Big Bend Ride – Depart Friday, Return Monday
The Ride: The Republic Of Texas Riders (Easyglide, Boots, Bryan, Rocketman, Sarge, Don and Bob) covered over 1300 miles over four days through West Texas and Big Bend Country. The ride departed from Austin and took us on the top rated scenic roads in Texas, including SH 29, FM 864, Old Governor's Road, SH 90, SH 67, FM 170 (The River Road) and SH 118. The trip included stops in Mason, Fort McKavett, Ozona, Marathon, Alpine, Marfa, Shafter Ghost Town, Presidio, Terlingua, Study Butte, Chisos Basin in Big Bend, Fort Davis, Limpia Hotel, McDonald's Observatory, Indian Lodge, Davis Mountain Loop, Sawtooth Peak and Fort Stockton, with a final barbecue stop in Llano and the famous Cooper's Barbecue.
Meet at 6:15 a.m.; depart 6:30 a.m. from McDonalds - Hwy 183 N and Braker Ln
Day 1: 405 Miles 10 – 10 ½ hrs
- Hwy 29 West
- Liberty Hill
- Bertram
- Burnett (Courthouse)
- Stolz
- Llano (Courthouse)
- Mason (courthouse)
- Left on 87 to Menard
- Left on 377
- Right on 29
- Menard (courthouse)
- Left on Hwy 190
- Left on 864 to Fort McKavett
- West on I 10
- Exit 343 to Tx 290 West to Sheffield
- 290 South
- Sheffield
- Left on 349
- Right on 2400
- 285 S to Sanderson (Gas Stop)
- Left on 90 to Sanderson (courthouse)
- 90W to Marathon In Marathon, Adobe Haciendas, dinner at Gage Hotel
- POI: Eve’s Garden Avenue C @ N.Third St.
Day 2: 212 Miles 6 ½ - 7 hrs (Alpine, Marfa, Shafter Ghost Town, Presidio, Lajitas, Terlingua, Terlingua Ghost Town, La Kiva Bar, Chisos Mountain Basin)
- Get on US 90 and drive west
- To Hwy 67, 31 mi. to Alpine
- POI: Alpine Courthouse
- Go 17 mi. to Marfa Lights Viewing Stop
- Go 9 mi. to Marfa
- POI: Luz de Estrella Winery (3 mi. east of Marfa)
- POI: Pasiano Hotel (James Dean’s room 223);
- POI: Courthouse Dome
- Go Hwy 67 SW, 40 mi. to Shafter
- POI: Elephant Rock
- POI: Eppenauer Ranch (Little Reata) 30 mi. on right
- Continue 67 to Shafter
- POI: Shafter Ghost Town
- Continue on 67 20 mi. to Presidio
- POI: Chinati Peak; Chinati Mountains
- Presidio (Gas Stop)
- Right on 67
- Left on 4th; right on Emma;left on Oreilly; right on Hurd; right on 4th
- Continue on 170 South
- Redford, Polvo
- Continue 24 miles toward Lajitas
- POI: Contrabando Creek: Western Movie Set on Right
- POI: Big Hill Viewing Area Pull Over on right
- POI: Teepee Rest Stop on Right
- Lajitas
- Terlingua (Gas Stop)
- POI: Starlight Theatre; Terlingua Ghost Town; La Kiva Bar on right (Big Bend RV Park sign)
- Keep right onto Hwy 118 to Study Butte (Gas Stop)
- Continue East 17 mi. on Hwy 118 to Maverick Dr; Chisos Lodge
- Turn right onto Basin Dr; 6 mi. to Chisos Mountain Lodge
Day 3: 205 mi. 6 ½ - 7 hrs (Fort Davis/highest town in Texas; Historic Fort, McDonald’s Observatory, Davis Mountain Loop)
- Breakfast at Chisos Lodge
- Backtrack on lodge road to 118 and take left toward Study Butte
- Bear right on SH 118 to Alpine, Fort Davis
- Fort Davis; lunch stop/gas stop; check in Limpia Hotel/Make reservations for dinner
- Afternoon ride: Historic Fort Davis; McDonald’s Observatory; Davis Mountain Loop.
- From Ft. Davis, Hwy 17 then turn left on SH 118
- POI: Fort Davis Historical Site on right
- POI: Indian Lodge State Park (6 mi.)
- POI: 10 mi. to McDonald Observatory 2pm Tour
- Continue on SH 118 for 15 more miles to Hwy 166, Davis Mtns Loop.
- POI: Madera Canyon Roadside Stop
- Left on SH 166 for a 65 mile loop thru mountains back to SH 17;
- POI: Sawtooth Peak; Mt. Livermore
- Fort Davis; Hotel and dinner
- Evening option: travel 21 miles to Marfa, then 8 miles east on SH 90 to view the Marfa lights.
Day 4: Ride Home– 473 Miles 10 ½ - 11 hrs
- In Ft. Davis, turn left (North) on SH 118;
- Keep left on State hwy 118 52 mi. to Kent
- IH 10 69 mi. to Fort Stockton
- Exit 256 Fort Stockton
- Fort Stockton (Gas Stop)
- POI: Paisano Pete
- Continue to I 10 to Hwy 190 Iraan Exit 46 mi.
- Eldorado
- Right on 83/29 toward Menard
- Menard, Mason, Llano
- Right on Hwy 183 to Austin
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