Big Bend Country

Mr. Leary

Glamping Excursionaire
Big Bend Country – A timeless land

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One could easily argue that this area is the most scenic that the Central States has to offer. We would say that it is one of many examples of the vastly varied and beautiful regions in a part of the country that so many people drive past on their way to somewhere else. This often overlooked part of the United States is rich in history and scenery, and has some of the most beautiful back country areas that most people never knew were there. This report describes a short trip through one of these areas. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy…

Our first day started out later then we had planned, which is about par for the course for us. Leaving our home at just after 0700, we knew that we would be chasing daylight once we got to Big Bend National Park (BBNP). A long drive and a lot of gas later, we started to notice the landscape assuming the appearance of what we were expecting. As we rolled down 385, we were reminded that we were still in Texas. A large new natural gas facility and dozens of ranches (with gates) were in evidence.

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The hills turned into mountains, and the valleys into canyons.

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There was an interesting looking rock formation that we just had to get a picture of. At first we thought it was a house!

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Before we knew it, we were in the park. After checking in, we made our way to Panther Junction to check in and secure a back country camping permit. The site was a long way down Old Ore Road, and we had just about run out of daylight. We kept ourselves from getting in a rush just yet. We stopped to take pictures of the sunset.

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Mr. Leary

Glamping Excursionaire
Once the evening started to close in around us, we decided to pick up the pace and push on to Camp de Leon, where we would spend the night. It felt like driving the Baja 1000 at night. While I have to admit that the speed at which we proceeded was at the borderline of dangerously fast, I had a blast. I believe the trailer got airborne on two occasions. (Sorry no night moves pictures) :D

We set up camp in the dark and Kim started to re-heat the beef stew that she had made the night before.
All of a sudden, we noticed lights, slowly making their way down the road. Quickly suspecting that they were drug smugglers returning south to Mexico, I instructed Kim to turn off the lights and wait. If they approached our campsite, she would shine the flashlight directly in their eyes while I maneuvered to their 6 o clock with the pistol. After running a few scenarios in my head, I changed my mind and decided that it would be better to leave her with the keys and position myself between our camp and trouble. If they were up to no good, they would have me to contend with while she started the truck and made a getaway. As they continued down the road closer to our site, I quietly crept to an obscured vantage point and watched, ready for trouble. They walked past me, about 50 feet away, and continued down the road, uninterested in anything but their passage south. With my heart feeling like it was gonna pound out of my chest, I walked back to the campsite in the dark. I had dishes to do and a honey to hug. She was a little freaked out. We decided that we would report this to the rangers in the morning, and settled in for the night.

We awoke before dawn, and realized that there was no work to go to, and nowhere that we had to be for the next few days. We rolled over and snoozed for the next hour. Around 0700, the sun was starting its journey over the horizon, and the puppies told us that they were ready to start their day. We snapped a few pictures, ate a few manifold burritos, and loaded up for what would be a long day of trail riding.

Some interesting rocks here:

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Breakfast:

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(We actually used the inside heater vents more then the manifold)

Sunrise:

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Mr. Leary

Glamping Excursionaire
There was not much left of Old Ore road, and we quickly rejoined pavement.

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We headed down the road to the Overlook near Rio Grande Village. There was a ranger there making his morning rounds, and we told him about what we had seen the previous evening. He informed us that the trail was a common training trail for the upcoming back country running events that would be held later in the month. I instantly felt a little sheepish, as I had immediately suspected the worst, and had turned out to be utterly wrong.

Paused for a couple minutes at the Overlook near Rio Grande Village.

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We stopped for fuel and headed out onto River Road East.

I don’t think that there is a trail in the park that could be described as anything but breathtaking, and this trail did not disappoint. Well maintained and easy to traverse, we made good time, while stopping occasionally to get pictures of the beautiful purple cacti scattered all around. We soon transitioned to Glenn Springs trail, which looked very similar, with plenty of mountain views and canyons off the edges of the trail.

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Mr. Leary

Glamping Excursionaire
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We turned onto Black Gap Road, and were immediately greeted by some rough off camber sections. This unmaintained trail was the roughest we encountered in BBNP, but proved to be relatively easy, even when pulling the trailer. Progress was slower here, and we stayed in 4LO for the entire road.

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There was a short section of the trail that was very off camber, and required closer inspection before we could continue. There was a bypass, but it was definitely not legal and we decided to stay on the trail.

Shortly after, the trail flattened out and we turned onto River Road West. This trail was long and dusty, with stretches of fine sand. While the trail closely followed the Rio Grande, views were limited. There were several remote campsites close to the river, but we decided to skip them. We’ll be back soon, we promised ourselves.

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Mr. Leary

Glamping Excursionaire
The Santa Elena canyon overlook was beautiful, but didn’t do justice to the grandeur of the cliffs. I suspect that the only way to truly experience Santa Elena Canyon is from the river. Someday we will travel this area by canoe.

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We continued up Maverick road, again very fast. At Study Butte, we fueled up, aired up, and set our sights on Big Bend Ranch State Park (BBRSP). Little did we know that the paved road we would take to get there would be one of the most stunning roads we have ever travelled. Perhaps this was a better representation of the grandeur of the canyons of the Rio Grande. We had to keep moving to make it to our campsite, but otherwise we could have spent hours making our way up one of the most scenic roads on the world.

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Mr. Leary

Glamping Excursionaire
As we turned off pavement again onto Bofecillos Road, we knew that there was no way we would make it to the park headquarters by the time they closed. We decided to proceed directly to our campsite at Guale #2, which is heralded as the most remote and most scenic campsite in the park.

