bug eaters' comic.

[gpokluda]

Looks like our annual spring camping trip will be to Big Bend NP. Any info on this place would be appreciated. I have checked the web site, but it doesn't offer a whole lot of specifics. We are tent campers with teenagers that are avid moutainbikers and hikers. There will be two families in the group so a big site would be needed. We would need to be within some reasonable distance to supplies like ice and water. All of the campsites listed say the fill up early and do not take reservations. What's early? We will be going in late March. Send infot to me off list. Thanks. Gino

[hens_p]

Gino: Beat's me why, but info on Big Bend is hard to get. My suggestions: - search the web and find what little junk you can. - go to the local REI (bookstore) and by a book (mainly for the maps) - drive to BB with almost no plan and stop at the main gate. I have never seen a shortage of camp sites, etc. I, personally, hate to do a trip without a lot of planning, but BB is hard to get advanced data on. QUESTION: How many days are you going to camp? Guadalupe(sp) North of El Paso is a ton closer and offers almost as much for a 2-3 day trip. Plus it is close to Carlsbad Caverns. Just a thought... Pat

--- In DSN_klr650@y..., "gpokluda" wrote: > Looks like our annual spring camping trip will be to Big Bend NP. Any > info on this place would be appreciated. I have checked the web site, > but it doesn't offer a whole lot of specifics. > > We are tent campers with teenagers that are avid moutainbikers and > hikers. There will be two families in the group so a big site would > be needed. We would need to be within some reasonable distance to > supplies like ice and water. All of the campsites listed say the fill > up early and do not take reservations. What's early? We will be going > in late March. > > Send infot to me off list. Thanks. > > Gino

[John Irvine]

Big Bend has 3 basic camps areas, the Basin, around 4500 feet with a small store, a bunch of motel rooms, a resturant and great views. There are several hiking trails out of there, the window, the rims, and Emory Peak, all excellent. I don't think that mountain bikes are allowed on the ttrails, need to check with them on that. National Parks are not always the best places to go because of this. On the West side of the park near Santa Elena Canyon and is more camping, Cottonwood, including a group camp. The River road is a nice dirt road for bikes and KLRs.There is a small store where ice could be secured. On the East side is Rio Grande Village, also has a store, camping, and a group site. Ths one is also by the River. I usually stay at the Basin and head out from there. It does fill fast during holidays and Spring Break. I wouldn't expect to find sites on the weekend but if the Basin is full usually Cottonwood has spots. There are also more remote backcountry spots with nothing but a bush to pee on and those bushes are a little limited. Plan on the Basin being busy but that there will be something available in the park, that is what happened to me the week of Thanksgiving and I got there on Monday. Even if that were not the case there are other options near lajitas. As for Guadalupe the downside to that would be the weather. Big Bend will more than likely be pleasant, almost a guarentee but Guadalupe could be very cold yet. http://www.nps.gov/bibe/home.htm, there are some excellent maps on-line. --- hens_p wrote:

> Gino: > > Beat's me why, but info on Big Bend is hard to get. > > > My suggestions: > - search the web and find what little junk you can. > - go to the local REI (bookstore) and by a book > (mainly for the maps) > - drive to BB with almost no plan and stop at the > main gate. > > I have never seen a shortage of camp sites, etc. I, > personally, hate > to do a trip without a lot of planning, but BB is > hard to get > advanced data on. > > QUESTION: How many days are you going to camp? > Guadalupe(sp) North > of El Paso is a ton closer and offers almost as much > for a 2-3 day > trip. Plus it is close to Carlsbad Caverns. Just a > thought... > > Pat > > > --- In DSN_klr650@y..., "gpokluda" > wrote: > > Looks like our annual spring camping trip will be > to Big Bend NP. > Any > > info on this place would be appreciated. I have > checked the web > site, > > but it doesn't offer a whole lot of specifics. > > > > We are tent campers with teenagers that are avid > moutainbikers and > > hikers. There will be two families in the group > so a big site > would > > be needed. We would need to be within some > reasonable distance to > > supplies like ice and water. All of the campsites > listed say the > fill > > up early and do not take reservations. What's > early? We will be > going > > in late March. > > > > Send infot to me off list. Thanks. > > > > Gino > > > Checkout Dual Sport News at > http://www.dualsportnews.com > Be part of the Adventure! > > Visit the KLR650 archives at > http://www.listquest.com/lq/search.html?ln=klr650 > > Post message: DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com > Subscribe: DSN_klr650-subscribe@yahoogroups.com > Unsubscribe: DSN_klr650-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com > > List owner: DSN_klr650-owner@yahoogroups.com > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to > http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ > >

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[gpokluda]

--- In DSN_klr650@y..., John Irvine wrote:

> Big Bend has 3 basic camps areas, the Basin, around > 4500 feet with a small store, a bunch of motel rooms, > a resturant and great views. There are several > hiking trails out of there, the window, the rims, and > Emory Peak, all excellent. I don't think that > mountain bikes are allowed on the ttrails, need to > check with them on that. National Parks are not > always the best places to go because of this.

