Historic Holland Hotel

 

Alpine's historic Holland Hotel (1928) sits across from the train station, which made it convenient for travelers in the early days, and for Amtrak passengers today!

Designed by the Trost and Trost firm, which was responsible for other hotels in the area (Gage Hotel in Marathon, 1927; Hotel Paisano in Marfa, 1930; Hotel El Capitan in Van Horn, 1930), the property is now completely and lovingly restored and open for visitors.

Click here for a list of historic hotels and related sites in the Texas Mountain Trail region. 

#30DaysofBiking

A great, but little known, mountain biking route is waiting for adventurous riders in Guadalupe Mountains National Park on the Williams Ranch road.  The rugged 4x4 road is open to just two vehicles at a time through locked gates, and keys can be secured by the park rangers at the visitors center.  The road is 7.3 miles one way, and is rugged enough that it takes a vehicle about an hour to get to the ranch house.

The road even follows the historic route taken by stagecoach on the Butterfield Overland Trail and overlooks the salt flat, the source of the historic 1877 Salt War of El Paso.

Click here for a historic overview of Williams Ranch.

A Museum for Travelers and a Cycling Event for Everyone!

Today we're featuring the photography of Dan Baeza showcasing the Clark Hotel Museum in Van Horn.  The museum tells the story of early travel in Far West Texas and the history of Van Horn and Culberson County, which is steeped in cross-country travel and hospitality to travelers.

Read more about the Clark Hotel Museum, and the "Front to back, back to front" story here. 

#30DaysofBiking

We want to give everyone EARLY notice of a great cycling event in our Texas Mountain Trail region, a fundraiser for the Food Pantry of Jeff Davis County.  Mark your calendars and start planning to take part in the October 4th, Wheels and Heels for Meals event!  Participants will be raising support for the Food Pantry as part of their involvement in the event...which is definitely a WIN/WIN/WIN!!

From the calendar entry on our Texas Mountain Trail regional events calendar: 

Wheels/Heels for Meals is a charity bike ride from the Food Pantry of Jeff Davis County to Valentine and back. Other shorter rides are also available. There are 2 pit stops along the way and lunch is served in Valentine. This year, a walk has been added. The entry may walk 2 to 8 miles. At the end of the day, there is the traditional cook out at Dolce Far Niente. - See more at: http://texasmountaintrail.com/events/fort-davis-wheelsheels-meals#sthash.yLHMoPnx.dpuf

Wheels/Heels for Meals is a charity bike ride from the Food Pantry of Jeff Davis County to Valentine and back. Other shorter rides are also available. There are 2 pit stops along the way and lunch is served in Valentine. This year, a walk has been added. The entry may walk 2 to 8 miles. At the end of the day, there is the traditional cook out at Dolce Far Niente. - See more at: http://texasmountaintrail.com/events/fort-davis-wheelsheels-meals#sthash.yLHMoPnx.dpuf

"Wheels/Heels for Meals is a charity bike ride from the Food Pantry of Jeff Davis County to Valentine and back. Other shorter rides are also available. There are 2 pit stops along the way and lunch is served in Valentine. This year, a walk has been added. The entry may walk 2 to 8 miles. At the end of the day, there is the traditional cook out at Dolce Far Niente."

Sound like fun?  Put this one on your calendar and stay tuned for more information throughout the year!

#30DaysofBiking: An Easy Ride in Big Bend National Park

 An easy ride in Big Bend National Park offers terrific vistas and around this time of year, some views of blooming cacti.  Mostly gently downhill, about 20 miles, the ride begins at Panther Junction Visitor Center and continues to the small visitor center past the turnoff to Hot Springs.  The road is paved and smooth, and while there is vehicular traffic  (but not much!) the speed limit is 45 miles per hour so it is easy for everyone to "share the road."

Here's the park map.

An easy way to ride this route in a group is to shuttle cars.  Drive one car down to the Visitor Center between Rio Grande Village and the Hot Springs, and then drive back to Panther Junction to start the ride.

The elevation drop is gentle, making for an easy ride.  Panther Junction's elevation is 3750 ft., and your destination is 1850 ft.  Enjoy zipping downhill! Once you arrive at your parked car, consider a little detour to visit the Hot Springs for a soak!


Travel Spotlight!
What's blooming at Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center just outside Fort Davis?  The Texas Mountain Laurel!

Dining Along Historic Highways presentation today at the Viva Big Bend Food Festival!

 

Today, as part of the Viva Big Bend food festival, we'll be presenting a FREE program about "Dining Along Historic Highways" at the Hotel Paisano in Marfa at 4pm.  

We'll be sharing old photos, recipes and samples of food from the region, with a special emphasis on the 1930s when the highways were being paved and some of our historic hotels (still in operation) were just beginning to serve travelers.  Come join us!

#30DaysofBiking

Many travelers learn Marfa is a great place to ride a bicycle...and some of our hotels have bikes for loan or rent.  We found this lovely photo from early Marfa as we were doing research for our "Dining Along Historic Highways" presentation, see above!

Marathon's Cycle-Friendly Hotels (and great places to stay, even if you don't bring a bike!)

Courtyard at the Gage Hotel

Today, we're featuring the Marathon, TX hotels that are participating in our Texas Mountain Trail cycle-friendly hotels program...the historic Gage Hotel and the charmingly unique Eve's Garden Organic B&B:

Gage Hotel, 101 W. Hwy 90, Marathon, TX Phone: 1-800-844-GAGE  www.gagehotel.com
Cycle-friendly features include: oversized rooms for stowing bikes; pool/fitness center/spa services; daily pasta and vegetarian dishes, organic salad ingredients grown in garden onsite; snacks/packed meals and emergency bike repair at French Co. Grocer around the corner. Very safe location, gateway to Big Bend National Park.

Gage Hotel

Eve’s Garden Organic B&B, Marathon, TX (located at Ave C & North 3rd St, one block north of Highway 90 in Marathon.) 432 386 4165 or cell 432 386 3479. www.evesgarden.org   A peaceful boutique B and B tastefully constructed of recycled and re-purposed materials (primarily papercrete). This family run business features; hand-built rooms, indoor gardens and courtyard, fire pit, star gazing deck, and courtesy room (with complimentary coffee, tea, cocoa).  Amenities also include in-room mini-fridge, romantic electric fireplace, A/C, private bath, fresh flowers from Kate’s organic greenhouse, and a gourmet organic breakfasts, featuring locally-sourced eggs, milk, veggies, etc. 

Eve's Garden Organic B&B

Eve’s Garden Organic B&B, Marathon, TX (located at Ave C & North 3rd St, one block north of Highway 90 in Marathon.) 432 386 4165 or cell 432 386 3479. www.evesgarden.org   A peaceful boutique B and B tastefully constructed of recycled and re-purposed materials (primarily papercrete). This family run business features; hand-built rooms, indoor gardens and courtyard, fire pit, star gazing deck, and courtesy room (with complimentary coffee, tea, cocoa).  Amenities also include in-room mini-fridge, romantic electric fireplace, A/C, private bath, fresh flowers from Kate’s organic greenhouse, and a gourmet organic breakfasts, featuring locally-sourced eggs, milk, veggies, etc. 

To see the entire list of our region's cycle-friendly hotels, visit www.texasmountaintrail.com/bike

Eve's Garden Organic B&B

Our Annie Londonderry/El Paso story teaches kids about cycling!

San Antonio and Magoffin in El Paso

When El Paso looked like this, a very special cyclist passed through the city on a grand adventure.  Annie Londonderry was the first woman to cycle around the world, and in 1895 she had the red carpet rolled out for her by El Pasoans.  They loved watching her cycle (it was the height of the Victorian bicycle craze) and hearing about her worldwide exploits.

We've showcased the history surrounding her visit to our region's largest city in this blog, and were most honored when Bike Texas used our research to build their new kids online game, Annie Londonderry's Big Adventure. This is an online educational module that uses technology in a fun way to teach 4th-6th graders bike safety education, digital literacy, and social studies including Texas history and contemporary issues. Click here to get to the game's home page. 

Our original blog posts used by the game are here and here!

A Bike's Story at the Museum of the Big Bend

For our #30DaysofBiking feature this month, it is a pleasure to retell this story from a couple of years ago:

There's a GREAT story hanging aloft the main exhibition hall of the Museum of the Big Bend in Alpine.  The Museum's Historian/Curator, Matt Walter, tells us:

"In 1892, F. P. INGERSON rode that bicycle from Sycamore, Ohio, out to Barstow, Texas. There, he married a Miss Carson, a schoolteacher in Pecos, TX. She is the one who donated the bicycle to the museum, in 1938. It’s an EXPERT COLUMBIA, made by the POPE MANUFACTURING COMPANY of Boston, MA. These bicycles were nicknamed “Pennyfarthings” because of the size difference between two English coins, the penny and the farthing."

Mapquest tellls us that's a journey of 1,500 miles...in a car, they estimate it would take 23 hours today.  What do you think the journey was like for Mr. Ingerson?  We understand that since he was a carpenter, he carried his tools on his bike, so he could work with him for his journey....that would have been quite the load!

Our thanks to Matt and to the entire staff of the Museum of the Big Bend, who are terrific friends and supporters of our Texas Mountain Trail organization.  The Museum is one of the best small museums you'll find anywhere.  Plan a trip there soon!

Dining Along Historic Highways: Viva Big Bend Food Festival on Saturday!

Our Texas Mountain Trail non-profit is happy to be participating in the Viva Big Bend Food Festival this Saturday, with a free program with photographs, recipes and samples on Saturday at Marfa's historic Hotel Paisano at 4pm.  Everyone is welcome! 

Today, we feature images from the Paisano's sister property in Van Horn, the Hotel El Capitan, now fully restored and operating as a hotel and a place to have dinner at the Crossroads of the Texas Mountain Trail.

#30DaysofBiking

One of our favorite roads to cycle is the first 30 miles or so (which are paved) of FM2810 heading southwest from Marfa.  Called "Pinto Canyon Road," this scenic stretch was featured in the film "No Country for Old Men," and has little vehicular traffic too, making it great for bicyclists.

Easy: Ride to the Post for #30DaysofBiking

There are roads in our Texas Mountain Trail region that are PERFECT for cycling, including an easy ride (great for families and beginning riders!) starting from Marathon.  The "Ride to the Post" is a five mile trip (10 miles out and back) to the county park, called "Post Park." 

The Road to the Post extends south on Avenue D in Marathon from US Highway 90 and the Union Pacific Railroad, and has an amazing history!

• Your route follows one fork of the Comanche War or Indian Trails into Mexico—there was a skirmish on the ridge above Post Park in 1855 between Buffalo Soldiers, Texas Rangers and Indians in 1855!
• It also generally follows the original Ore Roads to haul the ores (lead, zinc and silver) from the smelter at Boquillas in Mexico in 1895-1906, as well as quicksilver from the Terlingua, Study Butte and the Mariscal mines in south Brewster County to the railroad in Marathon as late as 1937!
• The route takes you near the historic cemetery and the site of an influenza tent hospital from the 1918 epidemic!
• The area known as Post Park was the site of a military encampment, farms, and ranches. Today it is the place for county-wide dance parties, fishing and birdwatching!

Begin your ride at the Gage Hotel in Marathon or at the Hotel's Gage Gardens. The Gage Gardens and Post Park are both sites on the new Far West Texas Wildlife Trail. How to get there? Look for the signs to "County Park" heading south....that's your road! This is an "out and back" route...5 miles south to Post Park and 5 miles back to Marathon.

Don't let the chart fool you, the average slope in this route is only 1.2%, and the elevation gain is only 121 feet. This is an easy ride!

Our Texas Mountain Trail organization continues to find "heritage bike routes" around the region to recommend to locals and travelers alike.  Most of them are great for motorcycling and driving as well.  Even if you don't like to hop on a bicycle, we hope you enjoy our #30DaysofBiking feature all during April! 

Sands Motel by Dan Baeza

We've worked with a very talented photographer, Van Horn native Dan Baeza, to share images of the region, including our "home" community of Van Horn.

Some notable scenes of the award-winning film, Three Burials of Mequiades Estrada, starring Tommy Lee Jones, January Jones, Melissa Leo and Barry Pepper were filmed at the Sands Restaurant in Van Horn.

#30DaysofBiking

Most of the communities in our Texas Mountain Trail region are along Adventure Cycling Association's cross-country Southern Tier Route...from Anthony and El Paso to Marathon.  Here are some images from the section between El Paso and Sierra Blanca, along the lower Mission Trail of El Paso and Hudspeth Counties.

Shady rest area near Tornillo

Church in Fabens, TX
Along the Southern Tier Route

 

Dining Along Historic Highways at Viva Big Bend Food Festival

At next weekend's Viva Big Bend Food Festival, our Texas Mountain Trail is presenting a special free program at the historic Hotel Paisano on "Dining Along Historic Highways."

From the Viva Big Bend website:

Dining Along Historic Highways Saturday, April 12, 4 pm Hotel Paisano Ballroom in Marfa - 207 Highland St What was it like to travel in the early days in Far West Texas? Join Beth Nobles, Executive Director of Texas Mountain Trail, to see historic photos and enjoy samples from regional recipes in this presentation on our historic hotels and restaurants. We'll focus on several locations and time periods, but will pay special attention to the early 1930s when Marfa's Hotel Paisano was built and our regional highways were being paved. Our program is free, but there are other TERRIFIC programs at the festival you can enjoy. Click here to get to the festival's ticket page!

#30DaysofBiking We're celebrating the cycling assets of our Texas Mountain Trail region every day this month!  Did you know that El Paso's Franklin Mountains State Park has terrific trails for mountain biking?  Visit our friends at www.geobetty.com for information on trails, elevations, maps, etc. for your own mountain biking adventure.  Though right in the city, once you're on the trails, you never feel you're in the city!

#30 Days of Biking

We're taking part in the #30DaysofBiking challenge this month (see our entry for April 1), and using the opportunity to feature some of the great cycling experiences in our region, including our cycle-friendly hotel properties.  First up, the Stone Village Tourist Camp in Fort Davis (built in 1935 and completely renovated), and their unique camp rooms.  On the main street in Fort Davis, this property is on the famous cycling route, the Scenic Loop of Jeff Davis County.

Open air camp room at cycle-friendly Stone Village
Tourist Camp in Fort Davis

In addition to regular motel rooms, they also offer open air camp rooms...sleeping there is a perfect blend of the convenience and comfort of a motel room and camping outside.  You can get full benefit of the soft desert breezes and cool summer nights!

Stone Village Tourist Camp, 509 State Street, Fort Davis, TX 79734, 432-426-3941, www.stonevillagetouristcamp.com  Renovated 1935 tourist court located in the middle of Fort Davis. Cycle-friendly features include: in-room bike parking; choice of motel-style rooms, suites (w/microwave and refrigerator) and modernized open air camp rooms with securable screen doors; wi-fi; next-door access to natural foods grocery/deli/bakery; pool.

The property is often used by Adventure Cycling Association for their tours through our region.  Fort Davis is on ACA's cross-country Southern Tier route.

Do you have birding photos of Guadalupe Mountains National Park?

Our friends at Guadalupe Mountains National Park contacted us this week for help from our photographer friends!

"Guadalupe Mountains National Park is nearing completion of a new bird checklist.  This new checklist will be very attractive, and will feature full color photos.  

We are seeking high resolution (300 dpi minimum) "action" photos of people birding, painting or drawing, or photographing birds in Guadalupe Mountains National Park.  However, we do not currently have any photos in our collection which meet our needs.  We are primarily interested in photos of groups with diverse audiences, if possible.  A bonus if it includes a National Park Ranger wearing a "flat top" hat.

