Posted: 9/20/2007 6:19:16 AM EDT
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Last week, I took a little vacation from life to do a little bicycle ride in the mountains...of TEXAS. I have heard a few here claim Texas is flat. Well, that is only because you have not seen all of Texas. Here is a picture from the hike...about 5400 feet of elevation:  Here is a shot from Wild Rose Pass on Texas 17, the major mountain is Star Mountain, 6344 feet of elevation.  This is Mitre Peak as viewed from FM1837, elevation 6190 feet.  Aside from the mountains, we also shared space with mule deer, javelina, raccoons, skunks and one wary mountain lion. The last animal was too far away to snap a picture but the 3W Maglite lit him up very well. |
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I know from experience that Texas isn’t flat. When I was in the Army I went to Fort Bliss at El Paso. The Rocky Mountains were on the western, southwestern part of the town. Get up on one of the smaller hills and you could see lights from El Paso and Juarez from miles away. Fort Hood had hills as well. There were a couple of hills there that tanks had trouble climbing. I know there’s at least one hill where an M60 Tank couldn’t get up. And there are some cliffs in the Impact Area where a small herd of goats live. Oh, Texas isn’t flat at all. |
Yep. The bicycle ride was the annual Ft. Davis Cyclefest. 75 miles on the scenic loop. Many thanks to the Boy Scouts for thier rest stop support. This was my 11th year doing it. The loop ride is on Saturday and on Sunday, it is our tradition to skip the hill climb up Mt. Locke and instead, go downhill for ~34 miles to Balmorhea for a swim in the spring-fed pool: 
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You need to go back to Alpine, just to have a beer in the Holland Hotel's excellent restaurant/microbrewery. The food is traditional German and most excellent. The beer is the best in West Texas. The prices are typical college town. I recommend the Schaschlik, Pork and Beef Chunks, Bacon, Onion & Red Bell Pepper on a Skewer & Fried. Served with Curry Sauce and Brew City Fries. The Menu |
| Never been to El Paso huh? We have 7000'+ mountains here. Or have you seen Guadalupe peak and El Capitan on 62/180 just before you get to the New Mexico line heading to Carlsbad? Highest mountain n Texas, over 8000'. Sure it's no Colorado, but we have mountains out here. |
Mountains, yeah they have mountains. But what he aint telling you is that everything there either stinks, sticks or stings! I used to deer hunt (Mulies) on a ranch not far from there when I was a kid. It really does have a unique type of beauty. I have to go back there some day. To the OP, nice pictures thanks for sharing them. |
Mitre Peak from Davis Mtns. SP, ~12 miles away: Mount Livermore (8206 feet elevation) from Davis Mtns. SP, ~15 miles away.  The white building in the valley is the Indian Lodge, a hotel/restaurant built in the 1930s by the CCC. Adobe/stone construction with white plaster. A good stay in the mountains. |
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The only problem is once you move there you never want to live anywhere else! And the closest major airport is 2.5 hours away.....wait , is that a problem? Keith, glad you enjoied it! and there is wildlife everywhere, I saw 2 skunnks while walking the dog last night, both in town, and one HUGE mulie buck in the middle of the road(90) on the way to work this morning. There was 2-3 doe and a couple of yearlings that frequented my backyard last spring, also in town. I could go on and on, I love it here too. |
Yeah, we had plenty of wildlife in the campsite, including a mountain lion! He was stalking javelina which were feeding on the acorns. There were about 50-80 javelina in the campsite  at the peak. In fact, a large male javelina and I came face to face when I was setting up the tents! It was about 2100 in the evening!We saw the lion about 2200 and only because we were spotlighting the javelina herds surrounding the campsite. The GF was scared shitless, thinking the javelina would charge. The lion nearly killed all hopes for sleep for her, despite my M1911 at the ready (and in violation of state park law as I had a round in the chamber). |
Not so hot in the mountains...in fact, the GF got quite chilled Thursday night when it dipped into the upper 40s. The only thing keeping it that warm was the dew point. It gets as cool as the dew point, naturally. And it was quite humid there with a dew point of 48 F! Once the sun drops, break out the jackets. |
They ( the javelina) seem to be all over the place in the public areas there in ft davis and in BBNP. I think they get used to people and leftovers. I have never had a bad run in with them, but I have heard they can be pretty vicious. There was a male that did some pretty significant damage to a friends's dog once. But not as bad as the scolding the jav. got from the 45/70. I have only seen a few live lions, and usually just glimpses. Apparently there is a black one killing horses in Balmoreah, 5K bounty so I have heard? Smart to have the trusty .45 around, I always do. ( don't worry I won't tell) I think those rules are for the morons anyhow. I find it hard to believe that any LEO would give you grief for having a little insurance, as long as you were responsible, and not plinking at the see saws or something like that. And not having it hot is like not having it at all! |
Same here and I can remember very well having to run McKelligon Canyon and Transmountain. |
Well good. Now get out there and ride your mountain bike up those hills. 
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Thats Houston Texas wnich is way over on the other side of the state from me.. |
Been there! That's a cool place. STILL a fully working aquaduct system that was built in the 30's. 24 Million gallons of water out of the underground spring every day. Definitely God's Country out there. CMOS |
Doesn't matter. The post claimed that Texas is FULL of different landscapes. Several were left off, so I added them. Also forgotten was Canyons. |