy moving our RV, Jane and Kim were busy visiting the Spanish Missions around San Antonio. Since we had already visited the missions, including the Alamo, we decided to meet them at the Grotto along the San Antonio River Walk.

While we waited we watched this Momma duck try to get all her ducklings in a row.

The turtles, on the other hand, had no problem lining up.

The Riverwalk Grotto was created by Carlos Cortés. This fantastical grotto is filled with craggy faces carved into cave-like walls, splashing waterfalls and surrealistic, winding passageways with eerily realistic stalagmites and stalactites. The three-story, dream-like sculpted structure is located in a bend of the river between the Camden and Newell Street bridges.

We no sooner found a bench to wait when Jane and Kim arrived. Timing in life is everything.

After some interesting photos of the grotto, we decided to head over to the Pearl District for a pint. This section of the Riverwalk was expanded in 2008 to include five small waterfalls.

Located just north of downtown San Antonio, the Pearl District provides a unique experience as a top culinary and cultural destination. The former Pearl Brewery buildings contain mixed-use space featuring retail, dining, green spaces, a riverside amphitheater, and the campus of The Culinary Institute of America. The Pearl is filled with food and drink options, boutique shopping, festive seasonal events and loads of local flavor. While the Pearl is no longer an active brewery, Southerleigh still makes craft beer. Cheers!

After strolling through the Pearl, it was time for Jane and Kim to hit the road. We joined them for a farewell dinner at a local Thai Restaurant before they drove off to Houston. We look forward to when our paths cross again!

Now that everyone has gone their separate ways, it's time for us to get back to our normal RV schedule. The San Antonio KOA where we are camped is located right along a portion of the San Antonio Greenways. We were eager to take the bikes out for a spin.

The Greenway Trail System is a growing network of 101 miles of developed multi-use trails. The portion we rode was along the Salado Creek. The recent thunderstorms muddied the creek. We could see evidence that the creek left its banks and swept across the trail.

The idea to build the Greenways was spearheaded by former Mayor Howard W. Peak.  His dream was to build a "ring” of hike and bike trails along creeks around the City of San Antonio. This idea quickly became a shared vision among city leaders. Funding for the Greenways was first approved by voters in 2000, followed by three subsequent elections, to use 1/8 cent from local sales tax revenue to develop the trails. Current funding is being used to expand the trail system and to enhance the existing trails. We loved seeing all the wildflowers and butterflies along the trail.

There are a number of neighborhoods along Salado Creek. Each one has its own park. We were impressed by the smoker and large fans in this neighborhood picnic area.

Our section of the Greenways Trail ended at the Southside Lions Park. The 600 acre park was purchased by the City in 1944 to be used as a garbage dump. Residents and members of the Lions Club successfully petitioned the City to use the land as a park. 

Fanciful flower sculptures surround the Greenways Trailhead.

Rather than just turn around and head back, we decided to ride around the 10 acre lake. This snowy egret was busy fishing and didn't seem to mind us stopping to watch.

However, these ducks were giving us the side-eye as we approached.

As we circled the lake, there were several fishermen sitting in their favorite spots hoping to try their luck.

The trail went right by a tiny race track. We later learned it was owned and operated by the Lone Star Quarter Midget Association. Quarter midget racing is a form of automobile racing. The cars are approximately one-quarter (1/4) the size of a full-size midget car. The kids range in age from 5 to 17. The cars look like go-carts with a cage around them.

As the morning warmed up, the caterpillars became very active. We spent most of the ride back to camp trying not to run them over. 

Tomorrow we move to Brookeland, Texas. We are slowly working our way back to Pennsylvania. We have a few more stops and hope to have a few more adventures, so stay tuned!

Eclipse 2024! (Whew!)

This was nearly the eclipse that wasn't. April 8, 2024, the day that almost lived in infamy.  But didn't.  This, of course, was The Great American Eclipse of the Heartland.  We had been planning for this day ever since August 22, 2017, when we had viewed a total solar eclipse in Dubois, Wyoming with our friends Kim and Jane from the United Kingdom.  After that eclipse, we plotted with Jane and Kim to find the most likely spot for this one.  We scouted out Chalk Bluff in 2020 and made campground reservations for this eclipse soon thereafter.

The day for this eclipse dawned much as any other day, except that this day was very cloudy and was not supposed to be cloudy.  We had been hoping for a clear day, and that is why we camped down here at Chalk Bluff River Resort in Uvalde, Texas:  longest totality in the U.S., best chance of clear skies.

We decided to remain optimistic, and Kathy started us off with a batch of Eclipse Pancakes.  Who can not smile at that?

The eclipse was not scheduled for First Contact until 12:12 pm, so we had plenty of time to prepare.  Kathy thought that it would be appropriate to greet the eclipse at lunchtime with -- an Eclipse Lunch:

The star of the lunch was the Phases of the Oreo Eclipse, which Kathy prepared just for the occasion:

The faithful gathered.  Here are Kathy and me gazing up hopefully at the clouds in the sky, hoping that -- possibly -- the sun might put in an appearance -- hopefully during the eclipse:

We weren't the only ones.  Our friends Ginny and Eric also waited with bated breath for the beginning of the show.  David was awestruck at the very thought of the possibility of seeing an eclipse:

Just to cover the bases, our U.K. friends, Kim and Jane, waited for the show about 22 miles up the road at Camp Wood, Texas.  We were sorry we couldn't share it with them as we had the event in 2017, but we hoped that, between our two locations, we might get one or two photos.

Finally, the time arrived.  Just as the moon made first contact, a blessed hole opened in the clouds and we could see it!

