The Field Lab

Tuesday, November 9, 2010


No trip to Terlingua is complete without a visit to The Field Lab. John Wells started this off-grid, sustainable living experiment about four years ago, and keeps his many followers up to date with the progress via his blog. 


We visited John for the first time on the trip last year. He seems to enjoy showing visitors around the place, so we felt comfortable going by for another visit this year. He was home, and expecting us. 


There was a lot of progress around the place since last year. The big, new project when we arrived this time was a recently completed dam of a small arroyo on his property. When it ever rains, he is going to have a small, deep lake there. 


He wanted to show us a new section of the property, a recently purchased twenty more acres adjoining the the original section, so we all climbed aboard his little dune buggy for the ride over there. A short ride brought us to the edge of the canyon, a little ways downstream from the new dam. This was a beautiful spot, with excellent views of the surrounding mountains, and of the canyon below. He told us that the long term plans called for a couple of guest cabins here, overlooking the canyon. I sure would like to spend some time here when he gets them finished.

Back at the house, we visited for a while more, and talked about the progress of the huge greenhouse there. He was about to start on finishing up the roofing of the greenhouse, then the gutters and tanks of the water catchment system. The greenhouse should be water self-sufficient with the capture and storage of all the water coming off the roof. What an awesome project this is. He's been working on it for a couple years, now. When complete, it should supply him with all the fresh vegetables he can eat, and maybe some left over to sell, or barter. 

It was great to see John again. He's such a friendly, upbeat guy. We really enjoy visiting him. Through his blog, we have learned so much about a so many different things. He is a very intelligent guy, and the followers who comment on the blog all contribute so much to the conversation, and supply their own insight and wisdom. Most of us would be hard pressed to  keep up with his energy level and persistence, though. We wish we could visit more often, but, until next time, we'll just have to follow along on the blog.

Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive

Monday, November 8, 2010

After leaving Terlingua Ranch, we drove down into Study Butte, to stop at the bank and the Study Butte Mall. We needed to hit the ATM for cash, and the Study Butte Store for road munchies for our afternoon in Big Bend Park. The Study Butte Store is my favorite store anywhere! 


Stocked up with gas and supplies, we headed down into the park. We decided on Ross Maxwell scenic drive on the west side of the park. This is a beautiful drive along the western edge of the Chisos Mountains, through the desert and down to the Rio Grande River at Castolon, and Santa Elena Canyon.

We stopped at the beautiful overlook at the Homer Wilson Ranch, then headed down to the Mule Ears Peaks overlook. After taking lots of pictures, we got back on the road and drove on down to Castolon. 

Coming into Castolon, the most prominent feature is the majestic Cerro Castellan, a large, flat topped mountain standing alone in the desert. I always like to take a good picture of Castellan when I'm in the area - it's just so beautiful.


Our favorite thing to do in Castolon is to buy an ice cream, and eat it on  the porch of the store. From the porch, there is a beautiful view across the desert to Santa Elena Canyon. 


SLIDESHOW

Terlingua Ranch

Monday, November 8, 2010

Our plan for this day was to head to visit our friend John Wells at his "Southwest Texas Alternative Energy and Sustainable Living Field Laboratory", or The Field Lab for short. This is his off-the-grid homestead in the Terlingua Ranch area, about fifteen miles north of Study Butte. John's place is a couple miles off Hwy. 118, along one of the unpaved ranch roads. John was not home when we got there, so we left a note on his door. We went back to the paved road and stopped at The Grub Shack to see if anyone there knew when John would be back. No one there had any information about John, so we left. 


Since we were at the main entrance to Terlingua Ranch, we decided to head on over to the Terlingua Ranch Lodge, the heart of this development. Calling it a development is sort of contrary to what it really is. True, they have sub-divided a large portion of the desert here, and sold lots to a lot of people, but there is no development to speak of. There are a few scattered homesteads, but the only development is the Lodge. There is a paved road for most of the way from Hwy. 118 to the lodge, a distance of about sixteen miles. 

