The Great Mikegration

Big Bend Adventure Map Days 1-4

This is a short trip overall so I wanted to give you the overall travel map on the same page as the daily posts and daily maps to make it a little easier to reference. Hopefully this won’t cause any confusion. The synopsis was a very quick trip overall with not many miles logged in comparison to how our normal journeys go. As always we find time to fit in a donut shop along the way along with a healthy dose of fun and adventure. Another item to note on this post is that I’m doing it historically (as in a year historically) so it won’t be as detailed as the more recent ones although I’ll do my best to recollect it accurately. In other words lots of pictures coming up!! Finally, Evan came up with this trip, sights, stops, hikes, lodging, and pretty much anything else you can think of so all the credit for this trip goes to her! Thank you!!!! Enjoy!

Big Bend Adventure Map Day 1

Day 1: (01/14/22)

• Up early but not to early this morning to meet up with Evan and start our adventure for the day. I was so proud of her; no coffee until we got to Rivery Coffeehouse & Desserts in Georgetown this morning. She was being tough! Rivery did have good coffee and the snacks we got their were very tasty as well. It is in the north Austin area so traffic could get difficult however we didn’t have any issues.
• We decided to take the northern route as neither one of us had done it before once we got past Llano. It was a good choice. The scenery is outstanding as you drive from Burnet, Llano, Mason, E Junction, Eldorado, Iraan, to Fort Stockton. We did stop in Menard to grab a quick picture of the Last Dollar Ranch. Love the old signs in the yard.

• We made a stop in Iraan to get some snacks and food and let Evan make a conference call. Sadly the donut place in Irann was already closed so we couldn’t try it. It looked like a premo donut place though!
• Mandatory stop in Fort Stockton to get some more snacks and to take our picture with the famous Paisano Pete. We try to never miss a photo opportunity…..some of us more than others!

• Drove on down to Marfa from Fort Stockton. A word of advice to all: Do NOT speed. You WILL get a ticket. We did not get a ticket! Arriving in Marfa about 6:45pm we got ourselves checked into the Hotel Saint George for the night. Very comfortable room and even though there are train tracks next door to the hotel we never heard them all night long.
• We did have a little fiasco finding a place to eat as we hadn’t made reservations at the hotel and couldn’t really find anywhere but like always we managed! Leaving the hotel we filled up full of gas and explored the town. It was already dark by 7:15pm so we made the most of it. First stop was Se Vende which is a really cool little vending machine that has drinks, snacks, and souvenirs in it. There is also a little art display on the wall beside it as well.
• From there we journeyed to the Marfa Lights Viewing Area. This was done really well. Great parking, clean bathrooms, and just good family fun. We really enjoyed our time there. We viewed the heck out of it but we didn’t see any Marfa Lights. One dad was telling his kids how lucky they were that the Marfa lights were out so much that night and they were putting on a show for them with how regularly they were appearing, moving in straight lines, dipping down below the horizon and then back up. Dude…. you’re looking at the highway in the distance where the cars are coming down over the hill and then back up again…. I’m sure it was for the kids cause they were loving it like McDonalds!

• Driving back into town from the Viewing Lights Area we stopped and walked to the Actual Contact sculptures just outside of town. They are beside the road so maybe a one minute walk (lol). Was neat as it was dark and we got to see them all lit up. Also a pretty cool plaque there about Presidio and how it is the oldest town in America. It was also the first recorded wagon train crossing into Texas on December 10, 1582. Check it out!

• You’d think we’d be heading home by now but nope.. It was on to the Prada Marfa store which is actually in Valentine. It’s a re-creation of a Prada store display but there is no access or shopping inside. It’s basically a piece of art along the side of the road to take your picture with so having said that we thought it was worth the drive! Check out the pics!

• Finishing up our photoshoot at Prada we started heading on back to the hotel. Frankly, it was about 9pm and we were getting tired. we did see a lot of lights out in the middle of nowhere though so we had to stop and see what in the world that was all about! Ends up it was the Tethered Aerostat Radar System. We thought it was something to do with weather however upon further research it’s used by Border Patrol on non-windy days to send the dirigible up and look for illegal border crossings. They say it is a great deterrent since it’s almost impossible to hide from it. The views have to be spectacular!!!

• And that’s a wrap for the night. Back to the room for a great nights sleep so we can do it all again tomorrow!

Big Bend Adventure Map Days 2 & 3

Day 2: (01/15/22)

• COFFEE would be the first words I hear from her this morning as I wake her up. lol. The hunt is on!!!
• First stop was at Marfa Burrito since we were both pretty hungry and they make a totally awesome burrito. Pulled up and walked in, ordered our burrito, and 5 minutes later we are eating it! Good food!!!! Now it’s time to hunt for that coffee. We ended up at The Sentinel for a really good cup of java and some cool souvenirs as well. Well fortified we headed out for the drive to Big Bend via Presidio and then FM170.

