San Antonio Mission Trail

Get On Your Bike And Ride

Still unfurling some blog-backlog... On Saturday, June 26, we biked the trails between Mission San José and Mission Espada. Most of the trail follows the San Antonio River as it becomes a natural water-way. We saw heron, cranes and turtles. There were massive fields of fading wildflowers, tall oak, pecan and bald cypress trees as well as native mesquite and acacia (or huisache) trees - finishing up their fluffy yellow bloom. Everything smelled sweetly-scented during our shade and water breaks.

A Trail with a Mission (or four or five)

From 1718 to 1731, Spanish settlers built a series of missions along the San Antonio river. They are as follows: Mission Conception, Mission San José, Mission San Juan Capistrano, Mission Espada. The buildings and their grounds are preserved and maintained by the National Parks Service. We began our ride from the parking lot at the visitors center at Mission San Jose, rode to Mission Espada and then back to Mission San Jose. Along the hike and bike trail, you see the relationship of the river with the old aqueducts and dams (waterfalls) build by the friars and Native Americans for field irrigation. The Alamo (it's full name is Mission San Antonio de Valero) is part of this series of missions too, but it is managed by Daughters of the Republic of Texas, Inc. (DRT).

Some Education Along The Way

We were on the trails for about three hours, with several stops here and there to look at things, drink more water and give encouragement to our training-wheeled rider. We spent about thirty minutes in the visitors center at Mission Espada where we ran into our son's second grade teacher. She volunteers there and showed the kids one of the old weaving looms and let them pull cotton bolls and seeds (which are now planted in our garden.) No, we're not growing our own blankets and clothes, but it's good for the kids to explore the connections.

Where's the Snow Cone Man When You Need One?

There is almost always a snow cone man (or three) somewhere along the river trail, but that day they were no where to be found. That was about the only thing missing from a very nice Saturday morning bike ride.