A CannonRide Around the Bend (Big Bend Region)

[kbear]

Hey Cannon, I'm along for the ride on this one!

[refokus]

Oh Yes. I am in and looking forward to the great report and photos that I know will not dissapoint.

[Tn. Walrus]

Cannonride!!!!!

[No False Enthusiasm]

Tuned in with our favorite Cannoneer... have always enjoyed Ft. Davis... used to run the Prude Ranch Races every August.

Looking forward to your reports from further south...

NFE

PS: The road from Kent south to Ft. Davis is a great moto road...

[probe]

I'm in! I'll be heading that way,the last week of March. Love that region of Texas,Thanks for takeing me along on yer trip.

[Cannonshot]

Took a loop ride out of Fort Davis to check out some interesting places. I stripped some track off of this route before I posted it for some reasons I'll explain later on.


Starting out toward the observatory.


Davis Mountains State Park. I'll cover some lion trouble later on.


This park has a lodge that was constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps back in the 30s.


I think the CCC program was one of the best things that happened to this country. I think about 85% of this crew was hispanic. Camps were run by the Army.


The people that enrolled in the CCC often had only the clothes on their back and were usually under nourished. In the CCC they got clothing, excellent food, and a decent place to live - even in a camp. They also got the opportunity for classes after duty hours. They did a lot of great work and learned some excellent trade skills. I know I've covered some of their contributions in other ride reports. A menu and roster of men in the camp.


They used 120,000 adobe bricks that they made on site to build the first installment on this lodge. The bricks were made of clay, straw, and water.


There is a scenic drive that gets you up high in the park.


Looking back at the main part of the park. The lodge is in the background.




Camping.


Looking down at the fort at Fort Davis.


This is a hydroponic tomato growing facility out in the middle of the desert. Tomato plants are grown in water.


And I do mean out in the middle of the desert . . .


Looking at the town of Fort Davis.


The highway toward the observatory. Prude Ranch is down there too.


This is the Prude Ranch where No False Enthusiasm attended some events. It used to be a big cattle ranch but with the depression of the 1930s the place took a bad hit. The ranch owners decided to dump most of their land and concentrate on running a guest ranch which they had been doing on the side since 1921 anyway. People came by train from various places to spend some time relaxing at this facility. It is still going today. It all started in 1897.

[Cannonshot]

Originally Posted by Happycamper

Looking forward to the rest of the report.

Thanks for tuning in!

Originally Posted by kbear

Hey Cannon, I'm along for the ride on this one!

Hope you enjoy it.

Originally Posted by refokus

Oh Yes. I am in and looking forward to the great report and photos that I know will not dissapoint.

Thanks! Hope you find it entertaining.

Originally Posted by Tn. Walrus

Cannonride!!!!!

This one should be fun.

Originally Posted by No False Enthusiasm

Tuned in with our favorite Cannoneer... have always enjoyed Ft. Davis... used to run the Prude Ranch Races every August.

Looking forward to your reports from further south...

NFE

PS: The road from Kent south to Ft. Davis is a great moto road...

Thanks for joining in! I think that Davis-Kent-Balmorhea-Davis loop is a nice road ride that they promote in the area.

Originally Posted by probe

I'm in! I'll be heading that way,the last week of March. Love that region of Texas,Thanks for takeing me along on yer trip.

Thanks for coming along! Hope you have a great trip this month.

[Tn. Walrus]

What map are you using for your GPS software?

[Cannonshot]

Originally Posted by Tn. Walrus

What map are you using for your GPS software?

Garmin Topo. It doesn't light up any detail on the Mexico side of the border though (and sometimes I was right along the border).

[torgo]

Subscribed

[Cannonshot]

Riding toward the observatory.


Visitor center.




Quite accurate.


Some seven-year-old kid found this 1.500 pound meteorite near here in 1903. It made the rounds on exhibit and now rests here.


Museum exhibits at the visitor center.


I didn't take the full tour, but I did sit in on the presentation. Very interesting and it really puts things in perspective. Kind of humbling. Some will say it conflicts with about every religion on earth. They project some live telescope images of the sun during this presentation. Don't forget the sunscreen.


If you take the long tour you go inside one of these.


Since I didn't I got to check this one out on my own. Just ride up there and take a look. This is a visitor lobby and viewing area. The small tower next to the dome is a laser alignment tool for getting all the separate mirrors lined up.


Explanation of some of the components.


Looking back down the mountain to the visitor center.

[bigdon]

Excellent!

[Cannonshot]

Continuing on the Fort Davis day ride loop.


Nice run through the mountains. Scenic and sporty riding.






I sometimes run topo on one unit.


And City Nav on another. I used two units because I was recording tracks and verifying waypoints for others to use.




This extended drought has been tough in the region. Usually this is a nice looking plant.




Interesting rock formations.




Out of the mountains and onto a flat.


On to what is left of the small town of Valentine.


This town used to be something back in the day. A lot of cattle were shipped out of here by rail over the years. Rail shipping ended probably 20 years ago, now cattle are shipped by truck.


The town started up in 1882 with railroad construction. This was a rail division headquarters at one time.




Looking around, there seemed to be a lot of typical stuff you would find along the highway that is now abandoned (diner, gas, stores, etc). Much of the housing is abandoned as well.


Back in 1931, a magnitude 5.8 earthquake struck near here causing extensive damage. The quake was one of the most powerful ever recorded in Texas.


In the 1890s, Black Jack Ketchum robbed the store here in Valentine and took most of the candy. I guess that is how they figured out it was Ketchum because he was known for his love of candy.


City hall.


Water.


Someone put in this sculpture just outside Valentine.


It cost a few bucks to put in. It has since been vandalized and burglarized.


The location on the desert adds to the art.






After the initial round of damage, the exhibit was hardened with bullet proof windows and alarms. Some old boy had to test it I guess.


This guy came struggling by on a bicycle. He was going to Vermont.


He had been fighting the wind and was only making slow progress.


He was anxious to get to Valentine. I had to break the news to him that there was nothing there - that he hoped for anyway. I gave him my water as he needed it more than I did at the time. I saw him further down the highway later in the day and checked on him again. He was doing fine then.

[Questor]

Cannonshot.

That Prada Outlet store is amazing.

You find the strangest things.

Q~

[The Toad]

Cannonshot is my hero