Big Bend National Park is known for its varied landscapes. The river defines its border, desert stretches across the majority of its land, and mountains stand testament to the area’s volcanic past. …

The Texas Hill Country is a well-loved area of our state. With its rolling hills and booming wine country, it has become not only a vacation destination, but a retirement destination as well. It is the beauty of the area that called Andoni’s parents to build a home there recently. As the house plans developed and building got under way, they made several trips to the area to monitor progress. On one of those trips, we decided to join them at Black Rock Park, a public park managed by the LCRA (Lower Colorado River Authority). …

When packing for camping trips, food is very important. Just because you’re “roughing it” outdoors doesn’t mean you shouldn’t prioritize eating well. That’s why I put a lot of thought into camping breakfast and what we eat on our mornings in the outdoors. I’m sure there’s a future where we invest in a larger stove and cart around a propane tank with us for the weekend, but for now, when planning camp breakfasts, I rely on good old faithful: oatmeal. All it takes is some boiling water and we’re off to a hearty, nutritious and tasty start for our day. …