The Lajitas Leg - Day 6

Today was the last leg to our final destination in Lajitas, a short 112 miles further.  We all seemed to stir later than usual this morning. With the time change, it was still dark at 7 AM which may be the reason. 
We took our time and eventually pulled away around 10, traveling in convoy, back on Rt 90, east bound. 

It turned out to be the most scenic part of the drive so far. 

We continued along Rt 90 to Alpine (yes, there were at least 11 Alpines driving through the town of Alpine!), where we turned south on Rt 118. 

The topography changed and became more interesting, with its peaks and outcrops of various shapes and heights. The vegetation also changed and the landscape looked green and lush even though we were still in the desert. 

It felt like we were driving along the ridge of a mountain, twisting our way over and through. 

We descended making our way between tall layers of cliffs, surrounded by vast and empty desert.

 It looked desolate and forbidding. 

Going through a dip in the road, we noticed our first water marker along the side. We had driven through a wash and the marker indicated the height of the water rushing through could be from 1 to 5 feet deep. 
That must be a torrent of water to reach a height of up to 5 feet. So when road signs warn you not to cross through water in the road, it's for a reason. 

And so we continued further and further south into the heart of the arid Chihuahuan Desert. I began wondering where on earth we were going...

Each mile we covered seemed more and more remote. I could not picture a resort in the area or why one would even want to build one here. Not to mention why people would want to call this area home.

Maverick Ranch RV Park happens to be in the middle of nowhere but also happens to be a first class place with a first class golf course. 

We arrived soon after midday, all 11 coaches in a row, checked in then got ourselves parked and set up. 

The rest of the coaches continued arriving throughout the afternoon, and by 5PM we gathered in the club house for the start of the rally. With 27 coaches present, we knew we would be having a great time for the next four days, catching up with folks we knew, meeting new folks we had not yet met, and exploring this remote yet picturesque desert.