The 2026 Southwest USA Road Trip (page 3 of 5)

A few more images of these missions, which are very interesting from a historical perspective.

It’s time to head back to enjoy the coolness of the hotel because the temperatures are soaring.

After some deep reflection during a nap, we set off for a stroll along the San Antonio River in downtown. Shops, restaurants (25 € for a margarita!!), tourists on decorated boats—the walk is really nice. No restaurant tonight; we’ll have a dinner aperitif in the suite instead.

And tomorrow is another day.

Friday, August 7th.

On this beautiful sunny morning, a long, very long road lies ahead of us. From San Antonio, we’re heading to our stopover for the day: Alpine. Along the way, we’ll make a stop in the rather isolated town of Langtry. But why Langtry?

Well, it’s no secret: this is where the famous Judge Roy Bean really made a name for himself. “The Law West of the Pecos!”, he used to say. Quite a character, that Roy Bean!

Back in the day, the train would stop in Langtry to refill its water tanks, and passengers would take the opportunity to step off and quench their thirst in his saloon. They’d drink, pay... but Roy Bean didn’t always give change right away!

Naturally, tempers would flare. But Roy Bean had a trick up his sleeve: since he was also the judge, disgruntled customers could suddenly find themselves in his court. And, as if by chance, the fine he handed down usually matched the change he owed them!

Justice was served... especially for Roy Bean.

And to top it all off, our judge had his bear with him!

A true legend of the American West, where it’s sometimes hard to separate the real history from the stories that built the myth.

As for the village of Langtry itself, it feels a bit abandoned today. Actually, more than a bit.

To the south of the village flows the Rio Grande—which we won’t even catch a glimpse of—and just on the other side is Mexico.

We’re truly at the edge of Texas, in these vast expanses where the border feels both so close... and the rest of the world so far away.

Let’s start with some images of the village and the border.

To visit Roy Bean’s “courtroom,” it’s simple: just stop by the Visitor Center—yep, another one!—and in the time it takes to open a door, you’re standing in front of the famous judge’s cabin. By the way, the visit is free. Surprising for the States!

The “courtroom” is actually a saloon, the legendary Jersey Lilly. Not huge: one main room, the bar, and a small annex where the LAW was dispensed.

I can easily picture the vibe that must’ve been here! Between travelers passing through, the saloon regulars, and Roy Bean delivering justice his own way, the place must’ve been buzzing.

Behind the wooden house stands a brick building, currently under construction. It looks like a museum dedicated to Judge Roy Bean is in the works.

The spot is modest, almost lost in the middle of nowhere, but that’s exactly what gives it that little something to transport you back to the atmosphere of the Old West.

If you’re in the area, make the detour. Just a few dozen minutes is enough to dive into a page of the American West’s history.

And let’s be honest: walking through the door of the saloon where “the Law West of the Pecos” was handed down? You can’t pass that up!

The stopover city will be Alpine! In English and Texan, with the accent—yes, please! My friend Dennis mentioned it here: it’s not the liveliest spot in the area. The hotel is nice, though not beyond what you’d expect in a somewhat remote part of southern Texas.

Quality Inn Alpine 2401 East Highway 90, Alpine, TX 79830, United States

We’ll take a little tour of the town, with a stop at the local supermarket—well-stocked and very clean. I take the opportunity to ask a woman coming out of the aforementioned store: — Hello! Are there a lot of snakes around here? — Oh, absolutely! Early in the morning, they even come onto the parking lot. You’ve got to be really careful!

Me, dreaming of seeing a rattlesnake... Well, in the end, I won’t see a single one in the wild. What a shame!

The next morning, I chat with two male "Seniors" who’ve parked their Harleys for a night at the hotel. They’re from Indiana—how about that! Super friendly, too!

Morning photos of Alpine.

Thanks for this story—I really loved the missions.

At this point in the trip, we're in Alpine, and Big Bend NP isn't far away...

Thanks for this story—I really loved the missions.

At this point in the trip, we’re in Alpine, and Big Bend NP isn’t far...

Totally. Except I skipped Big Bend NP. Honestly, no time and way too hot. I had to cancel other visits because of the weather. Too bad, I know, but oh well.

The missions are super interesting. The way they managed the land and water is remarkable. As for the rest, the Franciscans and I aren’t exactly buddies. 😎

Saturday, August 8, it’s time to hit the road again toward El Paso.

Breakfast is just what we needed. The seniors on their Harleys are getting their bikes ready—everything’s cool in this Texas town in the middle of nowhere. Well, almost.

For the drive, I take the northern route, which will take us through Guadalupe Mountains National Park. No need to rush to the hotel by noon. The one I picked is actually pretty unique: a huge central patio with six floors of rooms built around it. Pretty original, to be honest.

Hilton Suites By Hilton El Paso 6100 Gateway East, El Paso, TX

The drive is gorgeous, and along the way, I snap a few shots of this wild landscape. Still no sign of a rattlesnake, though. Bummer.

And it’s hot. Really hot.

Once we arrive at Guadalupe Mountains, we head straight to the Visitor Center, then take a short walk around the area.

It was a short stop, but really enjoyable and fun, right in the heart of the vast, dry, and arid Texas wilderness.

Endless landscapes, almost no one around, scorching heat... and still no rattlesnake!

Let’s circle back to our time at Guadalupe Mountains.

This place really deserves to be explored in the spring. In August, the heat is brutal, the landscape is at its most barren, and hiking for long stretches becomes pretty tough.

