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More McDonald Observatory and Ft. DavisFeb 28, 2007
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The 72 inch and the 107 inch telescopes
The 342 inch Hobby-Eberly telescope
A really interesting sun dial at the entrance to the visitors center
This morning we drove back up to the Observatory early so we could be first in line to get our tickets for the daytime tour. Wes is not feeling well, but we need to see this. We have some anti-biotic and he started taking it this morning. We were first in line, in fact, there were only eight people, so we all got to ride the shuttle up the mountain. (A note for anyone planning to go here - if you are among the first 12 people to purchase your tickets, you get to ride the shuttle which drops you at the door etc. Others have to drive the narrow winding road and park in a lower lot and hike up to the telescopes.) Since there were so few of us, it was almost like a private tour. We got to see a session on solar viewing and look at slides etc. of the sun. It was cloudy out, so the live views were not very good. It cleared up as we went to the top of the mountain to view the two BIG telescopes. The first was a 107 inch telescope and we got to actually go into the room with the telescope and operate the machines that open and close the roof and turn the telescope. What a thrill!
Next we drove across to another peak where we got to see the REALLY BIG Hobby-Eberly Telescope. We could not go into the room with this telescope, but had a very good view of the entire scope. It is 342 inches across and astronomers do not look through a lens, but at a computer screen where the image is shown. This tour was 4 hours in total, but we were having such a great time, we did not even know what time it was.
I cannot emphasize enough - make this a stop in your travels. It is one of the most fantastic things we have seen in the past two years.
Up the road from the Davis Mountains State Park is the Indian Lodge State Park. It is unusual because it is a small hotel with a restaurant. The hotel is built around the Pueblo Indian cliff dwellings idea. It had numerous little courtyards with firepits and porch swings and little hidden away gardens. The restaurant is called the Black Bear and it has very good food. It was recommended to us by Al and Mary Lou and the staff of the state park. It was kind of strange that everyone we met working there were State Park employees. Our waitress and the cook, etc. all wore State Park uniforms. I don't often find places I would like to stay outside of our RV, but this would be a great get away.
We are tired and we have not had enough time to enjoy this beautiful state park, so we are staying another day and will head on to Del Rio on Friday.
There is no cell phone service here on this mountain. You have to drive into Ft. Davis to use the phone, but that's okay. We have enjoyed the peace and quiet.
