Texas - Texas Mountain Trail Big Bend Bike Ride

This ride was Roy's Dream.
He planned it for months in advance.
It all worked out just great.
Three riders with Chuck as SAG in Dave's car to haul the gear.

1394 car miles, 754 bike miles, 500 photos, 7 days travel.
Temps 60* to 98* no rain, no winds to amount to anything. Perfect Weather.

The Roads:

East 90 to 385 South

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/TMT%20BB%20Ride/90East.jpg

Looking North on 385 from Marathon TX

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/TMT%20BB%20Ride/IMG_0588.jpg

Buzzards wait for the weak.

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/TMT%20BB%20Ride/BuzzardS385.jpg

385 Check Point

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/TMT%20BB%20Ride/385S5miles.jpg

385 South

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/TMT%20BB%20Ride/IMG_3885.jpg

2627 to The Stillwell Ranch

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/TMT%20BB%20Ride/2627NfronSWS.jpg

2627 to The Rio Grande

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/TMT%20BB%20Ride/2627Storiver.jpg

Roy meets the road. Ouch

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/TMT%20BB%20Ride/Roysarm.jpg

68.5 miles to the Rio Grande River.

We all rode back in the car to The Stillwell Camp Site. It was now a Very Hot 98*

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/TMT%20BB%20Ride/SWCampSite.jpg

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/TMT%20BB%20Ride/StillwellCamp.jpg

I need one reply for more pics.

awesome so far. more pics please

awesome so far. more pics please

We leave The Stillwell Ranch and head into Big Bend Park to The Lodge.
5,800 Elevation

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/TMT%20BB%20Ride/IMG_3931.jpg

Met Dick and Gunter at The Park sign in station.
They are riding Self Contained.

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/TMT%20BB%20Ride/GandD.jpg

37 miles to Panter Junction. It was all Up.
Dave rode with a low rear tire.

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/TMT%20BB%20Ride/PantherJunction.jpg

Roy goes for The Top

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/TMT%20BB%20Ride/UpandUp.jpg


6 miles up to the Lodge

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/TMT%20BB%20Ride/RoyRidesUptoThelodge.jpg

He was the only rider to make the top

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/TMT%20BB%20Ride/Best.jpg



More tomorrow on the 60 mile ride along The Rio Grande River.

I love South Texas. Nothing compares to a s. Texas sky. Seems to go on forever. Never been to the Big Bend, but spent plenty of time on the Gulf coast, as my dad grew up in Corpus Christi. Looks like ya'll had a great ride.

Cool pictures. When I drove from Presidio to Houston, it was nighttime when I went through Marathon. I started counting deer, and spotted 60 deer in a 60 mile stretch there.

I got to drive the Scout Bus (a 40' school bus) up to the Big Bend lodge there. Going around those curves, the center of the bus would hang about 4' into the oncoming lane. Glad it wasn't busy.

Cool pictures. When I drove from Presidio to Houston, it was nighttime when I went through Marathon. I started counting deer, and spotted 60 deer in a 60 mile stretch there.

I got to drive the Scout Bus (a 40' school bus) up to the Big Bend lodge there. Going around those curves, the center of the bus would hang about 4' into the oncoming lane. Glad it wasn't busy.

Many Deer in the day time.
They don't seem to be afraid.
Chuck took these from the car.

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/TMT%20BB%20Ride/deer2.jpg

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/TMT%20BB%20Ride/Deer.jpg

More road pics:

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/TMT%20BB%20Ride/RG3.jpg

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/TMT%20BB%20Ride/RoyinCurve.jpg

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/TMT%20BB%20Ride/3toMarfa.jpg

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/TMT%20BB%20Ride/IMG_4247.jpg

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/TMT%20BB%20Ride/IMG_4141.jpg


http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/TMT%20BB%20Ride/20milesuphil-1.jpg

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/TMT%20BB%20Ride/FastandSmooth.jpg
http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/TMT%20BB%20Ride/IMG_0654best.jpg

Absolutely fantastic pictures and scenery. Is there any way you could please provide a route map? Would love to do that ride some day..

Thank you for letting us live vicariously through your rides.



http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/TMT%20BB%20Ride/IMG_4141.jpg


By this point, were you hoping that sign was stating you were 17 miles from fajitas?:p

We were five miles from the motel and food.

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/TMT%20BB%20Ride/t.jpg
http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/TMT%20BB%20Ride/IMG_4153.jpg


Great Food Here..






http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/TMT%20BB%20Ride/IMG_4160.jpg

Breakfast at The Ghost Town Cafe.

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/TMT%20BB%20Ride/Ghosttowncafe.jpg

Another post:

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=537268

ha HA hA HOW DO YOU GUYS make it look hilly out there in the desert///must be a camera trick!/Kenneth

Elevation goes up and down from 4800 feet.
One hill is 15% grade.

ha HA hA HOW DO YOU GUYS make it look hilly out there in the desert///must be a camera trick!/Kenneth

If you want a hill, ride up the Big Bend Lodge.
Here is Dave trying to make it.

YouTube- Dave is warm

Great pics. Thanks for sharing them.

That was awesome, beautiful scenery.

Great pics, 10 Wheels. I always enjoy seeing where other cyclists have been. Those open spaces have me wishing I was still on the road on my tour this summer.