Day 2.
Friday April 20th, 2012

I awoke to another pleasant Alpine morning.
I sauntered outdoors to check and prepare for the days’ ride ahead of me
The air was fresh, cool and crisp. The warm rays of the sun began to filter through with the promise of a bright and hot day ahead. It was comfortable.
The possible promise of a day and conditions like this, are the stuff of a motorcyclists dream.
The backdrop of the mountains in the not so far distance complimented the lovely view I was taking in that pleased my senses to a great extent. Great enough to make my heart and soul smile with energy - and it showed..
Most of my group of friends, actually, all but me, were already in the breakfast area of the hotel, getting their morning “caffeine fix” of multiple cups of coffee.
All being well with the bike, I spent a couple of minutes to clean all the “bug-splatter” from my windshield and went back indoors for a quick breakfast.
Not being a big coffee drinker, 1 cup is all I had.
1 cup is all I needed.
I used it to chase down the continental breakfast, which was in itself, very nice.
So with all checks and preparations made for the days’ trip, we gathered around our bikes, bowed our heads in prayer and set off for The Big Bend National Park.
We headed downtown to a Valero corner store which Tony had picked out prior to our departure for us all to fuel up our iron horses. It gave us the chance to see a little bit more of the town of Alpine.
Pretty much like a lot of other cities it consisted of a main street, the main drag way, with businesses and residences flowing outwards from it with the usual gamut of convenience stores, public library, churches, eateries, fire department beer gardens, saloons and the like.
We then set off into the already heating up West Texas morning.
A few side streets we traversed brought us to the intersection of TX118 which then pointed us due south directly towards the entrance of the Big Bend National Park.
the road quality was exceptional.
As we did last year, we stopped again at the Cow Head Ranch to visit with the proprietors, who incidentally, remembered us fondly.
Well I was not too surprised about that.
Living out here in the middle of nowhere, there’s a very good chance that you’d remember the few people (relatively speaking) passing through. How many visitors would one really get?
I’d have no difficulty remembering people like us who come through.
They had made quite a few additions to the property, giving it an additional touch and taste of a true western desert ranch/corral.
an “out-house, a saloon with some posters depicting life of the days back then, some wanted posters of bad boys of the times, a wagon full of hay being drawn by a farmhand and without failing to mention, a big mound of dirt atop which sat an effigy of a cowboy on a chair with an arrow sticking out of him.
We took a walk around and reminisced with them, petted all the farm animals again, made a contribution to assist their efforts and continued our journey southwards.
The landscape along the way was still a worldly mix of Mountain ranges and desert land, interspersed with cacti and desert flora stretching all the way to the Rio Grande River that forms the boundary between us and Mexico.
Arriving at the junction of highway 170 and highway 118, we pulled into a Fina gas station for a rehydration break and fuel top up.
We met a young kid, who was simply captivated and mesmerized by our bikes - Doug’s in particular.
He only spoke french, so being the french-speaking individual in our group, I engaged him in conversation.
His dad is a brain/head injury surgeon who was here in the National Park administration, from the east coast, conducting a workshop for all the EMS first response service providers on how to “handle/respond” to brain and head injuries in the field.
I want to believe that this was in great part due to the fact that too many motorcyclists out here and one on the roads just refuse to wear helmets as a first line of personal defense in motorcycle crashes and injuries.
I introduced myself and the others to the gentleman he was with, who happened to be the Director of the Big Bend National park Service. he was occupying the young man whilst his dad was conducting the workshop/seminar.
What nicer way than to get a very personalized tour of part of the Big Bend area!
So Doug obliged him by letting him wear his safety helmet, picked him up and sat him on his bike.
I stood by, witnessed and immortalized the young man’s reaction. His eyes wide open with fascination. I could just imagine what was going on in his mind at that instant. I could see him already feeling that he was traveling at warp speed.
He then transcended to a higher cloud level when Doug “fired up” the bike engine and allowed him to gently rev up the engine. The kiddo was now in the biking zone!
His eyes gave it all away!
All too soon, the Director and us parted ways. Their time was limited. We were on holiday.
Taking advantage of our fuel and hydration stop, I gathered the group for a photo op.
And so after gathering for another prayer, we continued our journey along highway 118, due south again, towards Big Bend.

Arriving at the entrance to the …………………….. well, let me let this photo tell this part of the story.

