There's yet ANOTHER great event happening next weekend, the First Thanksgiving Celebration in San Elizario along the El Paso Mission Trail.  From our events calendar:

"The El Paso Mission Trail Association will present the 25th Annual First Thanksgiving Celebration from Friday, April 25 through Sunday, April 27.

Highlights include a Zarzuela concert featuring Opera UTEP, a performance by Rosa Guerrero, three historical reenactments of the First Thanksgiving featuring Opera UTEP, a Mass celebrated by Bishop Mark Seitz, an 1877 Salt War Reenactment performed by the Pistoleros de San Elizario, haunted tours led by the El Paso Paranormal Society, and musical performances by Tejas, Los Alegres del Valle, Chapter 13, Moon Dogs and Los Bohemios. Food, art, historians, informational booths and entertainment for all ages will abound throughout the weekend.

The celebration will take place at the San Elizario’s historic placita (Veterans Memorial Plaza) in front of the San Elceario Mission-Chapel in the heart of San Elizario, Texas, near where historians believe the Mass, feast and celebration of Don Juan de Oñate’s expedition took place on April 30, 1598.

The El Paso Mission Trail Association was founded in 1989 by philanthropist and historian Sheldon Hall. His vision was to highlight the historic value of the Mission Valley, and he worked tirelessly to increase tourism in the area. His efforts lead to El Paso’s missions, Oñate’s expedition and the First Thanksgiving on the banks of the Rio Grande here being taught in history classrooms all across Texas, putting El Paso County on the map as a heritage tourism destination.

For 25 years, the El Paso Mission Trail Association has worked to educate, promote, preserve and celebrate the Mission Valley and the historic trail between the San Elizario, Socorro and Ysleta missions –Texas’ portion of the Camino Real de Tierra Adentro. Through events, tours, activism, volunteerism and fundraising, the El Paso Mission Trail Association has raised millions of dollars and welcomed thousands of guests to the Mission Valley.

Event Schedule--Events are free unless otherwise noted

Events take place at Veterans Memorial Plaza, (near 1500 Main Street, San Elizario, Texas)

Friday, April 25th

7:00 pm Preview Night at the Adobe Horseshoe Theatre featuring Opera UTEP performing Zarzuela arias.  Tickets are $25 per person (purchase tickets here.)

Advance sales only

Saturday, April 26th

Noon Event begins with arts, crafts, food, entertainment and education exhibits featuring the El Paso Heritage Alliance, El Paso History Museum, Concordia Cemetery and Magoffin Home State Historic Site

Noon – 5pm “Ask the Historian” informational booth

1:00 pm Performance by Rosa Guerrero, “History of Dance in the America’s”

4:00 pm Historical Reenactment of the 1598 First Thanksgiving presented by Opera UTEP

6:00 pm Mass celebrated at the San Elceario Mission-Chapel by Bishop Mark Seitz

7:00 pm Historical Reenactment of the 1598 First Thanksgiving presented by Opera UTEP

9:00 pm Performances by Tejas, Los Alegres del Valle and Chapter 13

10 pm Haunted Tour led by the El Paso County Paranormal Society ($10 per person)

Midnight Programming ends

Sunday, April 27th

Noon Event begins with arts, crafts, food, entertainment and education exhibits

Noon – 4pm Car show presented by Street Memories

Noon – 5pm “Ask the Historian” informational booth

4:00 pm Historical Reenactment of the 1598 First Thanksgiving presented by Opera UTEP

5:00 pm Reenactment of the 1877 Salt War presented by the Pistoleros de San Elizario

