Ride West Texas!

How perfect is this?

Moonrise Rio Grande

Viva Terlingua Fest!

Mark your calendar for a mid-August festival at the gateway to Big Bend, the Viva Terlingua Fest!  Scheduled all day for Thursday, August 14-Sunday, August 17 for the fun, as there will be music, film and visual arts at the Lajitas Golf Resort and the Starlight Theatre! 

Interested in entering your song, film or artwork?  Click on this link for more information!



From the festival organizers post on our calendar of events:  "There are two screening locations, one in Lajitas and one in Terlingua. The Flat Rock Theatre in Lajitas is set up as a small traditional movie theatre. There’s even a popcorn machine in the lobby. The Starlight Theatre has been the site of several indie film premieres—there is a screen that hangs at the back of the stage, PA system, and a full-service restaurant and bar.

Flat Rock Theatre, Lajitas

Enter your short film (less than 65 minutes) in the contest to win cash and prizes. The judges will be looking at your story and how well you tell it. You can submit your film digitally or on DVD. If you make the semi-finals and we screen your film, you’ll need to provide a DVD.

There are several art galleries in Terlingua and Lajitas, and the Starlight Theatre hosts regular art openings and photograph exhibits. That’s where the semi-finalists work will be displayed.
Terlingua has a thriving music scene. The Starlight Theatre and Lajitas Resort have hosted Alejandro Escovedo, Joe Ely, Restless Kelly, Butch Hancock, Greezy Wheels, Steve Fromholtz, Rambling Jack Elliot, and many others.
Enter your song in the songwriting by sending us an MP3 or CD. The level of production is up to you. Our judges will be focusing on the song. Do your lyrics tell your story? Does the melody fit that story? Semi-finalists will have the opportunity to present their songs live on stage at the Festival.
- See more at: http://texasmountaintrail.com/events/terlingualajitas-viva-terlingua-fest#sthash.Ral7u8G7.dpuf

There are two screening locations, one in Lajitas and one in Terlingua. The Flat Rock Theatre in Lajitas is set up as a small traditional movie theatre. There’s even a popcorn machine in the lobby. The Starlight Theatre has been the site of several indie film premieres—there is a screen that hangs at the back of the stage, PA system, and a full-service restaurant and bar.
Enter your short film (less than 65 minutes) in the contest to win cash and prizes. The judges will be looking at your story and how well you tell it. You can submit your film digitally or on DVD. If you make the semi-finals and we screen your film, you’ll need to provide a DVD.
There are several art galleries in Terlingua and Lajitas, and the Starlight Theatre hosts regular art openings and photograph exhibits. That’s where the semi-finalists work will be displayed.
Terlingua has a thriving music scene. The Starlight Theatre and Lajitas Resort have hosted Alejandro Escovedo, Joe Ely, Restless Kelly, Butch Hancock, Greezy Wheels, Steve Fromholtz, Rambling Jack Elliot, and many others.
Enter your song in the songwriting by sending us an MP3 or CD. The level of production is up to you. Our judges will be focusing on the song. Do your lyrics tell your story? Does the melody fit that story? Semi-finalists will have the opportunity to present their songs live on stage at the Festival.
- See more at: http://texasmountaintrail.com/events/terlingualajitas-viva-terlingua-fest#sthash.Ral7u8G7.dpuf

There are several art galleries in Terlingua and Lajitas, and the Starlight Theatre hosts regular art openings and photograph exhibits. That’s where the semi-finalists work will be displayed.

Terlingua has a thriving music scene. The Starlight Theatre and Lajitas Resort have hosted Alejandro Escovedo, Joe Ely, Restless Kelly, Butch Hancock, Greezy Wheels, Steve Fromholtz, Rambling Jack Elliot, and many others.

Enter your song in the songwriting by sending us an MP3 or CD. The level of production is up to you. Our judges will be focusing on the song. Do your lyrics tell your story? Does the melody fit that story? Semi-finalists will have the opportunity to present their songs live on stage at the Festival."

Click here to purchase tickets online!

