Mellow
03-02-2006, 10:17 AM
Day 1 - Tuesday 2/21
I left home about 2:30 and planned to make it to Colorado City State Park, about 260 miles away. I made it however, the park was closed for winter. So, being prepared, I decided to head to my alternate campground - Big Spring - 30 miles away. Well, they are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. It was 9pm and I thought, "I'll pull a Blink (Trailace) and ride to Guadalupe National Park, it's just 200 more miles away". I felt good and just started riding then I saw a sign to Monahans and remembered Six Pipes saying he stayed there once. It was just another 130 miles away so I went for it. They were open and it was a pretty cool park, I'll return again some day in the daylight. It was 11pm and time to go to bed. Not bad for over 400 miles after work.
Day 2 - Wednesday 2/22
I woke up early and headed towards Guadalupe National Park, it was only 150 miles away. But, I didn't get gas in the morning and when I was out in the middle of nowhere Texas I had to head north into New Mexico as there were more towns in that direction that could have gas stations, there were none towards the Park. I got gas in Loving, NM just south of Carlsbad.
I got to Guadalupe NP pretty early, 8:30-ish.
http://mellow.smugmug.com/photos/58235568-Ti.jpg (http://mellow.smugmug.com/photos/58235568-M.jpg) http://mellow.smugmug.com/photos/58235723-Ti.jpg (http://mellow.smugmug.com/photos/58235723-M.jpg)
I set up camp and then decided to go into Carlsbad for lunch. I was at Wendy's reading the brochure for the park and read where Guadalupe Peak was the tallest Peak in Texas. I thought it would be cool to say "I've been to the top of Texas". The brochure stated the trail length was 4.2 miles one way. It was 12pm and I wouldn't get a start 'til 1. What the heck. I gave myself 2 hours to see how far I could get then 2 hours to make it back down. That would put me back in camp before dark.
I looked at the hill and thought, "how hard can that be?" Well, once you get to the top of that hill, there's another one behind it that you have to climb, then another one behind it, THEN, you see the peak that is taller than the 3 previous hills. That's as far as I got, there's a backpacking campground at that point and it was just before 3pm.
http://mellow.smugmug.com/photos/58238336-Ti.jpg (http://mellow.smugmug.com/photos/58238336-M.jpg)
Time to head back. The climb up was pretty easy and I found out later that I was going too fast. About half way down my knees started hurting a little and by the time I was to the bottom it was killing me to step off a curb.
http://mellow.smugmug.com/photos/58238328-Ti.jpg (http://mellow.smugmug.com/photos/58238328-M.jpg)
I'm thinking I made it 3/4 of the way up for about a 6 mile round trip hike. It wasn't riding but it was a personal goal I wanted to hit, I'll be back again and I'll make it to the top the next time. Maybe a group ride/hike?
After I got back to camp Jerry (Gold Rush) showed up and started coffee.
http://mellow.smugmug.com/photos/58238347-Ti.jpg (http://mellow.smugmug.com/photos/58238347-M.jpg)
Day 3 - Thursday 2/23
Before I woke up, Jerry started the coffee. We packed and headed to the Davis Mtns State Park via El Paso. We got some rain along the way but by the time we got to the park it was nice and partly cloudy.
After we were done setting up camp Mark (Brinkster) and Ron (2-cup) stopped by and we all BS'd a little. Then, some squidly-GS rider showed up but it was just Mike (Chief).
http://mellow.smugmug.com/photos/58238351-Ti.jpg (http://mellow.smugmug.com/photos/58238351-M.jpg)
Ron and Mark headed back to the Indian Lodge after we all decided what time to meet for the morning ride. Jerry made coffee then went to bed and Chief and I stayed up talking. It started to rain and I said, "Listen, hear that? Blink is on his way" About an hour later, Blink showed up.
Day 4 - Friday 2/24
Around 5am, Jerry made coffee.
The rest of us woke and started getting ready for the ride. We all went to Marfa to have breakfast at Carmen's but, it was closed/shut down. I ate down the road, can't remember the name of the place but it was good. Blink and Chief were headed to the dirt road between Marfa and Candallera and the rest of us went to Presidio to start the ride down River Road.