7:00 pm Performances by Moon Dogs and Los Bohemios

9:00 pm Programming ends

The El Paso Mission Trail Association will present the 25th Annual First Thanksgiving Celebration from Friday, April 25 through Sunday, April 27. Highlights include a Zarzuela concert featuring Opera UTEP, a performance by Rosa Guerrero, three historical reenactments of the First Thanksgiving featuring Opera UTEP, a Mass celebrated by Bishop Mark Seitz, an 1877 Salt War Reenactment performed by the Pistoleros de San Elizario, haunted tours led by the El Paso Paranormal Society, and musical performances by Tejas, Los Alegres del Valle, Chapter 13, Moon Dogs and Los Bohemios. Food, art, historians, informational booths and entertainment for all ages will abound throughout the weekend.
The celebration will take place at the San Elizario’s historic placita (Veterans Memorial Plaza) in front of the San Elceario Mission-Chapel in the heart of San Elizario, Texas, near where historians believe the Mass, feast and celebration of Don Juan de Oñate’s expedition took place on April 30, 1598.
The El Paso Mission Trail Association was founded in 1989 by philanthropist and historian Sheldon Hall. His vision was to highlight the historic value of the Mission Valley, and he worked tirelessly to increase tourism in the area. His efforts lead to El Paso’s missions, Oñate’s expedition and the First Thanksgiving on the banks of the Rio Grande here being taught in history classrooms all across Texas, putting El Paso County on the map as a heritage tourism destination.
For 25 years, the El Paso Mission Trail Association has worked to educate, promote, preserve and celebrate the Mission Valley and the historic trail between the San Elizario, Socorro and Ysleta missions –Texas’ portion of the Camino Real de Tierra Adentro. Through events, tours, activism, volunteerism and fundraising, the El Paso Mission Trail Association has raised millions of dollars and welcomed thousands of guests to the Mission Valley.
Event Schedule
Events are free unless otherwise noted
Events take place at Veterans Memorial Plaza
(near 1500 Main Street, San Elizario, Texas)
Friday, April 25th
7:00 pm Preview Night at the Adobe Horseshoe Theatre featuring Opera UTEP performing Zarzuela arias
Tickets are $25 per person (purchase tickets: bit.ly/EPFirstThanks)
Advance sales only
Saturday, April 26th
Noon Event begins with arts, crafts, food, entertainment and education exhibits featuring the El Paso Heritage Alliance, El Paso History Museum, Concordia Cemetery and Magoffin Home State Historic Site
Noon – 5pm “Ask the Historian” informational booth
1:00 pm Performance by Rosa Guerrero, “History of Dance in the America’s”
4:00 pm Historical Reenactment of the 1598 First Thanksgiving presented by Opera UTEP
6:00 pm Mass celebrated at the San Elceario Mission-Chapel by Bishop Mark Seitz
7:00 pm Historical Reenactment of the 1598 First Thanksgiving presented by Opera UTEP
9:00 pm Performances by Tejas, Los Alegres del Valle and Chapter 13
10 pm Haunted Tour led by the El Paso County Paranormal Society ($10 per person)
Midnight Programming ends
Sunday, April 27th
Noon Event begins with arts, crafts, food, entertainment and education exhibits
Noon – 4pm Car show presented by Street Memories
Noon – 5pm “Ask the Historian” informational booth
4:00 pm Historical Reenactment of the 1598 First Thanksgiving presented by Opera UTEP
5:00 pm Reenactment of the 1877 Salt War presented by the Pistoleros de San Elizario
7:00 pm Performances by Moon Dogs and Los Bohemios
9:00 pm Programming ends
- See more at: http://texasmountaintrail.com/events/san-elizario-first-thanksgiving-celebration-presented-el-paso-mission-trail-association#sthash.olxZ295i.dpuf

#30DaysofBiking
Our month long feature of cycling assets in the region continues...how about a ride down this road, that looks just about the same it did in 1910? 

The El Capitan to El Capitan Heritage Bike route is 55 miles from the historic Hotel El Capitan in Van Horn to the base of El Capitan in Guadalupe Mountains National Park.

Read more about this adventure, here!

