On Friday, January 27, 2017, I headed west for a few days of fellowship, camping, hiking, and exploration.  Friday morning I left my home at Lake McQueeney and drove to the Shumla Ranch, which is located between Comstock, Texas, and Langtry, Texas. (See https://shumla.org/ for more information about this wonderful organization and their mission to preserve, study, and share the rock art of the Lower Pecos Canyonlands of Texas.)  The Ancient Southwest Texas Project  had invited me for dinner and a tour of their work in Eagle Nest Canyon the following day.  (See https://aswtproject.wordpress.com/  for information about their work in the canyon.)  Upon arrival I placed my gear in the bunkhouse and took a two mile hike to stretch my legs after the long drive.  This was my first opportunity to see the crew and to be back at Eagle Nest Canyon since I volunteered with them in the Spring of last year.  After a nice dinner, I turned in early.

I got up early Saturday morning (January 28, 2017) and took a 3.5 mile walk,  leaving the bunkhouse at 5:30 a.m.  About a mile and a half into the hike I was contacted by a border patrol officer who apparently located my presence using heat sensing equipment (it was dark and I had a headlamp, but was not using it since the caliche road was visible under the night sky).  After my hike, I had breakfast (3 ounces salmon and some berries) and the crew and I headed out for Eagle Nest Canyon at 8:30 a.m.  We hiked down into the canyon and I had an enjoyable morning walking the canyon and seeing the progress that the crew had made at Eagle Cave since I was last there.  Here is a picture of part of the canyon trail and a picture of Eagle Cave.  I left the canyon shortly after noon and headed north to spend the night at my good friend Billy Ward’s ranch.