Trolls in Luckenbach

Outside the general store

In the words of Waylon, Willie and the boys, "Everybody's Somebody in Luckenbach." Even trolls!

Luckenbach, Texas

Posing with the bust of Hondo Crrouch

Hat Station inside the general store

Welcome shade & places to sit while

listening to good, live music

Listening to an impromptu gathering of musicians

On the graffiti-covered general store porch

Hey Monk Troll, don't look now, but...

Troll in Big Bend National Park

Entrance sign to the park.

In far southwest Texas on the Mexican border in a bend in the Rio Grande River is a land of contrasts - desert, mountains & lush river bottoms. Big Bend National Park, encompassing over 800,000 acres, is home to a desert amphibian, the Couch spadefoot toad, which lives nowhere else and an even rarer fish that lives in just one pond inside the park. Big Bend is the most ecologically diverse park in the entire national parks system with more species of birds, plants, butterflies, bats, reptiles, and even ants than any other U.S. national park.

From the lowest point in the park at Rio Grande Village (1,850' elevation) to Emory Peak at 7,825', it's not uncommon for the temperature to be 20 F degrees different. There are many recreational opportunities and if you seek solitude, there are numerous hiking trails that are long, rugged, remote and rarely traveled. Over 118 miles of the Rio Grande River borders the park and provides unforgettable river trips by canoe and kayak through dramatic 1,500' canyon walls.

Monk Troll totally enjoyed his visit to Big Bend National Park in the spring of 2016. What he found most enjoyable was the awesome setting for nature to display the splendor and wonders humans have been blessed to have and enjoy if only we would slow down. There were numerous moments of solitude to just sit and feel ever so small as you attempt to take it all in and contemplate your place in the grand picture. John Muir said, “Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pry in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul.”  Big Bend is just such a place.

 

The mountains known as "Mule Ears"
in the background.

At the remote Castolon Ranger Station
in the park.

Sitting on an old wagon near
Castolon Station.

Overlooking Santa Elena Canyon.

Start of the Santa Elena Canyon Trail.

Mouth of the Santa Elena Canyon
with 1,500' cliffs.

The western park entrance/exit.

 

Troll at Toad Suck Daze - 2016

Monk Troll at Toad Suck Daze - 2016

Toad Suck Daze is an annual free-admission 3-day music, arts, and food festival held in Conway, Arkansas. It has been celebrated for over 30 years.

In addition to the music performances by mostly local artists and the many arts and crafts vendors selling their wares, toad races are held each day. For these races, visitors enter toads they have brought from home or that were bred in the community for this purpose. The toads are given names like Blaze, Thumper, Awesome Toad, Lightning, and Bullet. Champion toads in different divisions are awarded trophy's. Profits from the festival and sells of t-shirts and merchandise provide funding for early childhood educational initiatives and college scholarships to deserving kids residing in the county.

Venturing down one of the lanes for craft
vendors with other festival goers.

The legend behind Toad Suck refers to a time when steamboats traveled up and down the Arkansas River which runs alongside Conway. When the water was not deep enough, the steamboats tied up where the Toad Suck Ferry Lock and Dam now spans the river. While captain and crew waited, they spent their time over liquid refreshments at the local tavern. People living nearby commented, "They suck on the whiskey bottles 'til they swell up like toads."

Monk Troll had a wonderful time at the festival and says, "If you want to have a toadaly good time, come to Toad Suck Daze Festival!"

Festival food!

Monk Troll is NOT a midway prize!

Rides for young & older.