Nature Photography THIS morning at Davis Mountains State Park; Big Bend Cycle-friendly Accommodations

Photo by Derrick Birdsall

A great friend of our Texas Mountain Trail organization, Derrick Birdsall, is giving a nature photography presentation THIS MORNING at 11 am at Davis Mountains State Park as part of their Open House weekend.  Derrick is the photographer behind a photo book on our partner Texas Forts Trail, centered in Abilene, and has been featured many times on this blog and our Facebook page.   He also posts on the Unaffected Photography page on Facebook, and his blog is here. 

The rest of the schedule for the park's Open House today and tomorrow is here.

#30DaysofBiking
Today we feature our Big Bend cycle-friendly accommodations...

  Chisos Mountain Lodge, in Big Bend National Park. Phone: 432-477-2292 or 432-477-2291, www.ChisosMountainLodge.com or www.foreverresorts.com
Cycle-friendly features include: motel and stone cottage lodging in the heart of Big Bend National Park; in-room storage of bikes; full dining options plus possible pre-ordered pack lunches for early morning departures, convenience store. Easy access to trails and scenic roads. See flyer for more services.

 Big Bend Resorts and Adventures, Hwy 118 and Hwy 170, P O Box 227, Terlingua, Texas 79852, Phone: 432-371-2483 Local or Central Reservations: 1-877-386-4383
www.bigbendresortadventures.com  Cycle-friendly features include: convenient location to Big Bend National Park and Big Bend Ranch State Park and on-site trails; clean, comfortable rooms; on-site café for breakfast, lots of grab and go snacks for rides plus box lunches to go; on-site parking for bikes and towed vehicles; and more. Laundry, public showers, custom guided tours,party barn for groups, target golf course tent/RV sites.  Offer special rates for local cycling events.  Building two mountain bike trails on property.
Big Bend Casitas at Far Flung Outdoor Center, P.O. Box 377, Terlingua, Texas 79852, 800-839-7238, info@ffoc.net, www.bigbendfarflung.com/lodging, We are cycle-friendly and happy to host riders who want to experience the vastness of Big Bend National Park and the surrounding area.  Our casitas are sized to accommodate secure bike parking either inside or on the casita porch.  Each casita has a kitchenette with coffee maker, refrigerator, microwave, since and a complete supply of dishes, cups, and silverware.  Las Casitas are located two miles from the west entrance to Big Bend National Park.

Red Flag Warnings and Mountain Biking Festival!

Photo by Luke Stewart Billingsley

Our friends at Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center is flying a new red flag at their entrance on Hwy 118 just outside Fort Davis. The red flag denotes that we are in a Red Flag Warning. 

So what is a Red Flag Warning? The National Weather Service issues Red Flag Warnings to help alert people to the potential danger of critical weather and low fuel moisture conditions that could lead to wildfire. This could be due to low humidity, high winds, dry fuels, or any combination of these. CDRI hopes that flying the red flag will help remind people that Jeff Davis County remains under a Red Flag Warning.   And they thank friend, Stewart Billingsley, CDRI member and Jeff Davis County Fire Marshall, for the photo and for all you do for the area!

#30DaysofBiking

Save the date for one of the best mountain biking festivals just about anywhere, the Chihuahuan Desert Bike Fest, February 12-14, 2015 in Big Bend Ranch State Park, and West Texas trails.  This festival is a benefit for trail development in Big Bend.  There's always something for everyone, experienced riders, beginners, even kids!  Click here for more information!

 

Bluebonnets in Big Bend, Photos by D.J. Sanders

The bluebonnets in Big Bend are blossoming in full glory this year.  These wonderful shots (including a bonus at the end) were taken by D.J. Sanders of Alpine this weekend...enjoy!  Thanks, D.J!

Bluebonnets, Events and THANK YOU!

Now's a great time to head to the Big Bend to see
the bluebonnets along Hwy 170, the scenic River Road!

Last night the region proved there are PLENTY of us who want to to work together to plan great events for our communities and for our travelers.  We were bowled over, frankly, at the to-capacity crowd that showed up at the (wonderful) Big Bend Telephone community room in Alpine for our 1st Annual Events Summit. 

Photo: courtesy of Marfa Public Radio

Our work for tonight was to build the first every regional PLANNERS calendar, so our community leaders can find marketing partners and the perfect dates for upcoming events. 