• Drive to Big Bend this way is just stunningly beautiful. Great views most of the way down to Presidio and all the way from Presidio to Big Bend National Park. Driving in this way you also go through Big Bend State Park on the way to Big Bend National Park. We didn’t do it this time however you should stop in the town of Shafter as it’s on the way to Presidio and has a cool backstory as it’s where the movie The Andromeda Strain was filmed. Lastly, if you like Dr. Pepper the giant gas station when you first pull into Presidio has cane sugar Dr. Pepper in the glass bottles. As you continue on FM170 you’ll see a lot of opportunities for hiking and stopping to take some pictures. Hoodoos and Balanced Rocks Trail is definitely worth a stop however it’s only one of many. A lot of the road runs along side the Rio Grande river so you’ll see Mexico as you look across the river. Don’t wade across though; that’s highly illegal! If you want the thrill just stay on FM170 and according to google maps you’ll “unofficially” drive through Mexico for a couple hundred feet before you “emerge” back in the USA. In reality you have to drive it as there is literally no other way to get there so rest secure.

• Just before you get to Terlingua Ghostown you’ll come to Lajitas General Store. It’s worth a stop to fill up full of gas and stock up on any snacks you may want. There isn’t much in the park so be prepared before you get there.
• Just pass Lajitas you’ll drive by Terlingua Ghostown. Make sure to stop in and go through the town. It won’t take long but it has a lot of character! I like it!

• About 1:30pm we finally pulled into Chisos Mountains Lodge in Big Bend National Park. Evan already had our hikes planned out so we just parked and sent directly to the Window Trail by the visitor center. It’s a moderate trail of about a 7.2 mile roundtrip with a great view at the end. Be smart and if it’s wet use caution and don’t take any chances. Check it out!

• We decided to do just a small portion of the Upper Windows Trail on the way back. We couldn’t do the whole of it because we still had Balanced Rock Trail to do. Here’s a few pictures though to wet your appetite. It’s a long ways down!

• Finishing that hike we drove a short distance to Grapevine Hills Trail or Balanced Rock. The road is bumpy so go slow and watch out for washes and giant holes in the road. You don’t want to get stuck out there in the middle of nowhere! We got out there “barely” and hiked to the rock. On the way back we stopped and filled in some of the holes so we could safely drive over them without taking out the oil pan on Jaws. Quite the drive….

• Quite the day today as we finished the hike and drove back to the AirbnB we had rented just outside of Terlingua at Casa South Fork. It’s 6 miles on Hwy 118 so not to far. The place was top notch wonderful. Very roomy, very clean and very quiet. We loved it. Highly recommend staying here. I’ll throw in some pics for you so you can see for yourself. This was more for a family to stay at than just the two of us so we had loads of extra room!

• And thus concludes Day 2 of our adventure. Whew…I’m getting tired just typing it. Did we really do all this in just 2 days? Why yes, yes we did!

Day 3: (01/16/22)

• Up and at them after a restful nights sleep. Truthfully I slept like a baby I was so tired. It was so nice!!! Get ready for a lot of pictures it was a big day!
• First hike of the day was the Lost Mine Trail. In my opinion one of if not the most beautiful trail in the park, as in the most bang for your hiking buck. Look and be envious of the pictures of our hike, mwahahaha… Well the evil villain laugh sounded much funnier in my head right then vs when I typed it out. Sorry about that.. Also, about the number of pictures….
• No lost mine was found on this hike. We found something much more precious; a beautiful hike with lots of great memories.

• Having finished Lost Mine Trail we next went to Hot Springs Trail which is several miles away. We got there about 2pm and had a fantastic time. I love the backstory on this place. You can also (and a lot of people do) bring your bathing suit and soak in the Hot Spring on the Rio Grande here. We didn’t do it because we had more hiking to do however it was getting pretty crowded by the time we left at 3pm so plan accordingly. Make sure you click on the pics and read the signs. It’s well worth the time. One thing I want to make sure and mention is we did see some cowboys from Mexico camped out on the Mexico side of the Rio Grande. Looked like they were having a good time!

• Leaving the Hot Springs we drove down to the Rio Grande Village Campground. There is a trail that connects Hot Springs to here. We didn’t hike that trail however it looked to be a beautiful one. Sigh…next time perhaps. Rio Grande Village is a very pretty spot where you can camp, RV, get gas, groceries, etc.