Desolate, yet weirdly beautiful

The WPA Guide to Texas, published in 1940, describes Hwy 54 between Van Horn and the Guadalupe Mountains (now Guadalupe Mountains National Park) as one of the "most desolate yet weirdly beautiful stretches of country to be found in Texas.  The view sweeps almost level reaches, gray-green with sage and greasewood, dotted here and there with prickly pear, yucca and ocotillo."

The road, then called Hwy 90, today looks almost as it did in 1940, as the area has seen very little development.  It remains one of the most remote and yes, most beautiful drives in the state. 

It also is the route of our original Texas Mountain Trail, and our heritage bike route, the El Capitan to El Capitan, as it connects Van Horn's historic Hotel El Capitan to the most impressive feature of Guadalupe Mountains National Park, the geologic uplift known as El Capitan.

Here's how the area looked in 1910, much as it does today!
Photo from the collection of Van Horn's Clark Hotel Museum

The Guadalupe Mountains' El Capitan in the background

Morning Along Highway 54

One of the loveliest roads along the original 1960s scenic driving route, our own Texas Mountain Trail, is Hwy 54 heading north from Van Horn to Guadalupe Mountains National Park.  We thought we'd share the sunrise with you from along that road...so very pretty!

(More about this road tomorrow...lots of history there...and it is a great cycling road as well as a scenic drive for motorists!)

About the state's heritage trails program (THTP), of which our Texas Mountain Trail is one of 10 independent non-profit organizations, each serving our own region:

"The THTP is based around 10 scenic driving trails created in 1968 by Gov. John Connally and the Texas Highway Department (now the Texas Department of Transportation) as a marketing tool. The trails were established in conjunction with the HemisFair, an international exposition that commemorated the 250th anniversary of the founding of San Antonio.

In 1997, the State Legislature charged the THC to create a statewide heritage tourism program. The THC responded with a program based on local, regional, and state partnerships, centered on the 10 scenic driving trails. These trails serve as the nucleus of 10 heritage regions, and include heritage tourism attractions and communities both on and off the trail.

The program began with the establishment of the Texas Forts Trail Region in 1998. Other heritage regions made a formal application to the program, demonstrating knowledge of area attractions and broad support from organizations and local government. The suite of heritage regions was completed in 2005 with the additions of the Texas Pecos and Hill Country Trail Regions.

The THTP received national recognition with the Preserve America Presidential Award in 2005. This award was given for exemplary accomplishment in the preservation and sustainable use of America's heritage assets, which has enhanced community life while honoring the nation's history. The following year, the program was awarded a Preserve America grant for developing the Heritage Tourism Guidebook and for providing heritage tourism training across the state."

Cycling Marathon's "Ride to the Post" Heritage Bike Route!

One of our Texas Mountain Trail Heritage Bike Routes is featured in the current issue of the Texas Historical Commission's magazine, The Medallion!   Click HERE to read the entire issue online--a travel article covering our region including Marathon, the Gage Hotel, and Big Bend Ranch State Park starts on page 6!

Is the route easy?  YES!  A family could easily handle the five miles there, five miles back route.  There's virtually no vehicular traffic, is incredibly scenic and the average slope is only 1.2%!  The elevation gain is only 121 feet! 

Why is this called a "heritage" bike route?  The ride starts out at the historic (and cycle-friendly!) Gage Hotel, continues across the highway and railroad (easy crossings!) to the Gage Hotel's formal Gardens.  From there, you follow signs to the Cemetery and County Park. 

Water Lily from Gage Gardens

The Cemetery is a short detour and has the graves of early Marathon residents, with interesting markings and monuments. 

Head further south to Post Park, through country that once held a tent hospital during the 1918 influenza epidemic, a buffalo soldier encampment called Post Pena Colorado, and to Post Park. Be sure to read the interpretive panels on the Buffalo Soldier encampment and the geology of the area, produced by our friends at the Brewster County Tourism Council...and have a GREAT ride! 

Post Park!