We were told, "good luck getting people to work together," but the region showed the pessimists, and our crowd was easily double the size we expected.  By working together, our regional event planners and community leaders will have better offerings for YOU, the traveler!  Take a look at the great events on our calendar now! 

A huge thanks should be extended to our sponsors:  the City of Alpine, and Museum of the Big Bend; and Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center, Hotel Paisano, the Gage Hotel, Holland Hotel, Big Bend Resorts and Adventures,  Maverick Inn, Saddle Club, Century Bar and Grill, Sierra la Rana, Texas Mountain Realty, St. James Episcopal Church, Blue Sky Productions, and Senator Jose Rodriquez.  BIG thanks also to the event organizer, the hardworking Paige Phelps of Marfa, and our Texas Mountain Trail board members who supported and contributed to this event, including Liz Jackson of the Museum of the Big Bend, Robert Alvarez of the Fort Davis Chamber of Commerce, Abby Garza of the Alpine Chamber of Commerce, Travis Roberts, Linda Hedges of TPWD.  Also thanks to Stewart Ramser, our partner with the Big Bend and Texas Mountain Travel Guide, Chris Ruggia of Visit Alpine; and our volunteers, Monte Riggs and Teresa Caldwell, the Texas Heritage Trails Program Director of the Texas Historical Commission.

Big Bend's Big Hill

River Road looking west over the Rio Grande

Possibly one of the most scenic spots along one of the most scenic highways in the state of Texas is the Big Hill on Hwy 170.  Connecting Terlingua/Study Butte to Presidio, Hwy 170, also known as the River Road is a highlight of any visit to Big Bend.

National Geographic says this about the River Road:

"From Shafter, drive to Presidio and pick up signs for the River Road (FM-170); the 67-mile (108-kilometer) stretch between Presidio and Study Butte offers photo-worthy scenery along the way. On your right are glimpses of the usually muddy Rio Grande, its banks half hidden by cane. Local resident Bill MacLeod, author of River Road Vistas, recommends the following: "Stop at the top of Big Hill overlooking the Santana Basin for the single best view in the whole world."

And our friends at Lajitas cite the road's status as one of the 50 most scenic in the country (by Readers Digest) and a Top 20 Bucket List item by Texas Monthly! 

There's a great place to stop at the top of Big Hill to see the scenic vistas, both east and west.   Read more about the River Road on the Lajitas website, here. 

River Road looking east

Plenty of room for travelers to stop at the top, park the car,
and get out and enjoy the view

Bluebonnets blooming along Big Bend's River Road!

Taken Saturday along Hwy 170 on the River Road, which connects Terlingua to Presidio by the Rio Grande.  So many stands of beautiful bluebonnets!  Some of the best on were around Lajitas this weekend!

Our Ride for Reading Deliveries Shared by Bike Texas

Our friends at Bike Texas have helped us share cycling news from the Texas Mountains, and they graciously published our article on last month's Ride for Reading deliveries in Fort Davis, Terlingua and El Paso on their website.  Here's the link the article on their site (and we invite you to poke around and see what this great organization has to offer Texas cyclists!) and below is the article in its entirety.

Texas, Let's Ride for Reading!

By Beth Nobles
Executive Director, Texas Mountain Trail

I’ll say it: “It is the best thing I’ve done on a bike.”
Last month, it has made U.S. Congressman Beto O’Rourke feel like a “rock star.” It made kids, teachers, and scores of cyclists from El Paso, Terlingua, and Fort Davis very happy. What was it? Ride for Reading deliveries in Far West Texas.


Ride for Reading’s founder, Matthew Portell, says this:

During my first year of teaching, I asked my students to read for 15 minutes at home each night. One student replied that he didn’t have any books at home to read. It didn’t take me long to realize that student’s problem wasn’t unique. According to the Handbook of Early Literacy Research, the ratio of books per child in low-income neighborhoods is one age-appropriate book for every 300 children. I felt compelled to do something to help my students and others like them — so I combined my passion for cycling and reading. The result: Ride for Reading.

Simply put: Ride for Reading provides a way for donated books to be delivered to low-income elementary schools BY BICYCLE. Local cyclists are recruited for the deliveries, and books are donated locally or provided by Better World Books through the Ride for Reading program.


