Big Bend National Park - an RRS Expedition

4493 Views 33 Replies 11 Participants Last post by PJPR01, Dec 19, 2009

PJPR01

Discussion Starter · Dec 4, 2009

14

We had several members of the local Land Rover club interested in heading out to Big Bend National Park for Thanksgiving...however, at the last minute, just 2 vehicles made it - so it turned into an RRS only Expedition to the remote park. Fantastic weather, great camping, nice hot springs right on the Rio Grande, comfortable overlanding thru miles and miles of backroads in the park, and some tremendous scenic drives along the Rio Grande and border with Mexico. The best starry skies in the nation as there is no light pollution in the park.

A few fun pics to share with fellow RR.net members - RRS now has 90K miles and still runs like a charm.

See less See more

1 - 20 of 34 Posts

Leo

· #2 · Dec 4, 2009

Nice pics!

gooseyloosey

· #3 · Dec 4, 2009

PJPR01 said:

In Newark they just take the whole vehicle.

Nice pics Paul, as always. I appreciate living the adventurous life vicariously through you. :thumb:

umbertob

· #4 · Dec 4, 2009

Ah, not to have kids again... Thanks for sharing PJ, those trips where you get away from everything and everyone are my favorite. The Rio doesn't look very Grande though, is the river bed usually that dry?

TripleE

· #5 · Dec 4, 2009

:thumb: Nice Paul!

umbertob said:
The Rio doesn't look very Grande though, is the river bed usually that dry?

Maybe that's why it gets crossed so frequently. :wink:

gooseyloosey

· #6 · Dec 4, 2009

TripleE said:
umbertob said:

The Rio doesn't look very Grande though, is the river bed usually that dry?

Click to expand...

Maybe that's why it gets crossed so frequently. :wink:

We'll just call them dampbacks from now on.

PJPR01

Discussion Starter · #7 · Dec 5, 2009

umbertob said:
Ah, not to have kids again... Thanks for sharing PJ, those trips where you get away from everything and everyone are my favorite. The Rio doesn't look very Grande though, is the river bed usually that dry?

Hi Umberto - couldn't agree more with you...absolutely refreshing to leave the city behind and just head out on the open road. Nice easy 650 mile trek from Houston to Big Bend. Just a heads up, see if you can get away for a few days before Xmas - I'm heading to California in a couple of weeks and am looking to get Rob/Adam/Jim maybe to Death Valley for a day or so before I run up to Palo Alto to visit family/friends.

It's true...some sections of the Rio Grande are quite narrow but it's surprisingly deep and the current runs pretty quickly thru some parts. There are lots of river rafting expeditions there, still active at this time of year, and although it is November and the water level is quite low they had quite a few boats on the river. Much higher levels in the springtime with the runoff to be sure...

I have some other pics, but decided not to post them - inside the park, there is actually a spot where people do cross to sell trinkets etc....but the challenge of getting into Big Bend is that you have to walk at least 50 or 60 miles before you get to any town...so it's remote!

See less See more

phil.

· #8 · Dec 5, 2009

drop me a line when you come up to palo alto. i live about 20 mins away. and if you want to hit up our OHV, let me know and i could round up a few folks from our NCLR club - including leigh whom i believe you met before.

PJPR01

Discussion Starter · #9 · Dec 5, 2009

Fantastic...great idea Phil...will definitely do so. That would be great fun...I presume you're referring to Hollister?

Maybe we should have an RRS Golden Gate Photo Op!!

phil.

· #10 · Dec 5, 2009

absolutely is hollister. PM me the days you'll be here and i'll see who i can round up. i'm recently fun-employed so i've got days free sans kids, but could always figure something out after they're on xmas break.

PJPR01

Discussion Starter · #11 · Dec 7, 2009

phil. said:
absolutely is hollister. PM me the days you'll be here and i'll see who i can round up. i'm recently fun-employed so i've got days free sans kids, but could always figure something out after they're on xmas break.

Sorry to hear that Phil, I'll PM you my info and give you a ring when I get up there.

Will be fun to get together with the NCLR group, where do you guys normally get together (Mexxi's) or some other place for your monthly meetings.

Maybe I can get a t-shirt or one of those new aluminum NCLR water bottles you guys have put together recently...we can do an HLRC / NCLR gift exchange!

Cheers...

ChipN

· #12 · Dec 7, 2009

Be careful. 4-wheeling next to the Mexican Boarder can be dangerous. Never did Big Bend and I would love to see it. But I lived in Southern AZ for awhile. A Park Ranger was killed by someone on the other side of border in Organ Pipe National Monument on the spot where I was standing the day before. Always wanted to do the Devils Trail from Nogalas to Yuma but I think that trail has been closed because of all the drug wars inside Mexico.

mrayrover

· #13 · Dec 8, 2009

Happen to see the BigBend post. I couldn't agree with you more about the amount of stars at night, basically a planitarium (sp?). I've been taking my rover (classic, P38, now LR3) out there for many years from Austin and always have a great time on the backroads. Generally stay on them and camp among the backcountry sites. Great place to get away, and nice to see more LRs out there.

PJPR01

Discussion Starter · #14 · Dec 9, 2009

mrayrover said:
Happen to see the BigBend post. I couldn't agree with you more about the amount of stars at night, basically a planitarium (sp?). I've been taking my rover (classic, P38, now LR3) out there for many years from Austin and always have a great time on the backroads. Generally stay on them and camp among the backcountry sites. Great place to get away, and nice to see more LRs out there.

Nice! Hope to see you out there again, we may throw out an invitation on the next trip to Texas Rovers branches ( Dallas, Austin) in case any others wants to join.

ChipN: Certainly one has to be alert and cautious in areas here, particularly where the border crossings are frequent, but the same goes for spots much closer in the city too - just a different type of concern. At any rate...we're back safe and sound.

sjlucky

· #15 · Dec 9, 2009

Now why couldn't we have things like this on the east coast? Great pics....living the offroad life through you pj.

Drevs

· #16 · Dec 10, 2009

Cool pics Paul... need to get some more wheelin in one of these days!

PJPR01

Discussion Starter · #17 · Dec 10, 2009

Hey Eric,

I saw some pics recently of Crown King and also a sad story of a recent roll over there a few weeks ago, and Prescott seems to have quite a bit of snow! Possibly maybe heading thru there on the way to Death Valley, still working on the itinerary...will definitely let you know if I make it thru there.

Cheers!

TripleE

· #18 · Dec 10, 2009

Let me know what's up with the return trip! :thumb:

PJPR01

Discussion Starter · #19 · Dec 11, 2009

Will do EEE...spending a bit of time this weekend studying the maps....there's an interesting route I've got my eye on...pretty remote and as long as there are no major blizzards preventing me, I might be able to visit Idaho along the way.

At the rate I'm going, I may put 7500 miles on in 3 weeks...

gooseyloosey

· #20 · Dec 11, 2009

PJPR01 said:
Will do EEE...spending a bit of time this weekend studying the maps....there's an interesting route I've got my eye on...pretty remote and as long as there are no major blizzards preventing me, I might be able to visit Idaho along the way.

At the rate I'm going, I may put 7500 miles on in 3 weeks...

I'm gonna take a guess at the interesting route...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nez_Perce_National_Historic_Trail

1 - 20 of 34 Posts

This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.