Appreciate the offer, and I'll be looking out for you guys
-
Welcome to the Two Wheeled Texans community! 
Feel free to hang out and lurk as long as you like. However, we would like to encourage you to register so that you can join the community and use the numerous features on the site. After registering, don't forget to post up an introduction!
Short visit to Big Bend
- Thread starter Rydah
- Start date
TNC
0
Man, you are so correct. When I go to the "area", I usually end up doing 3 weeks. Sure, I'm retired with plenty of free time, but it takes about 3 weeks for me to get a real BB fix. I just got back from a 3 week stint there from the BBRSP, Chispa, Pinto Canyon, Terlingua Ranch roads, and of course the BBNP...didn't even make it to the BGWMA like I often do.
This time was a little different in that nearly half that time I got to ride with a group of friends. DFW Warrior, you're right about Old Ore Road's current condition. There were 2 or 3 spots that were somewhat unrecognizable from the spring. It was definitely rideable, but as rough as I've ever seen. The real "tell" for Old Ore was that there was no traffic out there going north from Ernst Tinaja on the 2 times I was out there this month. And, where you would commonly see two-wheel drive cars as far out as Ernst Tinaja from Rio Grande Village, even that stretch of Old Ore had a few spots that required high clearance vehicles and maybe even 4WD.
On the Terlingua Ranch roads, even the folks at the HQ on the ranch seem very open to people driving on the roads. Like DFW Warrior mentioned, I have a guest permission to ride those roads, but I've never had any negative encounters riding out there. On this trip we made 3 different outings on the ranch roads, and I'll bet we only saw 3 vehicles out there on 3 days. One day we went all the way to the intersection of Hen Egg and Blue Ridge in the far NW, and we saw no one except on County Road South near 170. Of course, you make all efforts to avoid anyone's driveway path or being an idiot when going past occupied residences. When I see people outside on their property, they almost always wave in a friendly manner. Yes, there has been the occasionally rare case of a "disturbed" person out there, but that is not the norm by any means.
Good to see a fellow bill out there.
It was great to see you out there too! Have fun on the rest of your trip.
Well, I certainly missed out on a lot of fun! 
I had to cancel the riding part of our trip last minute, but we still came out and are having a great time doing some family bonding. I think I might have seen TripleBilly heading back towards Study Butte from the north on 118 today(?). It was a rider in what looked like a DRZ with a white helmet. Hats off to you and your wife, @DFW_Warrior; we drove Old Ore from the south up to Ernst Tenaja, and it was certainly rough. It took us around 30 minutes to do the 4.4 miles! Glad to hear y'all are having a great time though, and I'll just have to hit it again some other time. Be safe and post up pics/vids if you have them.
I had to cancel the riding part of our trip last minute, but we still came out and are having a great time doing some family bonding. I think I might have seen TripleBilly heading back towards Study Butte from the north on 118 today(?). It was a rider in what looked like a DRZ with a white helmet. Hats off to you and your wife, @DFW_Warrior; we drove Old Ore from the south up to Ernst Tenaja, and it was certainly rough. It took us around 30 minutes to do the 4.4 miles! Glad to hear y'all are having a great time though, and I'll just have to hit it again some other time. Be safe and post up pics/vids if you have them.
It certainly wasn’t “easy” with the road conditions that are out there right now. It is quite cobby.
But I will say this, for this being my first time ever being out here the week before Christmas, this is quickly becoming my favorite time to be here. The place is DEAD, but everything is open. Our RV park is maybe 10% full. BJ’s down the street literally has one RV in the entire park.
There have been zero lines anywhere, including Long Draw where we just walked right in and ordered.
This has been a fantastic time to be here.
Oh man, and that is the easiest part of Old Ore too. After the Tinaja, it gets sporty pretty quick.
Glad you are out here having fun. Riding or not it doesn’t matter just so long as you are enjoying your time here.
Simmons1
0
- Joined
- May 29, 2005
- Messages
- 5,816
- Reaction score
- 1,541
- Location
- Out Riding
- First Name
- Rich
- Last Name
- Simmons
It was pretty much the same when we were there in mid November.
TNC
0
Shhhhhh!
TNC
0
Shhhhhhh!
We had a hiking day today and hiked Lost Mine Trail.
We did the Santa Elena canyon hike today, and saw these as we were leaving the parking lot. It gets a little cool in the mornings here, but Hippo Hands? Really?!
Then we saw their plates...
Then we saw their plates...
Sssshh!
Jeff S
Forum Supporter
Man, that's an impressive ride!Then we saw their plates...
Right!?
Rode the Terlingua ranch road through sunset. It felt like riding into a painting. Not 5 minutes after I went over the cattle grate, I spooked a bull elk that had its head in thr brush into the road. I rode behind him for about 30 seconds before I had shown down enough to put a big enough gap between us that he felt comfortable to slow down and jump off the road. I was coaching myself to watch for cows and donkeys and I see and elk!
I underestimated how much more I’ll have to do to get back to the hot springs, lol. Earplugs in and windbreaker on!
I underestimated how much more I’ll have to do to get back to the hot springs, lol. Earplugs in and windbreaker on!
Attachments
Last edited: