When we left Arizona, our sites were set on Louisiana with a side trip up to one of our favorite Texas towns, Fredericksburg. We had an overnight stop at the Wilcox Elks Lodge and headed out bright and early to make it to Sunland Park Racetrack in El Paso by the end of our travel day.
We made a pit stop near Las Cruces for Lily and paid a visit to the Giant Roadrunner.
From here, we are only a 45 minute drive to the racetrack, (depending upon traffic and construction in that area)
The Casino/Racetrack is a place we stop often in order to time our drive through El Paso during the least amount of traffic. However, it seems any more the El Paso freeway (I-10) just always seems to be under construction and the traffic is Nuts.
The Racetrack parking lot used to be a place where you could boondock for no charge by simply registering at the Casino. Now dry camping is no longer allowed and you must choose a hookup site for $15.00 a night. That is W and E onsite and the dump station is a bit out of the way situated near the stables. The fun part is when there is a big race or early mornings you have a nice view of the horses on the track.
It is here that we really decided to head south to Marfa and eventually on to Big Bend National Park. We took this trip with Bill and Gisela last year but we didn’t have time to stay in the park. This time we will also take the route to Big Bend Ranch State Park, also known as “The Other Side of Nowhere”
Pulling off the road a few miles North of Valentine, Texas we found the PRADA MARFA “Store”
Prada Marfa is a one-room white-stucco-wall replica of the kind of real Prada stores one can find in select and, well, more populated parts of the world—everywhere from Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue to Tokyo’s Shinjuku. Except this one is outside the town of Valentine, Texas which has a reported population of 132, and a median household income of $45,670 (that’s approximately seventeen Prada bags). And this Prada features a handful of lifeless handbags, covered in a light film of desert dust, along with three rows of only right-footed size 6 Prada shoes. It isn’t open for business. And it never will be. This is a permanent sculpture by Elmgreen and Dragset.
Behind the Prada display is a “Padlock Fence” We saw it last year and didn’t’ have an extra padlock to leave here and this year is no different. However, I left my ESCAPEES Name tag lanyard on the fence for good luck that I’ve had for nine years on the fence to give a shout out to the greatest RV Club in the US.
This trip we skipped the Marfa downtown and spent one night at the Marfa Lights Viewing Area. It is located about five miles south of town. The lights began early this time, just as the sun was setting. The parking area was full of RVs as well as vehicles filled with visitors from Marfa. We pulled out our chairs with Bill and Sue poured a glass of wine and entertained ourselves with the twinkling lights and visiting with other visitors. We met a fun couple from College Station, TX. It was a memorable evening.
Mark and I had tried a couple years ago to go to Presidio and take the River Road on to Big Bend but we encountered an engine warning light malfunction and had to postpone that trip for another time. At last we are back on that itinerary.
In Presidio we stayed at the Loma Paloma RV park just East of town. The park is under new Ownership and everyone working at this park was friendly and welcoming. It’s a dirt parking area but the spaces were large and had views of the mountains. Passport America and Escapees Discounts are available. Passport America was $17.00 for the first night and $21.00 for each night thereafter.
We are here now to explore parts of Big Bend Ranch State Park, an often overlooked area. Most people head for the big sister park… Big Bend National Park. This is a stretch of land that for me has often seemed so distant and so remote that it would take a lot of planning and logistics to make the trip here. Ha! We didn’t do any planning, just said Let’s Go! Bill and Sue found the RV park and away we went.
Driving through Big Bend Ranch is not for the faint of heart or low of undercarriage. “Be prepared for self-extraction,” warns the Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept guide about the “unmaintained 4×4 high-clearance roads.” Help is most assuredly not around the corner; it is hours, if not a couple days, away, and that’s if you manage to alert anyone to your predicament.
If Nothing is what you are looking for, You have come to the right place. Perhaps, Nothing in this case is Everything! There are miles and miles of Jeep roads, hikes and view points that are like no other. We likely needed more time to explore this State Park in order to find its heart and soul.
We joined Bill and Sue in their truck for a drive down River Road (FM170), and we went all the way to Lajitas, about forty miles.
This is the kind of road that you need to travel without being in a hurry, and sitting in the backseat of a convertible would be a bonus. The jaw dropping scenery is right, left up to the sky and down to the river. We made several stops along the way at overlooks and trailheads.
National Geographic once published a statement that the River Road , Highway 170, from Presidio to Lajitas is one of the most picturesque roadways in North America.
Sue and I had fun photographing the flowers and natural wonders along the river road.
The area around present-day Presidio is thought to be the oldest continuously cultivated area in the United States. Evidence shows that the land has been farmed since 1500 B.C.
Today the town of Presidio seemed sleepy and not much going on. One of the many highlights of our stay was Breakfast at THE BEAN. The boys declared the Huevos Rancheros to be superb. Sue and Bill delivered a plate of Mexican Pastries one day and we knew a trip back to the bakery was a must.
We walked to the Bakery where Miguel was one of the bakers. We all came out with bags of pastries and a kilo of warm, fresh-made tortillas. We were standing on the porch sampling the tortillas and a local Policeman walked up behind us and said “You are All under Arrest for eating without me” …. then he proceeded into the bakery. A little local humor on a Sunday Morning.
We took a bike ride around the wildlife wetland area and along the Rio Grande Levee.
There are MILES of Jeep roads throughout the State Park and we took a few hours to explore and look for wildlife.
After two nights at Loma Paloma park and we are ready for the next leg of the trip to Big Bend National Park and the Rio Grande Village Campground.
WOW, you two really did take the long way home. That was an adventure. I think a stay at the Lajitas Resort for a few days would be a great getaway. I hope you keep that dream in your sights and go for it. You won’t regret it.
We traveled the same road! We decided last minute to drive home through the same areas that you guys went! We finally got home around 3am! 🙂 But, oh so worth it! We’ve told so many people about your travels and it has us dreaming to do the same! Can’t wait to see where the road takes you next!