Morning News from the Wheaton, Illinois Underground Mountain View Command Bunker

                             ...Back from Terlingua, Texas & a Great DXpedition

      We planned to attend the Day of the Dead above but did not make it?

                       ...got caught up w/the living @ Krazy Flats

Early arrival gave us a great camp      ...what do you eat on the road? How about a slab of ribs smoked w/ hand gathered Texas Mesquite

                             Smoke'N Pork Ribs

Cook Off Day 3 Nov 3rd  

Full Moon over the Airstream in the West just before sunrise over the Chisos Mountains in the East.

Yesterday I installed my 2nd WBCCI Star w/ our #2119 on the Airstream indicating 10 years of membership.  Time flies when your having FUN.

Notice my new WIFI Antenna on top of the USMC Flag pole.  I can pick up the WIFI at Krazy Flats 500 Yards away.  My new Anemometer indicating wind speed is below, all working just fine

 Cook Off Day 3 Nov 3nd     ...Kathleen w/ her Walking Stick & Martha walk off her Cowboy Breakfast following the fresh Scat up a Javelina Trail.  Martha has enough of the sharp rocks and sports her Desert Boots.

As Chili Cooks arrive things pick up at the Maine Pavilion at the top of the Hill. Living on the Edge, Edge of the Mountain

  Brewster County Deputies set up

                           Command Post in the Casi City Hall

 Cook Off Day 4 Nov 4nd   Time for the 2pm Cowboy Band in Krazy Flats Saloon

                       Good Clean Dirty Fun

  heading back to the Airstream for dinner from Krazy Flats

             Societies of Terlingua

   Tequila Rose Buds Society meeting for the gals

Wednesday night is CASI Societies night.  For the Ladies The Tequila Rose Buds Society.  A Formal Affair  w/white table cloths, Ladies wear Pink.  Kathleen was installed in The Tequila Rose Bud Society & receives her Rose & wins the raffle.

      Bring a bottle of Tequila Rose to share

The Tequila Rose Bud Society meeting comes to a End.  Time to head down the hill back to our Dead End road perched above Krazy Flats.

                    a well contented Rose Bud

      Tarantula Tequila in Terlingua Society meeting

 ...The Men's Society has no white table cloths, no rules, a very short meeting

 & plenty of free Tequila for everyone

 A new day & Morning walked up to the main Pavilion to register for Saturdays Chili Judging.     ...might as well have a couple Lone Stars

Cook Off Day 5 Nov 5nd

Looking back towards our Airstream Camp from The Main Pavilion.  Hike the Ravine in below our Airstream on the way back to Krazy Flats.

Krazy Flats Open House w/ Cowboy Band 2 -4pm.  Kind of the Official Kick Off of the weeks events.        ...My Favorite place

  Native American Flute Music on Home Made Flutes.  It dose not get any better than this.

Time to head back to Camp and get the Weber Grill going

          downtown Krazy Flats

      ...it is obvious that everyone here came to have a good time

 Our friends camped just blow us on the hill.

On the right is a Retired USMC Master Gunnery Sergeant Vietnam Veteran.  They picked a perfect spot to Camp on the turn in the road to view the Ladies and hand out their Beads, Mardi Gras Style.

                         Jimmy Buffet quote, "Show yourselves Ladies"

...here comes the Ladies

         as Jimmy Buffet say, "if you don't want it in print, don't do it"

  ...you must remember, this is Krazy Flats, Terlingua, like no other place in the USA

Dinner time as the Sun sets in the Desert

Cook Off Day 6 of 7   Nov 6 th     We put on our Tequila in Terlingua Society Shirts for Day 6 & 7 & head up the hill to the main Pavilion to Judge Wings, do some Lone Stars and monitor the Residents of Krazy Flats who will now Tour the Grounds in a constant caravan that will last late into tomorrow night.

The Tequila Rose Buds Society & Tarantula Tequila in Terlingua Society Shirts show that we were Invited to the Cooks Societies. The date & times for these Society meetings are not published & passed on a need to know basic.  Thus leaving the the real goofiness to continue in Krazy Flats & not spill over into the Society Meetings.

 "If you have not been to Terlingua or Krazy Flats you simply would not understand"

  Up on the hill a family orientated setting with Mexican Dancing & Charity $'s given to local causes.  CASI donates more than $$1.6  yearly.

  A chance to meet a Terlingua Resident who we have know for 4-5 years now.  Jim, a Highly Decorated Vietnam Veteran United States Marine Corporal in his Day.  Jim has to many Silver Stars & Purple hears to count.  A Hero / Patriot & someone you should know. He usually can be found 5pm daily @ La Kiva on Terlingua Creek.

   Time to Judge Chicken Wings in about an hour

                here come the Krazy's

        no explanation needed, this is Krazy Flats

Couch Float in Jackass Flats, go figure?

 Note:  CASI Chili Cook Off is a Registered Charitable Organization that that donates over $1,6 Million a year to Charities

              Martha watching the Mardi Gras action from the to of our hill

Cars parked along the road leading into Rancho Casi de los Chisos

Cooks in front of the Stage preparing the hopefully winning Chili

Cook Off Day 7 of 7   Nov 7 th  

We get assigned our Chili Judging table & our waiting for our Lone Stars, crackers, cheese, celery, carrots  to cleanse out pallets.

