This weekend, I attended the Dutch Oven cooking competition at the Big Bend Ranch Rodeo (a rodeo for working cowboys and cowgirls) at Sul Ross State University's arena in Alpine. The food looked terrific, and was made from scratch right out of the chuckwagons parked at the rodeo grounds, and the cooks were only too happy to talk about their work: biscuits, beef stew, beans, squash and okra, creamed corn for cornbread, and cherry pie!
Last week, I participated in the Davis Mountains Fitness and Training Camp at Prude Ranch in Fort Davis. The camp is a participant-run non-profit aimed at providing a reasonably priced adventure in the Davis Mountains--fully supported biking, hiking, running, and swimming activities plus yoga, pilates, massage, nature and health programs. The campers range in age from early 20s to 80s, and participate in all levels of fitness. Some campers think riding the challenging 74 mile scenic loop on their bike as just another "good" ride, others think of that ride as a life goal. For some campers, the hike up Mount Livermore is the highlight of their year. Two of the photos here show Thursday's ride (and run) through Wild Rose Pass on the way from Fort Davis to Balmorhea. At the top of the pass, there's a marker all the campers pat (and read) before they make their way down the mountain. It says: "In early days the Indian trail through these mountains followed the gorge below, known as Limpia Canyon. To avoid floods, travelers over the San Antonio-El Paso road, emigrants, U.S. Troops, supply trains and the mail chose this higher pass famed for its wealth of wild roses." The view is stunning, and well worth the effort to get up the mountain.If you're fitness-minded, and want to learn more about exploring Far West Texas in a unique way, consider joining camp next year. Check it out at: www.fitnesscamp.orgThe Wild Rose Pass run and bike ride will be featured on our special interest web pages soon: www.texasmountaintrail.com/run and www.texasmountaintrail.com/bike
