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Saturday 2 February
We leave White's City and travel back to the Guardalupe Mountains - an elevation of 5,600ft - and then head south on highway 54 to Van Horn, travelling alongside the Sierra Diablo Mountains. Then SE on highway 90, climbing steadily to Marfa passing through a couple of ghost towns - so did we really see them?? Unsure of petrol supplies we top up in Marfa and then take "67" to Presidio. After 10 miles, the road turns into much awaited biking Nirvana - 70 miles of fast sweepers without a "bear" in sight - YIPPEE!. Presidio is a typical Mexican border town scattered with cantinas and taxfree shops. We top the tank again and head for Big Bend National Park on highway 170. This turns out to be an 82 mile rollercoaster ride tracking alongside the Rio Grande river to Lagitas. It seems strange that if you could corss the river, you could set foot in Mexico, without a fence or border crossing to stop you. Here we leave the river and climb into the Cishos Mountains to Big Bend National Park, our base for 4 nights. Total distance today - 320 miles.
Sunday 3 February
A liesurely day today, well one of the bike at least, turns into a 3 mile walk around one of the trails laid out int he Park. Information provided warns of mountain lions and bears and what to do if you encounter either. Whilst walking it would have been great to have seen one up close but then again..... not too close. We do see a very friendly roadrunner and there are deer around our cabin so we do at least get to see some wildlife.. A quiet afternoon back at the cabin does turn into anther encounter with wildlife though as Neil is stung by a wasp on his big toe. After a slight panic, all is soon back to normal once the first aid has been administered.
Monday 4 February
Just a small 92 mile round trip with the Park to the Santa Elena Canyon and magnificent views of the Rio Grande River as it flows through the Canyon. it is at the moment just a very shallow flow but, apparently in Spring, it is quite a torrent when the snow form the Colarado Rockies melts and flows down. The river runs along the border with Mexico - Chihuahua - and this is really as close as we can get without entering into officialdom but, if caught on the Mexican shoreline, you face a fine of $5000 if you are unlucky enough to be seen by a Ranger or Border pantrol officer - none around today but even so, the water just that bit too deep to make the crossing. We walk the 1.5 miles into canyon and are amazed at the height of the canyon. Back out the way we came retrieving the jackets and helmets that we had stashed behind a big rock on the way up. We ride the 8 miles back to Castolon noticing that the ambient air temperature display on the bike is registering 92 degs F (33 deg C) and it certainly feels it. A stop for much needed liquids and lunch is taken.
Tuesday 5 February
Imagine our suprise when we awake this morning to find it is snowing! Only tiny flakes blowing in the wind but even so it is definitely snowing the day after it ws 92 deg F! Today we are heading off to see the Eastern side of the Park and to Rio Grande Village. The temperature when we set off is 49 deg F. We stop off to take a look at Boquillas Canyon and on our walk down to the canyon we meet a couple who tell us there is a singing Mexican at the bottom of the track. Not sure if he is joking or not we get nearer to the canyon head and see 4 Mexicans across the river, on the Mexican side, with their donkey. We also pass a small selction of hand crafted items, walking sticks, painted stones etc, obviously made by the "singing Mexican" and his friends across the water but we don't come across him.
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