Our Texas Mountain Trail non-profit got involved with a call from one of our best partners, El Pason Don Baumgardt, who operates a mountain biking website for Far West Texas, www.GeoBetty.com. Don asks, “We’ve got one of the best mountain biking photographers, Devon Balet, coming to El Paso with his crew, Team Ride for Reading. Would you like them to visit the Davis Mountains and Big Bend and help you with your promotion of the area? And, oh yeah, would you like to do this Ride for Reading book delivery?” A few clicks online and it was a no-brainer for us. Soon we had the elementary schools in Fort Davis and Terlingua onboard too.


We recruited volunteer cyclists to meet at a central location not far from the school. There we packed the donated books into backpacks and messenger bags by age level, and then we rode to the local elementary schools, where the kids were excited (and cheering!) to be able to pick out a book (or two) to take home as their very own.


Ride for Reading promotes healthy, safe, vibrant activity and reading. Each child receiving a book must pledge: “I promise to read my book twice. I will never ever throw my book away. I will pass it on to a friend, family member, neighbor, classmate or someone else I know. And I promise to be the best student for the rest of the year.”
Don Baumgardt, organizer of the El Paso delivery in January, “I think the riders got as much out of the day as the kids. We were all so gratified by the response we received at Hart Elementary. When we rounded the corner two blocks from the school on our bikes a roar went up from the students. I still get goosebumps thinking about it.”


U.S. Representative Beto O’Rourke participated in the El Paso delivery and addressed the kids, "I always wanted to be a rock star, because I wanted to come into a stadium and hear the crowds cranked up...people cheering with pom poms and signs...and today when I rode my bike here, I finally felt like a rock star!" That's right, cyclists...Ride for Reading can make you feel like a rock star!”


Want to organize your own Ride for Reading delivery in your own town? Ride for Reading would LOVE to schedule more events during Ride for Reading Week, May 5-11. They’ve even received a commitment from Better World Books to provide books for every delivery scheduled that week, and they’re excited about expanding the program in Texas.


Founder, Matthew Portell: “I can honestly say one thing, the saying ‘everything is bigger in Texas’ is very true for the Ride for Reading deliveries we had in January! As the founder of Ride for Reading, it is truly amazing to watch such a little concept gain so much momentum. I dream that one day there will be a book delivery via bicycle in all fifty states, but it starts with the motivation of cyclists in every state."


We’re already talking to communities throughout our Texas Mountain Trail region of Far West Texas about adding events that week. As we learned and as our friend, Don Baumgardt reports, “the online resources from Ride for Reading made it very simple to organize the event.”
For information on setting up your own delivery for National Ride for Reading Week, May 5-11, visit the program’s website, www.rideforreading.org.


Ride for Reading deliveries are best if there are lots of community partners. Our partners for our January deliveries to Terlingua and Fort Davis include Friends of Jeff Davis County Library, Fort Davis Chamber of Commerce, Fort Davis ISD, Stone Village Tourist Camp, Davis Mountains State Park, Big Bend Resorts and Adventures, Big Bend Ranch State Park, Desert Sports (a great mountain biking outfitter), Terlingua CSD, Big Bend Chamber of Commerce, Brewster County Tourism Council, and our Texas Mountain Trail board of directors and volunteers, in addition to Team Ride for Reading, Ride for Reading, and Better World Books!

We're at the Houston Marathon Expo today!

Photo from an earlier Expo!

Part of our mission at our Texas Mountain Trail organization is to encourage visitors to plan a trip to the Texas Mountains:  Big Bend, the Davis Mountains, the Franklin Mountains of El Paso, the "Top of Texas" at Guadalupe Mountains National Park and all our charming communities.

Our booth at an earlier Expo!

Today, we'll be in Houston at the Houston Marathon Expo, sharing travel and adventure information and inspiration to all the runners and their friends and family.  We'll talk to well over 1,000 people in during the two day Expo...and we love sharing our love for the mountains with everyone!  Look for the Visit Big Bend banner and come see us!

Our Updated Far West Texas Wildlife Trail Maps are IN!

A couple of years ago, we partnered with Texas Parks and Wildlife to create the last regional birding and wildlife watching trail in the state--the Far West Texas Wildlife Trail.  Now updated and newly available, you can order the map from TPWD!