The park itself is a great place to watch birds and enjoy wildlife, and was a stopping off point for the Comanche and Apache.  It also was a project of the 1930s Works Progress Administration!

Ride to the Post!

A short little jaunt, by bicycle or motorcycle or automobile! Our Heritage Bike Route called "Ride to the Post!"

A lovely view of the road on our Texas Mountain Trail Heritage Bike Route, the Ride to the Post!

A five miles out, and five miles back easy ride just about anyone can do...on a bike, motorcycle, or a car. 

Start in Marathon, at the cycle-friendly Gage Hotel or Gage Gardens and follow the signs to the "County Park," and soon you'll arrive at a VERY neat oasis in the mountains, which was used by Apache and Comanche and Buffalo Soldiers alike.

Click here to learn more about the route.

A Road Few Travel, But Most Should!

Hwy 54 looking west, about 30 miles north of Van Horn

From the collection of the Clark Hotel Museum,
the R.P. Bean Ranch, c. 1910
On what is now Hwy 54 about 18 miles north of Van Horn

Part of the original historic driving loop established in the 1960s
to promote Texas during HemisFair '68,
Texas Mountain Trail,  Hwy 54

Hwy 54, connecting Van Horn to Guadalupe Mountains National Park is one of the most scenic drives (auto, bicycle, motorcycle) in the state.  Nearly untouched by man, the road still has the same "feel" it did in 1940, when this description was included in the WPA Guide to Texas, though it was called Hwy 90 at the time:

"US 90, rounding the northeast shoulder of the Baylor Range, heads north up the broad arid valley that lies between the frowning rampart of the Sierra Diablo (6,513 alt.) on the west and the Delaware Mountains (5,670 alt.) on the east, traversing one of the most desolate yet weirdly beautiful stretches of country to be found in Texas. The view sweeps almost level reaches, gray-green with sage and greasewood, dotted here and there with prickly pear, yucca and ocotillo. Beyond the middle distance a streak of blazing white gleams (R) like a hazy silver ribbon. It is the crystal-encrusted shoreline of a salt lake. On the horizon the ragged crest of the Delawares loom stark against the sky. Closer at hand, the sheer wall of the Sierra Diablo rises (L). Somewhere in the tangle of ridges and deep narrow canyon of this range are mines, lost and active. Gleaming white salt lakes appear. Far ahead lifts the blunt nose of the Guadalupe Range where it shoves its triangle of lofty peaks across the State Line from New Mexico. Higher and bolder loom the broad cliffs."

Read more about this stretch of road on our "El Capitan to El Capitan Heritage Bike Route" page, here.

El Capitan to El Capitan Heritage Bike Route

1910 photo of the R.P. Bean Ranch along the route

The historic and completely restored Hotel El Capitan in
Van Horn, at the start of the bike route

Now, back online after a brief hiatus as we upgraded our website, the "El Capitan to El Capitan Heritage Bike Route," connecting Guadalupe Mountains National Park to Van Horn. 

This route is great for cycling, motorcycling and driving, too!



El Capitan in Guadalupe Mountains National Park
At the end of the bike route

Fifty-five miles of unspoiled frontier and mountain scenery past historic ranches, important battlefields, by stagecoach routes, near salt flats....this ride is on smooth road rarely traveled by others.  No traffic!

Click here to see more photos and details on this heritage bike route in Far West Texas!

Remembering a Cherished Volunteer

Iris Stagner, of Mineral Wells

Our test riders leave Van Horn, Iris is riding at the right
in the light blue jacket

An organization like ours relies on volunteers, many of them don't live in Far West Texas but LOVE what our region offers, and they work hard to help Texas Mountain Trail deliver important service to the region's visitors and residents.

One such person was Iris Stagner, a Bike Texas board member, participant in the Texas Forts Trail's Forts Tour, and incredible cyclist, cycling advocate and friend.