We got to Presidio and it was starting to rain a little so we waited and eventually heard Blink and Cheif on the CB but thought they had already passed us so we started down River Road. Apparently Blink and Cheif were just behind us as we all made it to the overlook area about the same time.
http://www.mellowwing.com/gallery/files/1/Picture027_86701_thumb.jpg (http://www.mellowwing.com/gallery/files/1/Picture027_86701.jpg)http://mellow.smugmug.com/photos/58238364-Ti.jpg (http://mellow.smugmug.com/photos/58238364-M.jpg) http://mellow.smugmug.com/photos/58238369-Ti.jpg (http://mellow.smugmug.com/photos/58238369-M.jpg) http://mellow.smugmug.com/photos/58238358-Ti.jpg (http://mellow.smugmug.com/photos/58238358-M.jpg)
We were going to eat a late lunch at Marathon at the place with the great malts but it was closed and then we had some communication issues and all split up in Alpine but converged back at the campground afterwards. Where, Jerry made coffee.
Day 5 - Saturday 2/25
Jerry got up early and made some coffee.
Ron and Mark wanted to tour the Mcdonald observatory so they did that and the other 4 of us went to Big Bend NP via Marathon and the east entrance. Blink and Cheif were going to do the 'dirt' version of River Road and meet up with Jerry and I in Terlingua. We all met up again and did River Road the other direction back to Presidio. Definitely not as comfortable that direction, but just as fun.
http://www.mellowwing.com/gallery/files/1/Picture042_211612_thumb.jpg (http://www.mellowwing.com/gallery/files/1/Picture042_211612.jpg)http://mellow.smugmug.com/photos/58238405-Ti.jpg (http://mellow.smugmug.com/photos/58238405-M.jpg) http://mellow.smugmug.com/photos/58238417-Ti.jpg (http://mellow.smugmug.com/photos/58238417-M.jpg)
Jerry lead us back to the campground where he promptly made some coffee.
We ate dinner at the Indian Lodge, not really worth the money in my opinion.
We all BS'd a little then Jerry went to bed. After that we had some Javalenas and Skunks crawling around the site for a while.
Day 6 - Sunday 2/26
Jerry got up early and made some coffee.
Then, we all headed home.
HERE are the rest of the pics:
All the Pics (http://mellow.smugmug.com/gallery/1242612)
(http://www.mellowwing.com/gallery/browseimages.php?c=3&userid=268)
I left home about 2:30 and planned to make it to Colorado City State Park, about 260 miles away. I made it however, the park was closed for winter. So, being prepared, I decided to head to my alternate campground - Big Spring - 30 miles away. Well, they are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. It was 9pm and I thought, "I'll pull a Blink (Trailace) and ride to Guadalupe National Park, it's just 200 more miles away". I felt good and just started riding then I saw a sign to Monahans and remembered Six Pipes saying he stayed there once. It was just another 130 miles away so I went for it. They were open and it was a pretty cool park, I'll return again some day in the daylight. It was 11pm and time to go to bed. Not bad for over 400 miles after work.
Day 2 - Wednesday 2/22
I woke up early and headed towards Guadalupe National Park, it was only 150 miles away. But, I didn't get gas in the morning and when I was out in the middle of nowhere Texas I had to head north into New Mexico as there were more towns in that direction that could have gas stations, there were none towards the Park. I got gas in Loving, NM just south of Carlsbad.
I got to Guadalupe NP pretty early, 8:30-ish.
http://mellow.smugmug.com/photos/58235568-Ti.jpg (http://mellow.smugmug.com/photos/58235568-M.jpg) http://mellow.smugmug.com/photos/58235723-Ti.jpg (http://mellow.smugmug.com/photos/58235723-M.jpg)
I set up camp and then decided to go into Carlsbad for lunch. I was at Wendy's reading the brochure for the park and read where Guadalupe Peak was the tallest Peak in Texas. I thought it would be cool to say "I've been to the top of Texas". The brochure stated the trail length was 4.2 miles one way. It was 12pm and I wouldn't get a start 'til 1. What the heck. I gave myself 2 hours to see how far I could get then 2 hours to make it back down. That would put me back in camp before dark.
