Presidio (10/12/23 Thu)

Motorcycle travel to, or from, Big Bend Natrional park should include a ride to Presidio, TX. It may have roaming livestock, construction and gravel washed into low spots, but it's beautiful, 3D and twisty. I was told about Presidio and this route by a guy at the Basin. He saw my bike and said ithe Presidio rroute would be fun on that. He was correct.

Coyotes came into our campsite area in the middle of the night and yipped nad howled up a storm briefly. Something raccoon sounding lived in the tree by my tent. The heat of the day broke after dark into great sleeping weather around 65F, so only the sheet was needed all night.

I woke up at one point after the howling and looked out my open tent door. There was a woman in a white flowing robe heading to the bathroom. When I awoke I noticed an SUV parked where there was none the night before. Almost on queue the robed woman got out of it and visited the bathroom again in the early morning light. I got up soon after that and went directly to the mens room. When I emerged the SUV was gone. I think she is either an apparition or stealthy free camper.

In Presidio, I stopped for breakfast at The Bean Cafe. Arriving around 1100 I was given a lunch menu. I asked if they served breakfast and she said they are changing over and she would get me the breakfast menu. I didn't need a menu. Soon after two eggs over easy, shreded fried potato, pancakes and french toast with a side of banana arrived. Her favorite was good.

The ride to Presidio took me west, further from tomorrows destination of Elaine's Leakey ranch. Then I headed north to Mafta and east to Marathon. Towns I've already passed through. I passed by the nice campground in Marathon, just to move a few more hours from the firday ledger to thursday. It was a nice campground, and I would hve liked to star gaze. I did stop at the V6 Coffee Shop in Marathon moments before they closed.

I rolled on into Del Rio, TX.

While talking with Anne on the phone I found gas and then the Sirloin Stockade, which turned out to be a buffet. After over eating I continued on to the Rough Canyon camping area for $6/night. It's on a point of land jutting into a intersection of canyons that makes up the Amistad Reservoir. Very pretty spot to ride into at sunset. I was greated by the small dog and guy with the DR650 from last night's campground. He's on the move to Dallas, so we're sort of in sync, he just took the short route to conserve his gas money.

The ride into Rough Canyon was odd because the gps wanted me to take a dirt road. A dirt road with a gate and sign with language that made me think they wanted an excuse to shoot first. The next few roads that direction were also gated and signed. A few rmiles further I came upon a paved Rt2 that did reach the target campground. While on route there was a state park road to my right, when I looked up form confirming I was still on the correct route two deer stood just ahead of me in my lane. Luckily bikes stop quickly. The last fiew miles of road was littered wtih deer moving out of my way. Seems odd to see what looks like a yearling dear with a decent rack. Texas dear are small.

Once at the campsite I had some trouble locating the kiosk to pay, even with my friends help. Turns out there are two sets of bathrooms and I only walked as far as the first. The second set was well out of view, but obvious when I took the bike to explore. Glad I could pay with debit card, as I only had $20 bills.

Only a couple hours remain to reach Leakey. So I should be able to ride the Three Sisters Loop and have lunch at the biker joint nearby. Get the full experience before going to visit Elaine and Keith at the ranch.