Vintage postcard for the Hotel El Capitan
The fully restored hotel was the starting
point for the El Capitan to El Capitan
Heritage Bike Route

1910 View of Ranchland along the route
The view remains very much the same today

She helped us out in March 2010 by traveling all the way from Mineral Wells with her husband, Butch, to be a test rider for us on our first Texas Mountain Trail Heritage Bike Route, the "El Capitan to El Capitan Heritage Bike Ride" from Van Horn to the base of Guadalupe Mountains National Park.  She then wrote about the ride for The Racing Post.  (Here's the link to the bike route information, which will be up for only a few days in this form, as we update our organization's website.)

The road from Queen, New Mexico to Dog Canyon,
Guadalupe Mountains Nationanl Park, one of Iris' favorite rides
in our region

Iris and Butch were frequent visitors to our region.  She came to ride the Scenic Loop in Fort Davis, and lately enjoyed Guadalupe Mountains National Park, especially the northernmost entry through Dog Canyon.  Butch would take her bike out of the truck, and she'd ride downhill all the way from Queen, NM to the Dog Canyon ranger station.

Tragically, this tireless advocate for cycling safety was killed riding her bike home from work on Monday night.  We will remember her as a dear friend (so upbeat, positive, willing to give, and willing to laugh!), a wife, mother, grandmother, a true fan of Far West Texas and our Texas Mountain Trail, and a great all-around person.  Her family has asked that memorials be sent to a special fund for cycling education and safety, the Iris Stagner Memorial Fund at Bike Texas.  You can read more about Iris on their website, here.

 

Sunrise along Hwy 54 to Guadalupe Mountains National Park

Sunrise along Hwy 54 between Van Horn and Guadalupe Mountains National Park.  This road is also a scenic drive/heritage bike route.

Once you get to the park, you'll likely want to head out on their many hiking trails.   When you do, be sure to take part in the free, fun Peak Fitness Challenge!   This challenge is meant to encourage hikers to take new trails, to learn some about the heritage of the area, and compete for prizes! 

Two Texas Mountain Road Rides Starting in Marathon!

This lovely little store carries simple cycling supplies, camping supplies, great snacks and food for your adventure! (photo by Marci Roberts)

The Gage Hotel in Marathon is the starting point for two cycling routes!

Bicyclists can start a couple of adventures from the lovely little town of Marathon, either a 10 mile, easy family-friendly route, or a two night adventure around the Texas Mountains.

Our Texas Mountain Trail heritage bike ride called, Ride to the Post, takes you on the route taken by the Comanche to their desert oasis and watering hole, now a county park.  You go near the site of a Buffalo Soldier encampment, by the formal Gage Gardens and Marathon's historic cemetery.  This is a relatively flat, easy, scenic 10 mile route.  That's 5 miles out, and 5 miles in.  Check it out!

The Texas Mountain Ride! route is longer, taking you to Alpine, Fort Davis and Marathon--a two night journey.  Day 1 is 54 miles to Fort Davis, via Alpine.  Day 2 allows plenty of time to explore Fort Davis and Marfa--just 21 miles.  Day 3 takes you back through Alpine to Marathon--57 miles. There are lots of beautiful sights along the way, and for lodging, consider staying at any of our Texas Mountain Trail cycle-friendly hotel properties! 

Enchanting Rocks by Rob Hodges

I know I’ve driven through Van Horn many times. I must have at least stopped for gas at some point. But prior to this summer, it was just a forgettable blip along I-10.

I take that back… it did become a curiosity for me in January 2010 when I interviewed Greg Vanderpool of the band Monahans, which has an expansive, often instrumental sound described by some as “landscape rock.” He mentioned that he often goes to a friend’s ranch in Van Horn to write, and the band actually set up a makeshift studio in a hunting lodge there to do some recordings in 2009.