I looked at the hill and thought, "how hard can that be?" Well, once you get to the top of that hill, there's another one behind it that you have to climb, then another one behind it, THEN, you see the peak that is taller than the 3 previous hills. That's as far as I got, there's a backpacking campground at that point and it was just before 3pm.
http://mellow.smugmug.com/photos/58238336-Ti.jpg (http://mellow.smugmug.com/photos/58238336-M.jpg)
Time to head back. The climb up was pretty easy and I found out later that I was going too fast. About half way down my knees started hurting a little and by the time I was to the bottom it was killing me to step off a curb.
http://mellow.smugmug.com/photos/58238328-Ti.jpg (http://mellow.smugmug.com/photos/58238328-M.jpg)
I'm thinking I made it 3/4 of the way up for about a 6 mile round trip hike. It wasn't riding but it was a personal goal I wanted to hit, I'll be back again and I'll make it to the top the next time. Maybe a group ride/hike?
After I got back to camp Jerry (Gold Rush) showed up and started coffee.
http://mellow.smugmug.com/photos/58238347-Ti.jpg (http://mellow.smugmug.com/photos/58238347-M.jpg)
Day 3 - Thursday 2/23
Before I woke up, Jerry started the coffee. We packed and headed to the Davis Mtns State Park via El Paso. We got some rain along the way but by the time we got to the park it was nice and partly cloudy.
After we were done setting up camp Mark (Brinkster) and Ron (2-cup) stopped by and we all BS'd a little. Then, some squidly-GS rider showed up but it was just Mike (Chief).
http://mellow.smugmug.com/photos/58238351-Ti.jpg (http://mellow.smugmug.com/photos/58238351-M.jpg)
Ron and Mark headed back to the Indian Lodge after we all decided what time to meet for the morning ride. Jerry made coffee then went to bed and Chief and I stayed up talking. It started to rain and I said, "Listen, hear that? Blink is on his way" About an hour later, Blink showed up.
Day 4 - Friday 2/24
Around 5am, Jerry made coffee.
The rest of us woke and started getting ready for the ride. We all went to Marfa to have breakfast at Carmen's but, it was closed/shut down. I ate down the road, can't remember the name of the place but it was good. Blink and Chief were headed to the dirt road between Marfa and Candallera and the rest of us went to Presidio to start the ride down River Road.
We got to Presidio and it was starting to rain a little so we waited and eventually heard Blink and Cheif on the CB but thought they had already passed us so we started down River Road. Apparently Blink and Cheif were just behind us as we all made it to the overlook area about the same time.
http://www.mellowwing.com/gallery/files/1/Picture027_86701_thumb.jpg (http://www.mellowwing.com/gallery/files/1/Picture027_86701.jpg)http://mellow.smugmug.com/photos/58238364-Ti.jpg (http://mellow.smugmug.com/photos/58238364-M.jpg) http://mellow.smugmug.com/photos/58238369-Ti.jpg (http://mellow.smugmug.com/photos/58238369-M.jpg) http://mellow.smugmug.com/photos/58238358-Ti.jpg (http://mellow.smugmug.com/photos/58238358-M.jpg)
We were going to eat a late lunch at Marathon at the place with the great malts but it was closed and then we had some communication issues and all split up in Alpine but converged back at the campground afterwards. Where, Jerry made coffee.
Day 5 - Saturday 2/25
Jerry got up early and made some coffee.
Ron and Mark wanted to tour the Mcdonald observatory so they did that and the other 4 of us went to Big Bend NP via Marathon and the east entrance. Blink and Cheif were going to do the 'dirt' version of River Road and meet up with Jerry and I in Terlingua. We all met up again and did River Road the other direction back to Presidio. Definitely not as comfortable that direction, but just as fun.
http://www.mellowwing.com/gallery/files/1/Picture042_211612_thumb.jpg (http://www.mellowwing.com/gallery/files/1/Picture042_211612.jpg)http://mellow.smugmug.com/photos/58238405-Ti.jpg (http://mellow.smugmug.com/photos/58238405-M.jpg) http://mellow.smugmug.com/photos/58238417-Ti.jpg (http://mellow.smugmug.com/photos/58238417-M.jpg)
Jerry lead us back to the campground where he promptly made some coffee.
We ate dinner at the Indian Lodge, not really worth the money in my opinion.
We all BS'd a little then Jerry went to bed. After that we had some Javalenas and Skunks crawling around the site for a while.
Day 6 - Sunday 2/26
Jerry got up early and made some coffee.
Then, we all headed home.
HERE are the rest of the pics:
All the Pics (http://mellow.smugmug.com/gallery/1242612)
(http://www.mellowwing.com/gallery/browseimages.php?c=3&userid=268)