If you have, or know of such photos, we would be grateful if you would allow us to use them.  We will gladly give the photographer(s) a credit line in the bird checklist.

Please contact me if you have any questions, or have any photos we can use.

Thank you, in advance, for your assistance!

Karl

Karl M. Pierce
Chief of Interpretation, Education and Visitor Services
Guadalupe Mountains National Park
400 Pine Canyon Drive
Salt Flat, TX  79847
Tel. (915) 828-3251 x2300
Email:  Karl_Pierce@nps.gov
Internet:  www.nps.gov/GUMO/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Guadalupe.Mountains/ "

#30DaysofBiking

Our Executive Director continues her #30DaysofBiking Challenge around the region.  Yesterday, it was a ride to IronHeart Gym in Marfa, across the street from the historic Hotel Paisano.  Many travelers missing their regular gym workout use IronHeart when they're in Marfa.

Blooming this week in CDRI's Cactus Greenhouse

 

In bloom this week in Fort Davis' cactus greenhouse at the Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center!

Echinocereus primolanatus

Echinocereus dasayacanthus

Echinocereus chisoensis

#30DaysofBiking

We also chose to start our April #30DaysofBiking challenge
on the road to the CDRI Visitors Center! 

 

Do you want to be a Texas Master Naturalist?

Lunch atop Mount Livermore during a
Texas Master Naturalist training weekend

Now Accepting Applications! The Tierra Grande Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalist Program is accepting applications for its 2014 new member training program. 

Training this year will begin with a June 28 “Kick Off” session in Marfa followed by four weekends starting in August and ending in October. Training weekends will be held at Davis Mountains Preserve, Davis Mountains State Park, Balmorhea State Park, Elephant Mountain Wildlife Management Area and Big Bend Ranch State Park. 

The Tierra Grande Chapter is a non-profit volunteer organization serving Brewster, Jeff Davis, Presidio counties and the greater Big Bend Region. Their mission is to develop a corps of well-educated master volunteers to provide education, outreach and service dedicated toward the beneficial management of natural resources within our communities.

Field trip to O2 Ranch

Application deadline is May 15, 2014 with class size limited to 14 new members. For applications and further information contact:

Sandy Lynch

Secretary, Training Committee Co-Chair

Tierra Grande Chapter, Texas Master Naturalists

http://txmn.org/tierra/

tierragrandetmn@gmail.com

#30DaysofBiking

We're participating in a fun challenge this April, that will deliver bikes to kids who don't have them. We'll also use this opportunity to showcase some of the great riding and cycling resources in our Texas Mountain Trail region of Far West Texas.  What is this challenge?  Here's a quote from the 30DaysofBiking website:

"You pledge to ride. We pledge to give. For every 30 folks who pledge to bike every day in April, we’ll give 1 bike to a kid in need via Free Bikes 4 Kidz.
At 30 Days of Biking, we’ve been growing a community of joyful cyclists since 2010. We encourage cyclists and non_cyclists alike to take a pledge to bike for 30 days. The pledge means a commute to work or an evening roll around the block. The pledge is also what binds us together as a community of cyclists. We’re all passionate about the bicycle and we know the bicycle can make us better people, build stronger communities and help a global environment.

So this year, we want to *create* more cyclists. When 30 people take the 30 Days of Biking pledge, we make more cyclists.

Our friends at Free Bikes 4 Kidz have donated 20,000 bicycles to kids in need since 2008. Those kids who receive a bike are kids who would not otherwise be able to afford one. Remember when you received your first bike and how happy you were? That’s what Free Bikes 4 Kidz does, and that’s what we can help them do more of. But first, we need you to pledge to bike every day in April.

Head to 30daysofbiking.com/pledge to join our community and help us pass along some bike love to another generation.

Happy pedaling!"


So stay tuned all month for updates on cycling in the Texas Mountains, and take the challenge yourself to enjoy your bike this April!