• Next and last hike of the day was Boquillas Canyon. We stopped at the overlook and took some pictures before we drove on down to the canyon trail entrance itself. It’s a great view. Oh, when you drive to Boquillas Canyon you’ll pass the road that leads you to the rowboat that can take you across the Rio Grande into Mexico. Make sure you have your passport if your going to do this and be back by 4pm or you’ll be spending the night in Mexico! Follow all the rules! Now, on to Boquillas Canyon. First thing we noticed when we did the hike was the steep incline (total elevation gain is 102 feet) at the beginning of the trail. This is actually a good thing as it gives you a wonderful view of the surrounding area so make sure to enjoy the view and your making your way up the trail here. When Evan and I was hiking the trail up we saw a caballero crossing the river to get some of his horses that had wondered across. I believe her exact comment was “Now, that’s a man!”. Lol.. and he was!! As authentic as you could possible have gotten. You could have dropped him into an old western movie just like he was and he would have fit in perfectly. The rest of the hike is beautiful but short (only about 1.4 miles roundtrip) so make sure to take your time and enjoy it. The cliff walls next to the Rio Grande are spectacular.

• Finished up our hike at Boquillas Canyon about 4:30ish and wanted to drive to Sotol Vista Overlook to check out the sunset. Sotol is located on the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive. You’ll go by several signs, small hikes, and a lot of history on the way to Sotol. NOTE: We didn’t go past Sotol on this trip due to time constraints but you should! The scenery past Sotol is breathtaking! Here’s a small taste of what you’ll see on the way to Sotol.

• Arriving at Sotol Vista Overlook is where I literally lost it and have to apologize for the insane amount of pictures below. I love sunsets and this one was beautiful. I’ve tried several times to delete out the ones that I didn’t care for or that weren’t really up to snuff however I love them all so here you go! The moon was opposite of the sunset and I thought it made for a fascinating juxtaposition shot. I’m pretty happy with the results!

• Feeling a very satisfied end to the day we headed back to the Airbnb for some dinner, fun, and rest before we headed out in the morning back towards home.
• Dinner at the Airbnb was peanut butter sandwich’s paired with Pinot Noir wine and then tragedy struck me directly where it hurts the most. They stocked miscellaneous games at the Airbnb we stayed at. One of them was Battleship. All the dads will agree it’s a humbling moment when you finally get beat by your children. But, it’s so sweet when you see the gleam in their eye when they realize that with the final shot of the game they are the WINNER and man do they let you know it!!! Great job Evan! As a side note here my youngest and me play a modified game of Sorry and she beats me almost every time…I really don’t get it. I’ll be ahead and winning hands down then a minute later she’s doing the happy dance because she just smoked me and won yet again! Kudos to her also. So proud of them both!

Big Bend Adventure Map Day 4

• Having had a night’s sleep of peanut butter, pinot noir and a crushing defeat in Battleship I was ready to hit the road the next morning. We’d been here for just a couple of days yet I could feel the attachment I had for the area so it was with some procrastination that morning that we finished our breakfast, packing, and said goodbye to the area.
• We headed north on Hwy 118 to Alpine for a quick stop at Judy’s Bread & Breakfast Bakery to grab one of the world’s best cinnamon rolls for our second breakfast. No pictures in this post (there are in the 2023 trip) however it was spectacular and why I stopped twice there in my 2023 trip to Big Bend.
• You can see our route back on the map through Marathon, Sanderson, Comfort and so forth.
• Marathon was interesting. It’s not a big town (pretty small…ok very small actually) but we were captivated by the Gauge Hotel there and decided to stay there next time I went to Big Bend. (I stayed there on my 2023 trip to Big Bend so see that post for details).
• Just past Marathon is Sanderson. Neither of us knows for sure why but what an interesting town. We were having to hustle home so we couldn’t stay and explore to long however we did drive around the town and loved the views of the mountains since it was right at the base of them. Big Border Patrol station there and strangely enough what looked like a brand new Amtrak train stop. It’s a small town overall like so many other Texas towns yet it is captivating for some reason. I don’t know. Just outside of Sanderson we stopped and saw a fascinating Historical Marker about the Baxter’s Curve Train Robbery. Read the pic. Just past the marker by Del Rio is the Pecos River Bridge. If you come this way make sure to stop and drive up to the overlook. It’s very scenic. You can also walk on the bridge from down below on US-90 which we did. It’s worth a stop to do and have a quick break. Continuing our way home we did a quick stop at Garven Store in Camp Wood. Great jerky and sandwiches here and I loved this stop as I’m a jerky fanatic. The entire area is very scenic and I’d like to go back to explore it more in-depth one day. Lots of exotic hunting ranches around the area so keep your eyes open as you never know what you may see.

• You can see the rest of the way back we took. It’s a very scenic route and filled with many thing to do that we didn’t have to do. Even if you don’t go to Big Bend I’d do the route as it’s an enjoyable drive. Like all of our road trips we hit home back all to soon and had to go our separate ways. The memories will always be there though and isn’t that what life is all about? Spending them with the ones you love and making the most of that time by making some grand memories. Yeah, that works for me! Till the next Great Mikegrations safe travels!