That said, I do love this kind of scenery—dry, solitary, and sun-drenched. I’ll admit, it’s not exactly ideal for photography. Unfortunately, I won’t be there at sunrise or sunset, when the light softens and the terrain takes on a whole new dimension.

Still, there are hikers out there. Thankfully, they’re well-prepared because the sun here doesn’t mess around. Some are tackling the trails head-on, while I’ll stick to a much more reasonable stroll.

Here are a few shots, taken in that harsh, almost white light.

So sorry!

Before arriving in El Paso, we’ll be stopped by the Border Patrol. Passports in order, nothing to report. But it’s not the same when heading up to White Sands. Actually, we were registered on the ESTA app with only my name and not my wife’s. Which made it impossible to justify.

We were pulled over to the side of the checkpoint, and I started searching on my phone and emails. An agent who had taken my wife’s passport came back and told us everything was OK.

Moral of the story: Double-check the paper documents or make sure everyone is properly listed on the app.

El Paso

A must-stop at Walmart.

I’m so out of it with driving hours and miles under my belt that I didn’t even notice on the map there’s a Walmart right next to the hotel! Result: I end up stuck in traffic, driving all the way to the one at the far end of the city! When you love driving...

The hotel, on the other hand, is gorgeous. A huge central patio spanning several floors, topped with a large, bright dome. The whole thing is pretty spectacular and architecturally well done.

We’re offered a free drink at the bar, but we’re too exhausted and it’s way too crowded. So, it’s a quiet in-room dinner-apéro, then bedtime!

Since it’s Friday night, lots of families have come to spend the weekend at the hotel. The pool is packed, and kids’ shouts are everywhere. Family vibes guaranteed!

Luckily, once the hotel room door is closed: silence, apéro, and rest. Just in time.

Sunday, August 9th.

We set off early in the morning heading toward White Sands, a vast white sand desert smack in the middle of nowhere. Well, not *that* lost! The White Sands area is actually surrounded by a massive U.S. military testing ground, the White Sands Missile Range, used especially for missile trials. Needless to say, the place is huge, isolated, and pretty well monitored! To reach this famous white desert from El Paso: about 1 hour 40 minutes by car and roughly 160 kilometers—almost a straight shot. A breeze, really, in the States! Quick stop at the Visitor Center, where you can buy or rent those famous plastic things to slide down the dunes. Basically flat sleds, really popular with our Asian tourists, it seems! Once inside the park—NP, for National Park, to be precise—I drive slowly along the track and stop pretty much at random to snap some shots of the landscape and, above all, try to figure out what all these almost surreal white dunes are doing here. And the most surprising thing is that they move. The wind shapes them, shifts them, and constantly transforms the landscape. It’s pretty amazing, even a bit disorienting at times. White, blue, a few mountains in the distance, and this sense of vastness. It’s Sunday, and unfortunately for me, no aerial activity in the area. Not a plane, not a helicopter, not even a little missile on the horizon… Too bad for me!

Before arriving in El Paso, we’ll be stopped by Border Patrol. Passports in order, nothing to report. It’s not the same when heading to White Sands. Actually, we were registered on the ESTA app with only my name and not my wife’s. Hence the inability to justify her presence.

We were pulled over to the side of the checkpoint, and I started searching on my phone and emails. An agent who had taken my wife’s passport came back and told us everything was OK.

Moral of the story: Double-check the paper documents or make sure everyone is properly listed on the app.

You must’ve run into a particularly nitpicky agent... We’ve been stopped by Border Patrol countless times—at fixed checkpoints in Texas and Arizona—and every time, it’s been with a smile...

...Do we look like old Mexicans or what? OK, I’m out

Before arriving in El Paso, we’ll be stopped by the Border Patrol. Passports in order, nothing to report. But it’s not the same when heading to White Sands. Actually, we were registered on the ESTA app with only my name and not my wife’s. Hence the inability to justify her presence.

We were pulled over to the side of the checkpoint, and I started searching on my phone and emails. An agent who had taken my wife’s passport came back and told us everything was OK.

Moral of the story: Double-check the paper documents or make sure everyone is properly listed on the app.

You must’ve run into a particularly nitpicky agent... We’ve been stopped by the Border Patrol countless times—at fixed checkpoints in Texas and Arizona—and every time, it’s been with a smile...

...Do we look like old Mexicans or what? OK, I’m out.

😎 Yes, get out of here immediately! 😎

This area (outside California), with its vast open spaces, flaming canyons, and its own Far-West folklore, has always fascinated me across this huge country—especially Arizona. But in summer, the main downside is definitely the monsoon season, which can cause sudden flash floods that are seriously dangerous.

This area (leaving California), with its vast open spaces, flaming canyons, and its own Far-West folklore, has always fascinated me about this huge country—especially Arizona. But in summer, the main downside is definitely the monsoon, which can cause sudden flash floods that are seriously dangerous.

The monsoon, maybe? 😉

....you look like old Mexicans or what? OK, I’m out

No, I don’t think so! 😉

Right, small typo—thanks for catching that vowel! ;)

Exactly, small typo, thanks for catching the vowel ;)

It happens to everyone !😉

And to answer, I didn’t experience any really violent storms in Arizona or NM. A few alerts but nothing serious compared to the 2022 trip in Wyoming and really northern Arizona (Grand Canyon, for example) or around Flagstaff!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcXIL4Ve_NI

....you guys look like old Mexicans or what? OK I’m out

No, I don’t think so! 😉



Though... 😉