re: Big Bend National Park

In Big Bend there is a natural hot spring that is located right next to the Rio. You can sit in there after a long evening a relax, and then jump in the river to cool off.

The javelinas were fun to run into. Border Patrol had closed down that unofficial border crossing when I was there in early 2003, whereas my friends that had been there the previous year were able to pay the man for the boat ride to Mexico.

If you go into the backcountry and head near the Rio, don't be surprised if you are stalked by some Mexicans trying to sell you walking sticks and other trinkets. They will see you before you see them. They display their goods on the US side and barter with you from the Mexico side, and then swim across to complete the deal.