This summer, I had the opportunity to visit Van Horn for a couple days—and it became crystal clear why Vanderpool finds inspiration in the setting. The town has some hidden gems, and the surrounding mountain ranges and open spaces are sublime. I was fortunate to stay at the historic Hotel El Capitan, designed by notable southwestern architect Henry Trost in 1930.

One evening, I had the pleasure of touring the Red Rock Ranch, which has scenery on par with the great state and national parks of Far West Texas. The private ranch is comprised of more than 17,000 acres of its namesake rocks, which have provided a dramatic backdrop for television and movie sets. During the tour, I saw something from a distance that I had never seen in Texas before—three desert bighorn sheep! It’s a shame more people will not experience this truly special place. Camping, overnight stays, and unguided hikes are not allowed.  On the other hand, that keeps the crowds away, keeps the land pristine, and makes it well worth the effort to visit this unforgettable, off-the-beaten-path ranch.

One morning, I woke early and rode part of the “El Capitan to El Capitan” bike ride with Texas Mountain Trail Region executive director, Beth Nobles. Beth was gracious enough to put me in touch with the local RV park that rents cruiser bikes. Although we didn’t have a lot of time and I was limited by the single-speed machine, we did manage to log about 12 miles along the scenic SH 54 that heads north toward the Guadalupe Mountains. We followed the Beach Mountains, saw Red Rock Ranch from a distance, and caught a quintessential West Texas sunrise. I can’t wait for the day I return with my road bike to discover what else the 55-mile ride has in store.

Rob Hodges is a freelance writer and editor whose work has appeared in such diverse publications as the Houston Chronicle, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Austin Monthly, Edible Austin, South American Explorer, national meetings magazines, and Texas Historical Commission travel guides. Having traveled through about 30 countries on five continents, and about 40 states in the U.S., he can say with authority that Texas is a great place to live. His home is about a mile from the Capitol in Austin, where he lives with wife, Kate, and daughter, Zadie. His work can be seen at robhodges.com

Beauty on the way there

This week we headed to the Guadalupe Mountains National Park, and the drive reminded us just how BEAUTIFUL the ride is north from Van Horn.  Hwy 54 starts at I-10 in Van Horn and runs directly north, right to the national park.  It is a spectacular 55 miles!

The road is also our El Cap to El Cap Heritage Bike Ride, read more about it here!

Rainbow Cliffs

South of Marathon, there's a rock formation called Rainbow Cliffs, which has served as a landmark for centuries.  The striated rock gave protection to Camp Pena Colorado, a Buffalo Soldier encampment as well as the native peoples gathering at the nearby spring and its water.  To read more about history and geology of the spot, click here.

You can see Rainbow Cliffs and visit nearby WPA project, Post Park on our heritage bike route (an easy 10 miles total, out-and-back) which can also be driven.  Post Park is also a site on our Far West Texas Wildlife Trail map on the Marathon-Alpine loop!  Check it out!

Good Morning, Everyone!

To start out the work week after the Independence Day holiday, how about a sunrise over the Chihuahuan Desert, from Hwy 54 north of Van Horn?  This is along the El Cap to El Cap heritage bike route, on the way to Guadalupe Mountains National Park! 

Texas Mountain Ride--a two day overnight on bikes!

Hwy 90 between Alpine and Marfa

Fort Davis National Historic Site

Marathon's French Co. Grocer, a great place for snacks and cycling supplies

Cool treats available at Alpine's Murphy Street Raspa Co.

Beautiful Presidio County Courthouse in Marfa

Adventure Cycling Association published our three-day, two-night cycling itinerary for Marathon, Alpine, Fort Davis and Marfa today on their new Bike Overnights blog, and we wanted to share some of the photographs that didn't get posted on that great new resource for adventurous travelers.  (Thanks to Marci Roberts for the rainbow photograph of Marathon's French Co. Grocery!)

For more regional cycling information, please visit: www.texasmountaintrail.com/bike  and click through to see our heritage bike routes, mountain biking information and a list of cycle-friendly hotels!