Chili Cooks bringing in their Chili entrees     ...Kathleen exits the Chili Judging w/ her pops & Judges T-Shirt

Our favorite Jimmy Buffet Group -2 members this year.  Last year I was Jimmy Buffet Impaired until I heard this Groups music, went home researched it, got some Buffet CD's, & went to the Jimmy Buffet & The Coral Reefer Band @ Alpine Valley in Wisconsin.   team entertainment after the Chili Judging

Taking the short cut through the Wash back to the Airstream

        B_ _ _ Contest

Kathleen & Martha's daily trip up the mountain for some quiet time

Martha won't go unless she can war her desert Boots

   "Adios"       ...we stop at the Terlingua Store for some Home Made Tamales

  Day 17 Nov 8th    Adios CASI Chili Off till next year.  Having had enough excitement for awhile we head for Big Bend National Park for some Quiet time.

Day 18 Nov 9th   This is one of favorite camps in the Park

 Day 19 Nov 10th   United States Marine Corp Birthday.  Time for the oldest & youngest Marine to Cut the Birthday Cake

             ...living on the Rio Grande

   ...Javelina Scat        ...paw prints on the shore of the Rio Grande, last year I found a Mountain Lion Print at this same location

it is not wilderness unless something out there can eat you

  Dinner is ready

  ...the east view from our camp          ...Airstream takes the next camp site

  Hike'N The Rio Grande

  evidence of ancient peoples

 Day 20 Nov 11th   Veterans Day Lunch @ The National Park Lodge on Chiso Mountain

In the lower Center of the Pic is a Descendent of Poncho Villa heading North across the Rio Grande

       ...Overlooking Hot Springs Big Bend on the Rio Grande River

Mud on Your Boots

                      ...or lack there of, will tell where you have been

.........

Walking Sticks can be Green or Brown depending on the tree they are on    ...their legs will brake off if you try to grab them as a defense system

Dung Beatle in some Javelina Scat

        Road Runners everywhere

Day 21 Nov 12th  Stillwell 4L Ranch in the Black Gap Wilderness area e/o Big Bend N.P.

               ...Some people travel & don't see anything

Day 22 Nov 13th  Sun Rise at Stillwell Ranch we will head 30 miles n/o Ft. Stockton today to The Underground Shrimp in Imperial, Texas.

Permian Sea Shrimp Store @ the intersection, Imperial, Texas

    ...We drive around he Square mile of Imperial, Texas in search of the famous Sea Shrimp Store & the only open business in this Ghost Town is D & D Grocery & Deli.  A Texas style meeting place that sells Groceries and odds & ends.  Turns out this is the place & Shrimp Crop died last week because of a pump failure.  It is possible next year will be a crop but it unsure at this time.   Call before making the trip.  We ordered the Catfish dinner & took it w/ us for supper later @ Monahan Sand Dunes State Park 30 miles to the north..  Fun Adventure, but we had a taste for the Underground Harvested Shrimp in the middle of a Texas Desert & will try this again some time.  Call ahead phone # 432.536.2280

Monahan Sand Dunes State Park, Texas Fun place.  The weather still in the low 80's w/ a few Clouds

            Martha likes the Sand Dunes

   Good Place for an Airstream

     Kathleen Picks the tallest Sand Dune and takes the slide down head first

       80 feet straight down to the bottom

Day 23 Nov 14th  Flop in a RV Park  Ranger, Texas on the way to Fort Worth

Stockyard.

  Day 24 Nov 15th  Fort Worth, Texas Stockyard District w/11:00am &4:30pm Cattle Drive down Exchange Ave.

                                      afternoon Cowboy Bands, my Favorite

Kathleen Rides the Saddle Bar Stool @ Stock Yard Hotel followed by the Big Porterhouse for 2.

Looks like our 80 degree weather is gone as we wake up to a cold front w/ 30 mph winds so I pull out my new Anemometer that I made this summer.

Day 25 Nov 16th   Pryor Elks, N/E Oklahoma.  Nice friendly place on a Golf course level parking w/ 30amp service for the Airstream if needed.

Day 26 Nov 17th  St.  East St. Louis River Boat Casino   Long Day, got a early start & drove 370 miles.  Way to long of a drive but it was raining, 38 degrees &  turning winter.  Found a nice flop @ this Casino.  Had a nice evening in the Airstream & will be home tomorrow.

Travelers Note:  They closed the Casino RV park but now allow Boondocking in the Semi Truck area.  One side are a number of 18 wheelers and the other several RV's & it is now FREE & still Patrolled by the Casino Security.

Day 27  Wednesday Nov 18th     Home QTH Wheaton, Illinois

                    ...Got to have a place to keep your Stuff

35    Portable & Mobile Amateur Radio High Frequency contacts this DXpedition  

 14   Boon Docking (no camp ground) love those solar panels 

 6   Dry Camps, (no hook ups)

For entire DXpedition       2009 CASI Chili Cook Off

     2010 Quartzite, Arizona / San Jose, Calf.  DXpedition

       Hook up January 8, 2010