It was a feeling of joyous accomplishment to have made it so far, knowing that I had only just touched the tip of the iceberg of what was to me, an unprecedented trip.
I truly felt that I was in the middle of nowhere!
The landscape around here is so different. To a great extent it can be described as surreal. The views are like nowhere else that I have ever seen or experienced.
The Chisos mountain range combines with the Chihuahuan Desert and the only things in sight are the mountain peaks for as far as your eyes can see, desert flora and somewhere in between, the Rio Grande.
I can easily and comfortably describe this place as “The Middle Of Nowhere”.
A long time ago, this part of the land was occupied by the Chisos Indian Tribe. The mountain ranges and the surrounding desert, take their names from them.
My throat was dry.
Humidity was low.
The sun was out hanging high in the clear sky.
I was thirsty.
I’ve always had a phobia when watching movies set in desert landscapes.
My throat and mouth get very dry, making me feel like they will lock up.
I get very thirsty and must have a bottle of water to drink within reach for the duration.
As a consequence I have tended to shy away from watching movies set in deserts.
So with photo taking formalities dispensed with I reached into my right saddlebag of the bike for a bottle of water.
But this time was different. I was enjoying being out here. The weather was pretty comfortable.
Being in the company of others as well seemed to make a difference.
It took my mind of the dry desert conditions.
I began to embrace the environment and take in the ambience.
2 mouthfuls of water. I did not require any more.
The rest of the water in the bottle went right back into the saddlebag.
We fell back into formation and headed into the park.
After all having taken care of requirements to visit the park, the Park Ranger in the entrance/welcome booth, wished us a pleasant visit. We took the opportunity to pull out into the first overlook just beyond the entrance where we gasped for several minutes with ooh’s and aah’s at the view we were presented with.
We then wound our way past the entrance gate.
Gathering at a lookout point, William briefed us on the park road trip we were about to embark on.
It was at this point in time we got to know how knowledgeable William was about the Big Bend Park/area.

For over 20 yrs. he, as a scout master, had brought the boys’ groups here every summer. He was well versed in the history and natural science of the area. So as he began to tell us about the flora and fauna, the mountain ranges and management of the park, I had every confidence and joy that we had a private “Ranger/Guide” all to ourselves for the whole day!
What a treat!
The stretch of The Rio Grande through the park, runs for about 244 miles of its 1255 mile international boundary with Mexico.
I was looking forward to the chance of seeing and experiencing it for myself from this area.
So with William leading the way, we followed on immaculately maintained roads at a legal speed limit of 45m.p.h.
He led us around to see some of the iconic spots/views of the park like “The Mule’s Ears”. This is a formation of 2 mountains which when viewed from the strategically constructed pull-out/look-out/observation area, shows a profile of : yes you guessed it, a mule’s ears!
At one vista, The Topol Vista, we stopped for a protracted break. From this vantage point one could see far out into the distance, looking across into part of the Mexican wilderness.

