First off, go ahead and take everything you think you might know about Texas and sweep that shit right out the door. Second, fill up your cup of coffee or grab another beer because I’ve got stuff I want to tell you about.

I wound up waking up and getting started later than planned on Monday morning which created a requirement to shuffle around some loosely scheduled destinations. I noticed a little town called Alpine which is right at the start of where I’ve read is quite a scenic ride. I figured it would be perfect to start here rather than try and rush through all the things I wanted to do and see.

The road I jumped on leaving San Antonio is US Highway 90 and there wasn’t a whole lot to see aside from highway and gas stations until just after a boarder town called Del Rio. Before this town was my first boarder patrol check station. Was a little nerve racking for no apparent reason whatsoever other than I guess this is just a first for me. I went to pull out an ID and the guard simply asked if I was a US citizen. “Yes Sir,” Ok see ya later.  After Del Rio there was an infinite expanse of ranch-land, what I would describe as lush grassy shrubbery, fenced off for the length of the abyss and the occasional Texas style ranch entryway.

Then things started to get pleasantly less flat and slightly less green, and happened upon this magnificent bridge just after a town called Comstock.

I was really lucky with an overcast day that never necessitated the rain gear. Perfect riding weather for someone coming off that weekend bender. Eventually things became more and more mountainous, a really delightful surprise, I had no idea Texas could be this tranquil and beautiful.

The close I got to Alpine the better things were looking. I couldn’t believe when I rolled into town, it was nothing like another town I’ve been to thus far. It’s a little college town, home of Sul Ross State University with a downtown area inclusive of trendy bars and boutiques, everything in walking distance (Galveston still haunts me, never did hear back from anyone of those council members). The Holland Hotel is what I eventually wound up snagging on booking.com and it was absolutely the right choice. A historic hotel and building, right in walking distance and everything around and probably the most character/charm in a hotel I’ve been to, certainly on this trip so far. Take a whiff

Whew now this was only my way into Alpine. It only gets better once things are light again and I make my way south.

Texas Highway 118, a road where fairytales come when they need some inspiration. At least for the first 30 miles or so. It was beautiful, a perfect/boarderline brisk 72 ish degrees and lots to look at. I didn’t stop to take too many pictures because I was mainly enjoying the ride and I knew once I got to the National Park there’d be plenty to gawk at. Here’s one from 118 though

Interestingly enough, about 5 miles outside of the Town of Terlingua, the temperature went from my cool 72ish to like 95 almost instantly. We went from comfortable AC to hot hair dryer quite quickly.

Terlingua is interesting after being in Alpine. All of a sudden you ride around one more mountain and there’s this dusty desert town with places that are a toss up as to whether they are a functioning businesses or abandoned shack. Was a neat place. Also home of a little outskirt town called Terlingua Ghost Town, which was not actually a ghost town but a little desert town area with old looking business and whatnot.

So, in to Big Bend National Park. I was absolutely correct when I figured there’d be more stuff to look at once I got here. Like bear crossing signs.

After riding around in the park for a while and checking out the visitor center, I was off to FM170, the sole purpose for my venturing this far south in Texas in the first place. It goes from Terlingua to beyond a town called Presidio, where I was planning to head back north toward Alpine.

Did I mention I booked another night in Alpine? I liked it so much here I thought why not stay another day and take my time getting out.

Anywho, 170. After 118 and Big Bend, I figured nothing coming my way will really surprise me. Welp, I was wrong. No wonder this road is talked up, in fact it is no road, it is a ride and it takes you. Aside from riding in a furnace at like 105 degrees, the road was out of this world. Steep hills, crazy sharp turns, side-winding cutbacks and views of the Rio Grande all along. Oh and signs for cattle crossing, loose livestock, 15% grade, rock slides, falling rocks and flash floods (they actually had “Flood Gauges” which were like giant rulers in case there was water you could tell if it was 1 ft or 5 ft deep). Lucky for me though it was still a sunny furnace.

Along 170 there are trail markers for the Big Bend State Park system. I talked with a station ranger right at the beginning for some tips on cool sights along the way, and one of the recommended to-dos was a .7 mile trail called “Closed Canyon.”

I found the pull off for closed canyon and thought for a second. I have to leave all my stuff on the motorcycle a stone’s throw away from the boarder, I’m in 105 degree sunny heat, have long pants and steamy leather boots, no cell phone signal, a bottle of hot water. K lets do it. Bring the sunscreen.

It turned out to be totally worth it. A narrow passage of sheer canyon on either side of you, pools of grimy green river water, silence at some points and shaded most of the way.

Alright time to high tail it back to Alpine, feeling tired and hungry and about done with this furnace. Presidio was interesting, jumping onto 67 I could have went south straight into Mexico or north back toward a town called Marfa. You could see the town on the other side of the boarder. Neat.

About 10 miles or so outside of Presidio, the heat was ticking down until I had to stop and put on the damn rain gear, after which it became surprisingly chilly. Weather says 73 but seems colder to me at the moment. Very cool drastic changes in temperature.

Here I am back in town writing this post, but it doesn’t end here. Outside of that town called Marfa there’s a unique anomaly known as the Marfa Lights, a sort of unexplained display of dancing balls of light off in the ranch-land. Sounds like something I’ll have to check out.

Yesterday and today’s routes:

Thanks for the time Texas! Much more glorious than I imagined. Tomorrow I set forth toward Arizona. Later!