Remember the time I almost got locked in a state park overnight?

haha.  yeah, that was great.


Yesterday was a very full day.  I started with Photowalk El Paso -- short and sweet, but lots of good shots!  After lunch and a little regroup I headed along El Paso's Mission Trail, with stops at Ysleta Mission, Socorro Mission, and the Presidio Chapel of San Elizario.



Towards sunset I headed up Transmountain Road and enjoyed some of the most stunning views in El Paso.  I headed into Franklin Mountains State Park in search of a beautiful sunset vantage point.  I had a couple of adventures while in the state park... first off, during a trip to a park restroom, I saw a scorpion crawling around in a trash can.  How he got there and how he hoped to get out, I have no idea.  I left him happily exploring a dirty diaper -- the things we see while we're on the road! 



The sunset was incredible.  I found a gorgeous spot with no one else around but a noisy rattlesnake somewhere nearby (I never did see him, but I kept an eye out) and sat for over an hour enjoying the view.  Its amazing how rarely during normal daily life that we make time to do something like watch the sun set.  


Just after the sun went down past the horizon, I made my way out of the park and found myself on the inside of a locked gate.  Oops.  I was super lucky because the park ranger who had just locked the gate was still hanging around.  After a lengthy scolding (he thought I was a teenager) he unlocked the gate and let me out.  Thanks, Park Ranger Guy!  I'm super glad I didn't have to hide in my rental car all night for warmth.  Ah, adventures in solo travel.  


To make those people in my life who tend to worry feel a little better about the 'what-ifs' (you know who you are...) here are some lovely photos from yesterday! 


;-)

The Plaza Theatre of El Paso

A shot of the El Paso Convention Center

Hey look, its me...

Ysleta Mission

The Presidio Chapel at San Elizario

Hey look, its me -- after the poo-scorpion, but before the near stranding

A view worth a stranding... I think so anyway...

See what I mean?  Gorgeous.

Time to go get yelled at by a park ranger!

Now I'm on my way to Yuma, Arizona.  My train was supposed to leave at 1:47pm but got delayed until 3:45pm.  I was suuuuuuper hoping the delay would make it a 3:10 to Yuma (yuk yuk), but no suck luck.


Thanks for checkin' in!  Happy Mother's Day!