Soon, we left the vista.
The riding was very enjoyable.
The silence of the park was deafening!
I swear, in the absence of the sound of our bikes, you would hear a pin drop.
It was so serene.
Up and up we went. The ascent on the road was almost not noticeable. We were above 4000 ft. (2500 m) by now.
What gave it away to me was the pressure change I began to feel in my sensitive ears.
As we wound our way around the mountain bases, the views were stunning.
In some places, still being dwarfed by the immensity of the mountainous terrain around me, I had a feeling that if I so desired, I could just reach out my hand from the perch of my motorcycle and touch the canyon walls as I rode by.
Oh, boy. What a thrill!
A while later, we broke through the mountains felt like we had been “spilled” into a basin.
Quite literally, we had.
We had now entered the Chisos Basin.
The Chisos Basin is completely surrounded by a circle of mountains, having a single opening. This solitary opening was carved/gouged through the mountains when this basin was at one time in the past, full of water.
As the ground was uplifted by natural forces deep underground, the water began to find its way out, carving this natural path of flow for itself.
This opening is now known and referred to as “The Window”.
From within the basin, it affords the only views to the outside of the basin.
I was now truly surrounded by mountains.
Casa Grande (literally - “Big House” in Spanish), the name given to the biggest mountain in this ring formation creating the Chisos Basin, hovered over us.
Actually I think a better expression would be: It loomed over us with its immensity!
………… and true to American form, development has given presence to a visitor/tourist area/shop, attached to a restaurant, and lodging facilities to boot. Facilities which are booked years in advance.
It is truly a unique place. It is beautifully serene and the view through “The Window” is stunning!
I strolled up as close as I dared to “The Window”.
The view was jaw-droppingly amazing! As with the pictures from my camera, the views are indelibly etched into my memory.
So we made our way up to the totally glass-walled/lined restaurant and shared the pleasantries of lunch.
My time spent at the table was very little.
Camera in hand, I was strolling the patio (verandah - for those of us who speak real english) taking photos in an attempt to immortalize my experience in this beautiful location.
A post-lunch jaunt in the souvenir shop gave me the opportunity to pick up some gifts for my wife and kids as well as a couple of stickers indicating a visit to the big bend area which I proudly badged onto my bike’s windshield - a badge of honor, for having made it out to this naturally wonderful place on the face of this earth.
I was mesmerized! how could I ever forget this?
So all too soon, we began to load up and head out of the basin. William, with the rest of us in tow, pointed us due southwards in the direction of the bend of the river.
It was mountain range after mountain range after mountain range. It seemed like they were never ending. The views of the different rock formations were endless. Like us human beings, no two were identical.
The sky was clear blue. Not a cloud in sight. 3rd week of April produced temperatures in the low 70’s.
We could not have asked for better riding/outdoor conditions.
We rode at a pace that allowed me to really get to look at my surroundings. I tried to take it all in.
In a way, I wished this feeling would never end.
I had a perpetual smile on my face and in my being. Was this heaven?
We kept going and towards mid-afternoon we arrived at the southern terminus of the road where we found a visitor center and the usual gamut of a souvenir shop, an eatery, a campground and riverside park, parking lot and a gas station with 2 pumps.
All this beautifully set in the foothills of The Chihuahua Mountain Range and by the banks of the Rio Grande running by barely a couple of hundred yards away, with Mexico just across on the other bank of the river.
We all lined up to take on fuel. It had been a long trip to get here and with all the other bikes desperately in need of fuel, my ST had barely touched the half-tank mark. Even so I topped up as well, taking on just shy of 3 gallons at 7 bucks a gallon!
We did not balk at paying that price because in the whole of the Big Bend National Park area, this was 1 of only 2 gas stations available. All gas and supplies have to be trucked into this park, mandating the “high” cost of purchase/service ………………………. consider the alternative.
Without pre-preparation, that would definitely be the classic definition of stranded!
So with about 3 gallons of fuel, a small bottle of Pepsi and 25 bucks later, Ed, Teri and I were the brave ones to stroll down to the banks of the Rio Grande. I could not come this far and not explore the river bank.
So after exploring and experiencing area, and with the afternoon advancing, we prepared to make our way out of the park. We had over a hundred miles to go and did not want to be in the park after dark for safety reasons.
As we headed away the changing sunlight, as it was being filtered by the changing angle of the sun, made for some very vivid colors of the otherwise bland colors of the desert landscape.
We passed through a tunnel, bored through a mountain, which made for a thrilling couple of seconds.
Riding in formation behind Ed Johnson on his Harley, I knew for sure that he would - and he did - “rap” his throttle, with clutch engaged, amplifying and announcing the roaring sound of his engine as we passed through the tunnel together.
This was in such contrast to my super-quiet V4 ST1100 engine. I was in harmony with the serenity of the park.
With my video camera running, I made away with some more lovely footage of this section of the ride/trip, especially as we emerged from the low light condition of the tunnel into the now setting sun in the sky ahead of us.
Not too long afterwards, as the sun began to cast its long shadows, Ed, Teri and I pulled up to experience sundown in the park. With the accompanying plummeting temperatures of the desert landscape, we took the opportunity as well to don our warm weather protective garments and balaclavas and continue the early evening ride/journey towards Marathon, TX where we’d stop for dinner along the way back to Alpine,TX.
The changing colors of light as the sun’s rays got filtered through the clear and crisp feeling of the atmosphere, were testament to a photographers emphatic belief that this was truly one of the golden hours of the day.
So right at dark, we passed through the Customs and Border Patrol check point, where again, needless to mention, I was singled out and checked thoroughly. I seem to be a constant candidate for further investigation/checks overtime I pass through these CBP checkpoints.
After being cleared by CBP it was nice to see that Doug, Teri and Ed had pulled over to the side of the road and had waited very patiently for me as I spent time with the officers on duty, who by this time, had become very interested in my background and passion for traveling on a motorcycle.
After all, it’s not often they get to meet someone originating from the part of the world that I do, engaging in and having developed such a passion for this particular kind of activity/sport. This sport we call Sport Touring.
The rest of the group had gone ahead in order to find and reserve a place for dinner to accommodate us all.
Dinnertime did not pass quietly.
The enthusiasm and excitement with which our conversations and discussions of our riding day spilled over to the surrounding tables was contagious and before long we had fellow patrons of the restaurant sharing their experiences with us as well.
Some of whom were locals even offered suggestions of other nearby places for us to try to visit and experience for ourselves.
It all made for a really fun and excitement-packed day. We each had stories to tell. We each had different things to describe from all our different perspectives of what we had seen/been witness to throughout the day ……………. and speaking for myself, I was full of nothing but gratitude. Gratitude for the countless blessings of the experience of the day, gratitude for the friendship and camaraderie and most of all grateful for the life I was privileged to be living through my passion for motorcycling.
This had been a really full day of riding.

Next - BB Day 3