Catch up from Big Bend NP

OK, I know I've been away from this for almost a month now (between my last two posts) so I'm going to attempt a brief recap so I can move along in a continuous, chronological, uninterrupted space/time continuum.

First, back to Big Bend, TX in February. Whew, that was a while ago. I left off at day two. Day three was the first day of a two-day backpacking trip into the Chisos Mtns. Day four, was the hike out, hitting Emory Peak, the tallest point in the park along the way. Day five was a 31 mile mountain bike ride through the Texas desert along the route of the Mas o Menos race being held the following weekend. Felt great to be out on a mountain bike in the desert heat, but I sure was whipped by the end. Hopping on a rented hardtail for the 3 1/2 hour ride was a tough introduction to the riding season for me. Day six was a tourist day into the Santa Elena Canyon of the Rio Grande, then a 30 mile road ride east from Big Bend NP to Terlingua with two guys who lived and worked in Big Bend. There was a small restaurant in Terlingua that offered a two-for-one burger night every Monday and apparently, it is tradition for a group of park employees to ride their bikes out there, then catch rides back with folks who drove. That was definitely one of the highlights of the trip... riding off into the Texas sunset with Burgers and Shiner Bock waiting at the finish.

And then... it was back to the icebox...