Border Highway

As I mentioned in my first post, there really isn't any such thing as a border highway. Roads that parallel the border for a while inevitably get blocked by natural features or military bases, and you must detour far inland before getting back to the border again.

But in the Big Bend region of Texas, there's one road that follows the border very closely: Farm Road 170, which leads from Presidio to Lajitas, Terlingua, and Big Bend National Park. It follows the Rio Grande for about 40 miles through some of the most beautiful landscapes on the entire river.

After the usual morning meetings and emails, I packed up and headed out of Marfa toward Presidio. The first thing that I discovered was that my pronghorn buck was not the only pronghorn lingering on the edge of town.

The ride to Presidio took an hour through interesting terrain and changing habitats. Thorn trees and yuccas gave way to creosote and ocotillo. Presidio itself was a fairly ugly little town. FM 170 took off east and at first there were quite a few houses and farms, but gradually those thinned out. I could see the beginnings of the hills and cliffs that made this route so popular.

The road was frustrating, because it was a great technical road that invited spirited riding, but the scenery was so grand that it invited you to slow down and look. I chose the latter.

This was as close to Mexico as my little Ninja is ever likely to get.

And the flowers... might as well just insert some flower pictures here and get it over with.

The landscape got more intense. At one point, the road descended a hill with a 15% grade for half a mile. The canyon walls closed in. Strange rock formations appeared.

At Lajitas, 170 swung inland from the Rio Grande toward Terlingua. I stopped there for a late lunch in a bar and grill connected to a hotel. Although I had only covered about 125 miles, slowly, I was considering staying here.. I struck a deal with the hotel manager, dumped my stuff in the room, and took off for nearby Big Bend National Park.

By the time I returned I had covered 100 miles, down to the river at Santa Elena Canyon and back, through a small thunderstorm. That's a wonderful ride. So many great views and varied terrain.

At the midpoint of my ride I got severe indigestion, probably from the "Terlingua Competition Chili" that I chose for lunch. It moderated to just plain discomfort by the time I finally got to the hotel, and after resting I went back for dinner, choosing a simple cheese and steak quesadilla this time.

I left the restaurant and stepped out into the parking lot, shocked by the vivid sky. Stars blazed in the clear blackness. On the northern horizon a distant storm flashed soundless lightning bolts five, ten times a minute.across 40 miles of sky. The Milky Way shone clearly Even nearby porch lights couldn't kill the buzz. As I looked south at the constellations, diffuse flashes from the north weirdly backlighted the display.