road trip (Pecos, West: homes, oil, car)

[Bob Blockus]

Mission accomplished. able to start seasonal work two months before summer time before Grand Canyon North Rim Lodge. first hot day here in big bend national park Texas at 80 degrees. Monday it say's windy so looks like another major Isolated Mountain Dust Storm. Do dust storms harm your auto?

[jaxart]

Originally Posted by badhornet

Or he just climb down in the canyon and walk to the other side

That would indeed be the shortest route from Flagstaff. In fact I read an article recently about some man, no longer young, who has hiked from rim to rim numerous times and is looking to set some sort of record by continuing to do so. To each their own!

[badhornet]

Bob - be careful as the Grand Canyon is known to be a romantic spot. Lots of people have lost their virginity there and you could lose yours too if not careful

[lifertexan]

Originally Posted by Bob Blockus

Mission accomplished. able to start seasonal work two months before summer time before Grand Canyon North Rim Lodge. first hot day here in big bend national park Texas at 80 degrees. Monday it say's windy so looks like another major Isolated Mountain Dust Storm. Do dust storms harm your auto?

You haven't seen hot there yet.When we were down there a decade ago they had one of those big clock dial type thermometers out in the sun (on the dirt though).Once it registered 132.I don't know what the official temp was,since I think official temps are taken by thermometers in the shade,but it was so hot you could fill a sombrero with water,soak a towel and put it around your neck without wringing it out,and your pants would never get wet.

[Bob Blockus]

Sunset at General Store Big Bend National Park Texas. the only place to use on line computers.

[jaxart]

Originally Posted by Bob Blockus

Sunset at General Store Big Bend National Park Texas. the only place to use on line computers.

Assuming that's your sedan with the FLA plates, it sure looks out of place alongside the other two vehicles in that photo.

[lifertexan]

Nighttime is incredible there.Unless some haze drifts in from Mexico,the stars are as bright as you will see anywhere in the world.They have the observatory just down the road in Alpine for this reason.On a trip through there one night I stopped along the road inside BBNP and got my wife and kids to wake up and get out of the car.After grumbling about being woke up,my kids,who weren't impressed by much as teenagers,looked up and went "HOLY COW!".When I worked there I used to sleep outside when temperatures would allow it just to wake up every now and then and watch the stars.Everything is so bright and defined that you can see the constellations rotating through the sky as you look at them every couple of hrs.It's an experience lost to 90% of Americans today.

[Bob Blockus]

big bend National Park Texas. inside 30 miles. any thoughts on what I can do inside this park on day's off from work? thinking about camping for looking at the stars at night. have big REI dome tent.

[James2496]

Originally Posted by atxcio

I can talk about the Texas stretch...

Don't try to bypass Houston. I-10 has recently been upgraded and is mega-huge through there, so you will not be slowed down by going right through on 10. Just drive on through, but try to avoid doing so during rush hour.

Same with San Antonio. I-10 is not as big there, but SA is an easy city to drive through. No need to bypass. But if you were wanting to see or stop in cities like Fredericksburg or Austin, or see Enchanted Rock you could hop up to 290 when you are still east of SA and it would hook back up to I-10 near Junction.

** important tip ** Keep in mind that the stretch of I-10 from San Antonio to Big Bend is very desolate. It is a very common place to get a speeding ticket, so watch the speed. Chances are one of the few cars you will see are state troopers, and they are ready to hit you up with high-dollar tickets. They stop everyone it seems. Don't have anything in your car you don't want the police to find.

Get gas where you can, have a plan of where to stay (and maybe a reservation) if you not are going to drive all the way through -- there are not many options.

Once you get out to where you'll have to get off I-10, the towns of Marfa, Alpine, and Marathon are neat little west Texas towns. Marfa has the infamous "marfa lights" (ufo enthusiasts), Alpine is one of the bigger cities out there with restaurants, hotels and shops... and Marathon has the wonderful Gage Motel and a small strip with shops.

Next to the National Park is the tiny city of Terlingua. It's home to the world famous chili cookoff (actually 2 of them) in November. There is also some big mountain bike ride that happens there each year. The Starlight Theatre (Home Page) and La Kiva (la Kiva Restaurant & Bar Terlingua Texas, Home) are great places to have a bite, a drink (or several), and watch a band with some crazy west Texas people.

Right up against the border is the Lajitas resort, some guy's vision of building a full-scale resort in the middle of nowhere. There is good mountain biking, golf and equestrian out there. Before 9/11 you could play a course that traversed both the US and Mexican side of the Rio Grande.

Remember also that since Big Bend is so close to the border, it's not uncommon to encounter Border Patrol checkpoints anywhere in the area. Big Bend itself also runs checkpoints for proper park passes and inspection stickers, tags, etc.

hope this helps.

Great suggestions. You also get to drive 80 mph part of the way after you pass Pecos, but it is even hard to keep it down to 80.

[James2496]

Originally Posted by Bob Blockus

Yes Made it and had the thrill of first major Wind Dust Storm on the first day that knocked out power for half the night. Study Butte (pronounced Stewdy Byoot) and Terlingua Location for two months. have off from work Thursday's and Friday's. it is an isolated location not much to do. working for Forever Resorts Company at both locations Big Bend Texas and Grand Canyon.

Sorry about my recent post. Didn't realize we were talking February. You are apparently already there.