If you're looking for a secluded get-away, this is the place. It's not primitive, but it sure is rustic. There is the main office, a great two story hall made of stone that serves as the restaurant and dance hall. There are also some cabins for rent, RV spaces and a restroom building with showers, a swimming pool, a great outdoor plaza, a shooting range, and a game processing shop. Evidently there is some good hunting in the surrounding hills and mountains. They also have an airstrip for those who want to fly in.  

We had been here once before, several years ago. I had heard that the Lodge had closed, and so, wanted to go check it out for myself. We went to the office and there were three people there who assured us that the Lodge was indeed open for business. Good news. They gave us permission to wander around the place, so we spent about an hour there taking pictures.

I'd like to stay here at the Lodge for a few days, but it seems the only time we're in the area is during the Chili Cook-Off. From the Lodge back to the highway is about sixteen miles, and from there it's about twenty more miles down to the Chili Cook-Off, a bit too far to be driving every day during the Chili Cook-Off. We may come down some other time just to stay at the Lodge and chill out.  

Window Trail

Sunday, November 7, 2010


Sunday morning at the Chili Cook-Off is the day everyone packs up and leaves for home. Ok Hwa and I were staying on for the rest of the week, so we were spared this task for a few more days. We helped our friends with their loading, said our goodbyes, and they were gone. It gets pretty lonely up on the hill when everyone leaves.


We filled our remaining time in Terlingua by staying as active as we could. After everyone left, we headed into Big Bend Park to do some exploring. Up in the Basin area we decided to hike the Window Trail. According to the "Hiker's Guide To Trails Of Big Bend National Park" the Window Trail is of medium difficulty, 5.2 miles round trip. Here is their description: "The trail starts at the Basin Trailhead but can also be picked up next to site #52 in the Basin Campground, cutting off several hundred feet in elevation and 1.2 miles in distance. Unlike most trails in the park, this one goes downhill in the beginning with a gradual climb on the way back. There is an elevation change of about 800 feet. Be sure to take water with you. The trail offers a wide variety of plants and the opportunity to see many different birds. The trail crosses a stream of water near the end; you may have to jump across it or use stepping stones. The Oak Spring Trail joins the Window Trail about 1/4 mile from the end. Hike up this trail a short way to an overlook with great views of the desert, Oak Creek Canyon, and Casa Grande".


We started our hike in the Basin Campground, to cut off a little of the distance and elevation. The first part of the trail meanders through the open scrub of the Basin, then gradually enters an ever narrowing canyon. It's hard to say where the dividing line is between the open scrub and the canyon, but the farther you go the narrower the canyon becomes. The last 1/4 mile is the most dramatic, as you get closer to the Window. The little stream was barely trickling water. It would be very dangerous to hike this section after a rain, as the rock becomes very slick and smooth due to the effect of running water over the years. The Window itself is very dramatic. It is situated a couple thousand feet above the desert below, and the view from there is fantastic. It is the only outlet for any rain run-off coming out of the Basin. I got as close to the drop-off as I dared. I wanted to get a good picture, but was terrified of falling off.  


We took a lot of pictures of the Window area, from as many angles as we could think of, then  started the hike back up to the campground. I have to give Ok Hwa a compliment here, because she didn't complain a bit about the long hike. It was slower going uphill on the return trip, but we made it with no trouble. 


On the way back to our campsite in Terlingua, we stopped off at the Big Bend Motor Inn to clean up in their coin-op showers. We had dinner at camp and spent a quiet evening under the stars.


The Video Of Our Hike: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rE98t-RaS6c

The Slide Show Of Our Hike: http://picasaweb.google.com/Ohareallen/WindowTrail#slideshow/5548823845592156178

Chili Cook-Off

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Due to a late evening on Friday, I slept very late on Saturday morning. Ok Hwa was up early, as usual, and had breakfast ready for me when I rolled out. 


