Monday morning, after breakfast at the lodge, we piled into the vans for a two mile hike on the Grapevine Hills Trail.  This was our introduction to hiking over dry desert trails watching out for rocks, and small eroded gullies, while going up and down substantial hills.  Road Scholar had indicated this would be a hike that averaged about 2.5 MPH.  It was closer to 3.5 MPH, and our group was strung out along the trail over a half a mile.  There were a couple of stops where we were able to get everyone back together.  The hike ended at Balancing Rock which was quite a spectacular feat of nature.  Is that Gretchen on top?  Maybe not!

We rested a bit, then hiked the same trail back to the trail head where Chris and our guide Patrick instantly prepared a meal for all 23 of us.  I think they could have prepared shoe leather and I would have thought it was steak--nothing like a hike in the clear desert air to increase appetite!

In the afternoon we departed for another four mile hike to see The Window.

After the hike we returned to the lodge for dinner.  We enjoyed an evening program by David Elkowitz, Chief of Interpretation, on the early history of Big Bend National Park.