So, there are new birding and wildlife watching locations noted, some updates and loads of fun and exploration coming your way.

Click HERE to purchase your own hard copy maps! 

You can still view the original online version of the map free, to get a sense of what the map is, and how it works.  The online version does not yet reflect the updates and new sites available on the new printed version though.  Want to take a look?  Click HERE to see the information on the Big Bend loop of 12 sites noted in the original version of the map.

Traveling to Big Bend, 1940

One of our favorite books is the WPA Guide to Texas, published in 1940.  A product of the New Deal, intended to employ writers and increase spending in travel across the state, it offers a unique view of life in our area and what it took to travel across our region just 70 years ago.

One driving route began in Marathon, with a 1940 population of 750.  It is described as a

"treeless, arid, mountain-bound, has many unpainted adobe houses, and is the supply center for the vast ranching country, extending almost across the 5,935 square miles of Brewster County, covering the Texas Big Bend."

White sedimentary rock outside Marathon
 noted in the 1940 WPA Guide to Texas

The book goes on to describe the route to Big Bend, then on State 227, roughly following the route south through Persimmon Gap and the area of Big Bend National Park, known as Panther Junction.

Starting at Marathon:


"State 227 and all the side roads are unimproved dirt roads, usually passable except during the rainy season (August and September) when care should be taken at creek beds, draws and dips.  THE TEXAS BIG BEND CAN BE SAFELY BY THOSE WHO DRIVE CAUTIOUSLY AND FOLLOW THE MAIN ROADS.  MANY SIDE ROADS APPEAR, BUT ONLY WHERE RECOMMENDED, ARE SIDE TRIPS ADVISABLE.  THE ROUTE IS PASSABLE WITH TRAILERS ONLY ON THE MAIN ROUTE.

"This area is geologically called the Marathon Basin--one of the oldest sedimentary formations on the North American Continent.

South of Marathon State 227 follows the general route traversed by Spaniards in their exploration of the most forbidding part of New Spain.  Earliest expeditions were made into the Big Bend in 1583.  Many others, during the years that followed, ended in tragedy when starvation and thirst took their toll.  Penetration into this region was slow, as one writer said, "The tide of Spanish exploration split upon the rock formed by the Big Bend country and ebbed and flowed along either side."  Besides barren deserts and formidable wastes, a living reason for this existed:  the fierce mountain Indians, who were as savage as the land they had taken from earlier cave dwellers.  Hence every mile that is covered now by automobiles once was gained only by daring and ingenuity."

Heading south on State 227:

Rio Grande in Big Bend National Park

"The route traverses the southern part of Brewster county, largest in the State, with an area of almost 6,000 square miles. Yet so thinly populated is the area that rarely are more than 30 votes cast in the lower Big Bend. Neighbors travel a hundred miles or more to attend dances, barbecues, or fish frys.  (Channel catfish in the Rio Grande attain great size, and furnish a favorite basis for entertainments.)

Adobe ruin near the Rio Grande in Big Bend National Park

Luna's Jacal in Big Bend National Park

Isolation is as great a barrier between the Big Bend and the outside as the jagged mountain ranges.  Only the hardiest of men and women brave the loneliest of desert ranches, which range in size from a thousand to a half-million acres; few venture close to the untenanted banks of the Rio Grande to farm irrigable lands.  Virtually all houses are made of adobe bricks; the non-Latins have store-bought furnishings, but the Mexican inhabitants have only what they have made by hand.  Cottonwoods grow along the river, pinons, firs and oaks in the mountains; timbers are transported on burros to sunbaked jacals, where crude beds, tables and chairs are whittled out."


Stay tuned...we'll be sharing more passages from this great 1940 travel book in the coming days and weeks! 

Cycling through Big Bend--The Path Less Pedaled

Big Bend National Park

Last week, at the National Bike Tourism Conference (where we spoke on Far West Texas cycling assets) we ran into our old friends, Russ and Laura of the Path Less Pedaled.  We first met them during their 2010 trip through West Texas, and have been in touch ever since.  They had a great time pedaling through all of our Texas Mountain Trail region, and gave us permission to share highlights and photos of that trip.

Some excerpts:

"Way before we ever reached the border into Texas, we started hearing all sorts of comments about what we would find. The reputation that Texas has gained outside of its borders is really quite extraordinary, and we had no idea what to expect. A bunch of yahoos with shotguns? Pick-up trucks running cyclists off the road? Cranky ranchers eager to kick you off their land? Nope. Just gorgeous wide-open country, amazing vistas, wonderful roads with wide shoulders, and some of the nicest and most accommodating people! Turns out, our foray into West Texas has provided some of the best cycling so far, and fantastic connections with other folks. If you have a chance to come out this way, we highly recommend it. In fact, we think you should consider making it your next vacation destination!"

 

Starlight Theatre, Terlingua Ghost Town

Big Bend National Park

"There is so much to explore in these parts that you could easily stay for weeks, so we suggest having a lot of time to putter around, or having some sort of rough plan. From Terlingua Ghost Town, we decided to head east into Big Bend National Park. There is a $10 entry fee for cyclists (or buy an annual pass for only $80!), and there are numerous camping spots throughout the park. We opted to head up to Chisos Basin, an utterly breath-taking location in the belly of a ring of mountains. You will hurt if you climb this road on a bicycle, but it will be absolutely worth it when you get to the top and have the chance to experience this amazing spot. Camping is $14 per night, and there is drinking water and a sky full of stars. (Head up the hill to the lodge to dine in the restaurant, explore the visitor center, pick up some supplies at the small store, or just snag a room in the hotel.)"

 

Cycling into Terlingua

"As we prepare to head out of West Texas toward Hill Country, we’ve been thinking back about how beautiful and wonderful this area has been. It’s a harsh terrain, where water is scarce and you have to plan extremely well because of lack of services. We have battled a lot of wind that whips its way across these open plains. Mostly, we have been stunned by the vistas we have seen and people we have met. Cycling through West Texas feels epic, as if we’ve stumbled upon a part of the US that few people experience (and even fewer know exists!). We have loved out stay in West Texas and hope that other folks will be inspired to head out here for their own adventure (just be sure to carry a lot of water!)."

Catch up with Russ and Laura at their website, www.pathlesspedaled.com
Or follow them on Facebook:  www.facebook.com/pathlesspedaled
Or on Twitter: www.twitter.com/pathlesspedaled

Read the entire post on their trip through our region here.

Our Hospitality Heroes! Hyatt Place El Paso Airport

Danny Padilla (l), accepts the Texas Mountain Trail
Hospitality Heroes Award from Executive Director, Beth
Nobles (c), Director of Sales, Rebecca Diaz (r)

Every year, we award one or two regional businesses or attractions well-deserved special recognition, our Texas Mountain Trail Hospitality Heroes Award.

Our friends at the Hyatt Place El Paso Airport location have earned it!  They exemplify the best in hospitality and service--qualities that distinguish all our Texas Mountain Trail Hospitality Heroes Award winners.

The property was the first to participate in our cycle-friendly accommodations program, and was the launching location for Adventure Cycling Association's first Big Bend Loop tour last fall.  Click here to see their 2013 Big Bend tours...Adventure Cycling is  offering three Big Bend Loop tours this year, and they're visiting with the Hyatt Place about using their facility again.

The property has provided in-kind support that's allowed us to build partnerships and develop programs to bring travelers to El Paso and the rest of Far West Texas--like our Far West Texas Wildlife Trail, the Peak Fitness Challenge, and others.  In short, they've been an important part of every program we've launched.

Bike parking in rooms allowed
in this Texas Mountain Trail
cycle-friendly property!

From the early days of our organization, the Hyatt Place has supported our Texas Mountain Trail non-profit with leadership provided by Rebecca Diaz, their Director of Sales.  Rebecca served on our board for several terms, and is currently our Vice President and a member of our Executive Committee. 

All that support is most appreciated, but there's more:  without fail, the entire staff of this property is friendly, service-oriented and interested in providing the best stay possible for all its guests.  THAT makes our region just a little bit better for the traveler.   Congrats, and thank you!

Also, we'd like to note that we featured the menu items offered by the Hyatt Place for health-conscious visitors...check out our link to that entry!