We stayed at the Chili Cook-Off all day, which is unusual for us. The final judging for all the chili entries takes place on Saturday. All entries must be turned in by noon. P.A. announcements from the stage were read at short intervals throughout the afternoon. They helped keep all the campers updated on what was going on in the judging area. Mark and Barbara were judges again this year, so they spent a good amount of time walking between our camp on the hill and the judging shed. Sometime during the afternoon they hiked over to the Ghost Town, about two miles away. They caught a ride back with someone a little later. 


As afternoon turned into evening, we were looking forward to the evening's entertainment: Mike Blakely with Thomas Michael Riley, followed by Pinche Gringos. The Pinche Gringos are a local band from Terlingua. They are one of the best live bands we've seen, and we were really looking forward to their set. They are a crowd favorite. We listened to Mike and Thomas from our campsite on the hill, then walked down to the stage at the judging shed for the Gringos set. I made a couple of videos of them, then put the camera away to enjoy the show and dance. What fun! Here are the videos:


PINCHE GRINGOS Mexican Cumbia

PINCHE GRINGOS "Treat Her Right"


WEB LINKS:


Official website of the Chili Cook-Off: Click Here


Official website of Terlingua Ghost Town: Click Here

Pinche Gringos: Click Here

Mike Blakely: Click Here

Thomas Michael Riley: Click Here

PINE CANYON HIKE Friday, November 5, 2010

It's becoming a tradition with our little camping party to take a nice, long hike in Big Bend Park on the Friday of the Chili Cook-Off.

Most of our group were there at our Margarita Hill campsite by Thursday evening. Ok Hwa and I, Steve and Kristy, Mark and Barbara, and Jack and Teresa had all arrived by Thursday, and we were expecting Mike and Maria sometime Friday. On Friday morning we got together and decided on a hike. Last year it was a guys only hike/climb to the top of Casa Grande mountain. That was a tough, but rewarding day. This year it was co-ed, so we decided not to climb any mountains. A couple of us suggested the Pine Canyon trail. It was agreed, and we loaded up in the Bronco and headed out. Along for the hike were Mark, Barbara, Jack, Ok Hwa, and myself. Steve and Kristy were going to drive into Alpine for the day. Teresa had injured herself riding my little motorcycle earlier in the day, so she was grounded with a severely sprained ankle.

Pine Canyon is on the east side of the Chisos Mountains. From Panther Junction Park Headquarters, you travel southeast on the main park road approximately six miles to the Glenn Springs road. This is an unpaved, back country road for high clearance, four-wheel drive vehicles. Down the Glenn Springs road about two miles is where the Pine Canyon Road cuts off to the right, and heads around Nugent Mountain, and up into Pine Canyon. It's another two miles or so up to the end of the road at the trailhead.

We piled out of the Bronco at the trailhead, and got on our backpacks and checked our water bottles. Mark is the alpha male in our group, and by far the strongest hiker. He and Jack started off in the lead, with Barbara following, and Ok Hwa and me in the rear. I knew Ok Hwa would slow me down, but I was resigned to keeping at her slow pace. After about a quarter mile, she decided it was too much for her, and went back down to wait for us at the car. She would busy herself taking nature pictures 'til we got back. So, freed from her slow pace, I tried to catch up with the others.

From the "Hikers Guide to Trails of Big Bend National Park" published by Big Bend Natural History Association, here is the following description of Pine Canyon Trail: "Medium difficulty. 4.0 miles round trip. The trail begins in sotol grasslands at the end of the Pine Canyon primitive road. Check with ranger about road conditions before you go. The trail climbs up through open desert grasslands for a mile before entering the canyon. Once in Pine Canyon, the trail winds through a heavily wooded section where Mexican pinyon pine, junipers, and oaks are common. Further ahead you will find ponderosa pine, Texas madrone, bigtooth maple, and Emory and Graves oaks. The trail ends at the base of a 200-foot cliff that becomes a delightful waterfall after heavy rainstorms. Longspur columbines grow under tall oak and maple trees near the base of the intermittent waterfall."