The clouds kept flirting with us, first showing the eclipse and then hiding it.  Sometimes showing it naked, and sometimes showing it behind a gauzy veil.  But we got to see it as the moon moved in front of the sun.  Ginny, with her solar camera (one rigged with the equivalent of an eclipse sunglass lens over it) and her regular camera (sans eclipse lens), was ready to catch every stage of the action.  Here, her regular camera caught the glory of the moment of totality -- corona and all!

Ginny's eclipse camera was required at less than totality, because the sun would be too bright for the camera to capture.  Here, as the moon crept silently away from its lover the sun, we caught them wrapped in the gauzy rapture of passing clouds:

Despite our worry about the clouds, we were blessed not only with extensive views of the eclipse, but with many moments where the clouds added touches of romance.  True, we were not able to capture a pristine, perfectly clear image of totality, but one of the other campers at Chalk Bluff, a member of a North Carolina astronomy club, was able to take a clear photo, diamond ring and plasma projections included!  

We'll leave you his photo as the last word:

 

More Adventures in Uvalde

 April 2024

Hi Blog!

We spent our first week in Uvalde by ourselves preparing for the Great American Solar Eclipse. Even with all the shopping, we still managed to get out and about -- even enjoying a chance meeting with Matt McConaughey, in his hometown, in the process!

We really enjoyed our time at the Chalk Bluff River Resort. Below is the view from our campsite. Ruby loved her morning and evening walks. The hot Texas sun was too much for her during the day.

On Wednesday, April 3rd, we were joined by Ginny and Eric LaJuene. They almost didn't make it when their motorhome starter gave out in Fort Stockton. Luckily, they found a mobile tech who was willing to install a replacement. It was after 8:00 p.m. when they got to camp, so we saved our walkabout for Thursday morning.

The Nueces River is 315 miles long  It drains a region in central and southern Texas southeastward into the Gulf of Mexico. Nueces is Spanish for nuts. Early settlers named the river after the numerous pecan trees along its banks.

Here Eric is talking to one of the neighbors. Exotic animals, especially those from Africa, are very popular with Texas ranchers. It was said that some of the old guys who started this whole industry had been to Africa and hunted over there. They saw that the climate and terrain were very similar to the Texas Hill Country and South Texas, and they figured those animals would flourish over here. Today, it is a big business with game ranches all over southern Texas.

As the day warmed up, we retired to the shade for a little craft beer and Chuck Luck.

We all took a road trip to Eagle Pass Friday morning to stock up on fresh tortillas from the Piedras Negras Tortilla Factory. In addition to fresh tortilla and tortilla chips, we picked up a couple pounds of barbacoa, made from slow cooked beef braised in an incredible blend of adobo, lime, cumin, garlic, and oregano. 

While we were waiting in line to pick up our goodies, we met the owner of the local radio stations in Eagle Pass and Uvalde. She gave us a great recommendation for lunch, Parrilla de San Miguel.

After filling ourselves with flautas, fajita and guacamole, we felt a short walk would be in order before driving back to Uvalde. We stopped at Fort Duncan on the Rio Grande. The Fort is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and seven of the original buildings have been restored including the headquarters, now serving as a museum. The museum features exhibits on the history of the fort and the over one hundred and fifty year relationship between the fort’s military presence and the community of surrounding Eagle Pass.

To take advantage of the crowds coming to town for the Solar Eclipse, Uvalde re-scheduled its Honey Festival for April 5th and 6th. On Saturday, April 6th, we drove into downtown Uvalde to attend the Bee Breakfast.

In the wake of the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde in 2022, twenty-one portrait artists have transformed Uvalde’s downtown, painting buildings in bright colors and smiling faces to create 21 murals. The murals, which are a part of the “Healing Uvalde Mural Project,” honor the lives of the 19 children and two teachers who were killed on May 24, 2022.

While the main focus of the bee breakfast is to spread information about bees, this year the speakers included two additional scientists. One was a NASA Solar Scientist who talked about the sun and what they hoped to study during the eclipse. The other was an entomologist who was setting up sound recording devices to study how bees and bugs react to the total eclipse. We spoke with the entomologist after the breakfast and got some good tips on our new pollinator garden.

After breakfast, there were a series of performers scheduled for the main stage. We stopped to watch Sahawe Dancers, a local scout troup  from Uvalde. The Sahawe Dancers are a unique performing group. For more than sixty years the Sahawe program has combined Scouting projects, indiginous stories, leadership development, and performance. Their performance is the product of hundreds of hours of planning,  preparation, craftwork, and rehearsal, as the youth learn valuable life skills such as leadership, teamwork, dedication, and cooperation. It is also an incredible aerobic activity.

The youngest member of the troup was a little shy. Big brother tried to encourage her, but it was just a little too much too soon.

The square was lined with dozens of vendors. Kathy couldn't resist the Fresas con Crema! Fresh ripe strawberries smothered in cool crema!

Later that night, our friends Jane and Kim arrived in Camp Wood. We decided to join them for dinner at the local BBQ joint.

Sunday, April 7th was a day of preparation. All around camp camera tripods and telescope stands were set up. After Jane and Kim finished their preparations, they drove down to Chalk Bluff for a barbacoa taco lunch.

The afternoon was spent playing Chuck Luck and worrying about the weather. We finished the day with a campfire burger bash complete with s'mores!

As Jane and Kim returned to Camp Wood, we noticed a little ducky on the Jeep complete with British Flag!

Our two friends had spotted the ducks on the dashboard of our Jeep and had taken the time to find a new duck, add a pen-and-ink Union Jack to his costume, and presented it to us as a token of British-American friendship (well, actually, our own friendship, but you get the idea).  

 

We thought this boded well for our joint project to watch and photograph the eclipse on Monday, April 8, and we all retired to our respective abodes to dream about and plan for the eclipse the next day.