Thanks for that info, John and Pat. This will be my first visit to BB even though I lived in Texas for 16 years. Gino

[hens_p]

John is right about Guadalupe being cold; I spent the night there on the 26th. Brrrrrrr!!!! Hiking was great and the cold kept the crowds away (we were all alone). Pat

--- In DSN_klr650@y..., "gpokluda" wrote: > --- In DSN_klr650@y..., John Irvine wrote: > > Big Bend has 3 basic camps areas, the Basin, around > > 4500 feet with a small store, a bunch of motel rooms, > > a resturant and great views. There are several > > hiking trails out of there, the window, the rims, and > > Emory Peak, all excellent. I don't think that > > mountain bikes are allowed on the ttrails, need to > > check with them on that. National Parks are not > > always the best places to go because of this. > > Thanks for that info, John and Pat. This will be my first visit to BB > even though I lived in Texas for 16 years. > > Gino

[gregpaul]

Gino, Here's another alternative for you. http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/park/paloduro/ It's called Palo Duro Canyon and is just south of Amarillo. Alot closer than BB and hardly anyone, at least from Texas, goes there. It's known as the "baby Grand Canyon" and very cool. I think you can even ride most of the trails there (mountain bike only ...) They have horse/mule rides and jeep trips up and down the canyon walls. Haven't been on one but could be fun. You "can" ride the KLR there but only on the main roads. There are "places" where you can get out in the boonies but not near the park. Anyway take a look. It's a really cool place. Greg in Dallas but born in Albuquerque

--- In DSN_klr650@y..., "gpokluda" wrote: > --- In DSN_klr650@y..., John Irvine wrote: > > Big Bend has 3 basic camps areas, the Basin, around > > 4500 feet with a small store, a bunch of motel rooms, > > a resturant and great views. There are several > > hiking trails out of there, the window, the rims, and > > Emory Peak, all excellent. I don't think that > > mountain bikes are allowed on the ttrails, need to > > check with them on that. National Parks are not > > always the best places to go because of this. > > Thanks for that info, John and Pat. This will be my first visit to BB > even though I lived in Texas for 16 years. > > Gino

[MLSproul]

Palo Duro Canyon was closed the first of December for several months to rebuild the road into the canyon.

> >It's called Palo Duro Canyon and is just south of Amarillo. Alot >closer than BB and hardly anyone, at least from Texas, goes there. >It's known as the "baby Grand Canyon" and very cool. I think you can >even ride most of the trails there (mountain bike only ...) They >have horse/mule rides and jeep trips up and down the canyon walls. >Haven't been on one but could be fun. You "can" ride the KLR there >but only on the main roads. There are "places" where you can get out >in the boonies but not near the park. Anyway take a look. It's a >really cool place.

-- _______________________________________________________________ M. L. "Maury" Sproul Amarillo, TX Mine - '96 Kawasaki KLR 650 Dual Sport - '98 Honda CBR1100XX "Blackbird" Hers - '00 Honda Helix Ours - '92 Honda Gold Wing Aspencade -

[Russell D. Stephan, Sr. Tech Analyst]

Check out the Saturday, 12/29/01, panel of "Rubes". You won't be able to see the comic on-line for a couple of days because its delayed to give the print world a chance for distribution. http://www.creators.com/comics_show.cfm?comicname=rub The comic shows a frog on a motorcycle ripping the windscreen off the bike at speed in order to chase a dragonfly. The frog's mouth is wide open as the sweating dragonfly hurries in panicked flight a few feet ahead of the motoring frog. Thanks, *************************************************************************** Russell D. Stephan, Voice: (614) 760-3065 Senior Technical Analyst Fax: (614) 760-3360 Technology Management Consulting, Inc. email: rstephan@... 9980 Brewster Lane, Suite A. russell.stephan@... Powell, Ohio 43065 URL: http://www.tmconsult.com