I caught up with Barbara about at the place where it turns from grassland into wooded canyon. We hiked along together, stopping occasionally to take pictures. I had also been making small video segments along the way. We knew we'd never catch up to Mark and Jack, so we didn't even try. The wooded section through the canyon was so beautiful and cool. What a welcome relief from the bright sun out in the desert. We were amazed at how cool it was up among the trees, probably a twenty degree difference from out in the sun.

At last we caught up to Mark and Jack. They were waiting for us at the end of the trail. We all thought it would be a very nice place to camp there at the base of the cliff. As long as it did not rain.

When we arrived back at our camp at the Chili Cook-Off, Mike and Maria had arrived. That completed our group. That night we enjoyed a beautiful night under the stars listening to the music of Mark David Manders, and the King Bucks.

Official site of Big Bend National Park: http://www.nps.gov/bibe/index.htm

Official site of the Chili Cook-Off: http://www.abowlofred.com/

Mark David Manders: http://www.markdavidmanders.com/

The King Bucks: http://www.thekingbucks.com/Site/Home.html

The Road To Terlingua

Thursday, November 4, 2010


The road to Terlingua is long, no matter where you're coming from. Even from the nearest city, Alpine TX, it is eighty miles. From my house it's just under six hundred miles. That's a day's (or night's) work.

After working all night, I got off work Wednesday, November 4 at 11:00 in the morning. I came home, showered, and went to bed for some much needed sleep. I got up at 7:00 PM and we set about loading up the Bronco and the trailer. I wanted to take the little bike, the Yamaha TW 200, so it went on the trailer first. Then we loaded all our camping gear around it, and the rest we crammed into the back of the Bronco.

We finally pulled out at 11:30 PM. It's freeway for the first four hundred miles or so. We take I-30 west through downtown Dallas, and just west of Fort Worth we get on I-20 for the long ride out to Monahans. There we turn off of the freeway onto Texas state route 18. About seven miles south of town we take the "Coyanosa Cut-Off" as we call it, Farm Road 1776. This shoots straight south, bypassing Fort Stockton, all the way down to US 90, a distance of about one hundred miles. At I-10 this road turns into US 67, but there are no turns. The sun came up on us along this stretch, dawn breaking on Thursday, November 5. From the US 90 junction it's about five miles west into the town of Alpine, Texas.

At Alpine we stopped for a much needed break, and to do some shopping. Porter's Thriftway is the grocery store in Alpine where we stock up on food and beverages for the week. After that we had a thirty minute wait at Twin Peaks Liquors "Best Price And Selection West Of The Pecos". It was 9:30, and they didn't open up 'til 10:00.

Grocery and liquored up, we hopped back in the Bronco for the final eighty miles south to Terlingua. The first twenty miles south of Alpine, along Texas state route 118, is some of the prettiest country anywhere. The rolling hills and mountains there are just perfect. There are a number of ranches and small homesteads along through there, but not much to spoil the scenery. After this section the road droops down, levels out and shoots across the flat desert another fifty miles or so, 'til it comes to the mountains, and the steep mountain pass leading down into Study Butte. There is a "T" intersection there, the junction of Texas state highways 118 and 170. 118 continues on south another five miles or so, to Big Bend National Park. 170 cuts off to the west, and it's only four miles over to Terlingua, seventeen miles from there over to Lajitas, and fifty miles from there along the "River Road" to Presidio, Texas. This stretch of highway, from Lajitas to Presidio, Texas is one of the most spectacularly beautiful highways anywhere. Steep hills, sharp curves, desert, mountains, canyons, the Rio Grande River with Mexico on the far shore, all add up to make this an amazing ride.

Our destination was Terlingua, though, so we didn't travel the River Road over to Presidio. The grounds of the Terlingua Chili Cook-Off are about half way between Study Butte and Terlingua, just off the road behind the Terlingua Store. We pulled in, paid our admission and began setting up camp. This would be home for the next eight days.

The Official Website of the Terlingua Chili Cook-Off: www.abowlofred.com

The Official Website of Terlingua Ghost Town: www.ghosttowntexas.com

The Official Website of Big Bend National Park: www.nps.gov/bibe/