Desert Highlights

It’s a simple plan - 2000km in 10 days to reach Palm Springs. So, plenty of time for a detour! We add a few 100 kms to the trip to visit the Big Bend National Park in SW Texas. Stunning desert mountain scenery, the cactus flowers are in bloom and we manage to fit in a few short hikes. This area has been forged by volcanoes and the Rio Grande river, which also forms the border with Mexico. But while some of the canyons harbour shallow pools, the truth is the river ceases to flow 100s of kilometres up-stream - sucked dry for irrigation. When we leave the park the temperature drops from the high 30s to low 20s as a cold front - in the form of a dust storm - hits.Read more