Big Bend Ranch is very different from the National Park, even though the scenery looks similar from a distance. BBRSP is much more rugged, and trails consist of very rough two tracks that meander through canyons and along ridgelines, very sharp rocks throughout. The volcanic rocks are hazardous to unprotected feet or paws, and will make quick work of thin skinned tires. The western section of Oso loop was very rough, the roughest we had seen on our journey. At one point, way out in the middle of nowhere, we encountered a closed gate.

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We feared the worst, especially since there was nowhere within a quarter mile for us to turn the trailer and truck around. Luckily the gate was unlocked, and we pulled through, closing it behind us. We would later encounter several of these gates but they were all wide open.

We were losing the race for daylight, and quickly found ourselves traversing very rough and off camber terrain on a trail that was poorly marked… in the dark. We made two wrong turns and had a difficult time of it getting turned around and back on our way. We encountered some hikers on their return, and it turns out that they were camped in one of the nearby sites. We took mental note here, as the power steering pump was making some very horrible noises at this point. If for some reason we had to hike out, we would check the campsites first before hiking all the way to the ranger station.

More sharp rocks and terrain that looked like it easily could have been at the bottom of the sea, and we found our turnout to Guale #2. A short drive along a ridgeline and we found the end of the road in a shallow saddle. Dinner time… steak and mashed potatoes for the win. We enjoyed a couple cold Lone Star beers, and turned in for the night.

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Mr. Leary

Glamping Excursionaire
Sunrise showed the fruit of our perilous journey the night before, and we quickly realized why this site had earned its reputation as the most scenic in the park. The views were simply breathtaking.

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We played with the cameras for about an hour, and I tried my hand at my first panoramic shots.

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Breakfast was cinnamon rolls and some awful instant coffee. Kim and I both decided that I will be in charge of coffee in the future.

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We decided to take the day off from trail scouting and follow our bliss. We strolled around with our cameras, and took a little time to relax and catalog our journey. Temperatures reached the upper 60s, and we enjoyed this break from winter.

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A couple of gear tests and a little review writing reminded me that this trip is not all about pleasure, but I doubt work could ever get any better.

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The dogs seemed to have just the right idea:

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Mr. Leary

Glamping Excursionaire
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The evening passed silently, with a tasty fajita dinner and a sky full of stars. We slipped off to sleep listening to the rain fly on our tent gently flutter in the breeze.

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Mr. Leary

Glamping Excursionaire
We departed at dawn, and slowly made our way back toward the main road.

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After about half a mile our power steering pump finally gave out, and I pulled off the belt. Starting the truck up again, we heard loud squeeling and saw smoke start to come out from under the hood. Startled, we immediately shut off the engine and I ran up to the hood with fire extinguisher in gloved hand. Opening it I was greeted with a puff of burned rubber smelling smoke, and a quick glance told me that my A/C pulley bearing had also just seized up and that the belt had burned up.

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I never noticed it over the complaining of the power steering. Lucky for us, these both have their own belts. We closed the hood and continued our trek, with a little adrenaline pumping to make up for the added effort needed to steer the truck. My feet are very grateful for a truck that is both supremely reliable and utterly survivable. If I had been in a couple of my previous trucks I would have been walking to the ranger station.

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We arrived in Presidio and fueled up a stone's throw away from the border crossing. It was a long way to go to get back home. No worries, we would be traveling through lots of pretty country on our return trip, and for the not so pretty country, we had books on CD to help pass the time. It honestly did not feel like we were in Texas until we approached Marfa, 50 miles in from the border. Route 67 down there looks, feels, and talks like Mexico. :p

Amazing how much drag the power steering and A/C belts create. We got almost 17 miles per gallon on our trip home while fully loaded for an expedition and pulling a trailer. My average is around 15.
 

Mr. Leary

Glamping Excursionaire
My thoughts while at Big Bend:

Big Bend feels like the end of the world. It is so far away from anything. It is a back country camper's paradise. It is so quiet, you can hear yourself think. It has been nice to be alone with my thoughts. It gives me time to reflect on things. The majesty of Big Bend country is humbling, making man's achievements seem miniscule in comparison. I look out over canyons millions of years in the making and wish that we had that kind of time; time enough to pay attention to all the little details; time enough to really enjoy where we are instead of planning out where we want to be. This is why I travel to the back country. There is a quote in Lost Canadian's (ExPo member) signature line that speaks of the quiet country being his cathedral, where he goes to get a sense of what life is like when it is left alone. I couldn't agree more.

Alas, our time here is growing short. Tomorrow we will depart this land of natural wonders, headed back home to our lives. I will miss this place. It has secured its own place in my heart. I look forward to returning here in the future. Big Bend is timeless. I'm sure that when I return, it will be just where I left it.

It will be an honor to help others experience the peace and solitude that the wilderness has to offer. I look forward to guiding and helping Overland travellers experience what I feel is so important. Our style of vehicle dependent travel is ideal for the diverse, scenic, and historically rich region in which we live. I encourage folks to slow everything down and enjoy what this region has to offer. Life is better when you are not in a hurry. We are Overlanders… it's the journey, not the destination.


Thanks for reading,

Leary
 
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flamewerks

New member
I read every word and looked at every picture, which I usually don't do on forums! Awesome write up and some really nice pics!
 
S

Scenic WonderRunner

Guest
Very Nice!


Keep Going!



.....:sombrero::costumed-smiley-007:ylsmoke:




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