Earache

How would like to have this as your Ranger Station? No Thanks.... Some machinery from mining operations years ago sits in the sun and decays....

I suppose the Park is better if you wanna walk on the hot assed caliche for miles, but there really isn't all that much to see....

Lots of riding in the park to get to the other side - about 50 miles one way - and not a lot there , really....

Stopped at an overlook - that's Mexico across the Rio Grande River. Some Mexicans had set up a display of crafts they made for sale. Somehow they heard that the Border Patrol was coming and they jumped up and ran towards Mexico - leaving all of their stuff behind. As we drove pout, 3 Border Patrol trucks were pulling in. Funny. You can see some of the crafts in the background of the pics.

Wednesday and we're off to the big Bend National Park in far southern Texas. The drive to get there is about 60 miles - not the greatest 60 miles I ever rode, either. Stopped to look at the plants on the way....

Glad they were dropped off. Now maybe they can be recycled into something useful like a umbrella stand.

Nope - retractable claws

Dave's on his GS is even better - will get a good shot for you.

Headed to Big Bend today, pics as they happen ....

There's not shit in this town; the hotel and a few small tiendas, not even a fuel station. Might be a problem later....

A few pics of the grounds....

Rooms definitely have the old west feel to them. And old cowboy chaps on the wall...

Always have the feeling I'm being watched here though ....

Headed for the small bar for beers and tequila. Good beers on tap. Scallops for me for dinner - perfectly done !

The hotel is pretty cool - nice rooms and nice grounds....

450 miles later and we're in Marathon. More importantly, we're in the heat! 75F / 24C and sunny. Landed at out hotel - a 100 year old building that a rancher built as a place to have meetings. We are staying outside of the main building in a place with a nice courtyard

On the road to Marathon, TX - eating at only the finest fuel stations. Actually, there is nothing else to eat. Miles and miles of desert crossing today///

I don't wanna steal any ideas from the HD riding crowd. Best to leave them alone with their anal fixations.

Few more o f the Big Texan. Couple eating the 72 oz. steak challenge; if you can eat it all in an hour, it's free. Probably make ya shit like a baboon for week though........

Feel free to come over and get giddy as shit. And be sure to shovel the driveway so I can get back home while you're at it.

It was and they do all talk like that here. Everyone greets you with "How y'all doin'" here.

Much more pleasant. But I' ridden there way too much already. To be fair, I knew Texas was gonna kinda suck - having been here a few times before. And this cold weather is really unusual for here at thiis time of year. Temps shoiuld be around 80F / 27C. But they aren't. This wind is unusual as well. So it's just our luck. But I'm on a bike and riding so I shouldn't bitch too much! Home is getting 16" of snow tomorrow.

They don't let you go away hungry there - fuckin' huge assed slabs of meat. Even the baked potato was the biggest I've ever seen.

Today, Monday, we head 400 miles due south to Marathon, Texas. As I type right now, at 3.48 AM. it's 32F / 0C . Hoping for warmer weather as we get farther south. And also hoping for no wind! More latter ........

For the cattle fans, we did see some Texas longhorn steers on the way back to the hotel . This also shows what the country looks like - flat, no trees of any kind, burnt brown and super windy....