Big Bend Ranch Fly In

[Ironflight]

Originally Posted by rodeomanny

Paul: What was the wind at BBRSP when you landed and when you took off? What was the condition of the field? Thinking of flying 2 RV's from El Paso. Sounds like a really nice place to visit.

The winds at BBRSP were nothing out of the ordinary - as a matter of fact, I was surprised how light they were after the big winds at Alpine, just 60 miles north. The runway is in GREAT shape - not loose gravel, no patches.

Tom Navar joined us from El Paso this weekend in his 180 - it would be an easy trip for you from there.

Paul

[Scorch]

Iron, sounds like an awesome trip from early reports and pics!

Just curious, did everyone stay in the bunkhouse, or were there some tent campers, and if so, was transportation an issue for them. I believe you mentioned the tent area is kind of remote?

I just called your cell phone, some guy said "Hola, que pasa Amigo?"

[db1yg]

Ross,

Mike, Garrie, Dale, Tom, Paul, Dave, Janie, and Larry stayed in the bunkhouse. Louise camped between the bunkhouse and the bonfire area and had access to the facilities in the bunkhouse. John and Diana (volunteers from the Great Lakes area who winter here) manage the ranch area and are extremely accomodating and really nice folks who want you to enjoy the park. The bunkhouse is very comfortable and both Janie and I slept soundly in the cool quite night environment. I should also mention that Victor, who cooked most of our meals, always has a smile on his face and is one great cook--Saturday night we had some brisket with all the fixin's that was delicious followed by two kinds of cake--german chocolate and banana.

I should also mention that Chase from Presidio, who came out in his ultra-light to visit the RVers, was a wealth of info about the area and a really nice guy. You meet such good people around RVs.

My total bill for two people lodging 3days/2nights and all meals to include a couple of hours mountain bike rental was $206. I do not know where you could match this kind value!!!

BTW, we flew back to the San Antonio area at 9500' with no winds. I was sitting on the ramp in Bulverde (1T8) in 1hr and 53 min. These machines are incredible!!!

Cheers,

Dave and Janie
RV9a/ECi0360/James Cowl/Catto prop--110 hrs and a permanent smile!!!

[Ironflight]

Hey Scorch, we really did miss ya' - this would have been one you 'd have enjoyed!

As Dave said, they let Louise camp right next to the bunkhouse, and that worked out really well - it would have been hard for one or two folks to camp out nearer the runway - they'd have been isolated. I road the mountain bike back and forth between the compound and the runway several times, and it was fun - but plenty of exercise.

Saw Doug's video - looks like y'all managed to have a little fun at 52F as well...but I still think we had more - at least judging by my pain index this morning....

Paul

[Ironflight]

Well, I started trying to write up a full report of the weekend fun, but so much happened that a narrative would be much longer than anyone would want to read...and longer than I had to write. So I'll instead offer just a couple of small moments that stand out in my mind...

While riding across the high desert terrain of the Texas Big Bend, I had an interesting thought about the ?vehicle? on which I was moving ? this thing was an outstanding example of intelligent automation! Thinking about my RV-8, I can engage the autopilot and with a twist of a knob it will fly whatever heading I desire, or with the punch of another button, it will follow a complex set of course segments joining waypoints into a flight plan. And while it is doing this, I don?t have to think a thing about HOW it does it ? what controls are moved by how much. In a similar fashion, look at the ultimate in rugged-terrain ground transportation ? the horse! With a nudge here or a slight tug there, I tell it that ?I want to go down into that canyon?. I can then devote my attention to looking at the magnificent sites as this wonderful animal takes care of the mechanics of getting me there ? I don?t have to think about foot placement, or balance, or speed adjustment. It just happens! Magnificent! As magnificent as the vistas of the Big Bend area, where you can see distant mountains and far horizons that would take days to reach by anything but a magic carpet in the air?

"The Stars at Night, are Big and Bright...." y'all know the rest of the words! We had campfires both of the nights that I was there, and while standing around the fire, everyone would occasionally turn their backs to the fire, let their eyes adjust to the darkness and marvel at the incredible stellar canopy you can only get far away from city lights. There was no moon, and the stars were so vivid that they appeared to me to be three dimensional. Worth the trip all by itself! Of course, it's hard to beat just sitting around a great fire telling flying stories and listening to caving ballads....maybe you had to be there!

On Saturday, four of us flew over to Terlingua and picked up a jeep that had been left for us at the gravel strip. (The strip is in much better condition than I expected, and we were greeted by an impromptu aerobatics demonstration by a local Yak 50.) I rode over with Louise Hose because it looked to me like her wheel pants were better suited to gravel than those on the Val. Mike, Dale, Louise and I drove up to the Chisos Basin in the National park, and took a 3 mile hike to look out "The Window". The basin is like a high volcanic crater, and the window is a hole in the wall that looks out to the west - for miles, and miles and miles....This hike was good for me - especially after the great food we were served at the Bunkhouse (more on that later....). Following the couple-hour hike to the Window and back, we loaded up in the Jeep and drove off across the park, stopping here and there for great vistas, and ending up at Santa Elena Canyon. AS you drive across the desert,l you see this huge wall of rock - with a big, sharp notch out of the middle. This is where the Rio Grande flows out - with canyon walls 1400' high. As we were driving, we we guessing how high, and how close you might get if you were flying before it would be time to pull up to avoid the face!

It seemed like something was always going on at the airstrip. If I count right, we had a total of nine different aircraft there over the weekend - but someone was always going up for some local flying. Chase Snodgrass was our local pilot contact, and he flew over in his ultralight/light sport jungle gym contraption all three days (You gotta get back to work on that RV Chase!). The flying was great, with visibility at sixty or seventy miles or better. On my way out Sunday, I flew out over the area where we went on the horses, and could see the landmarks and sites of interest where we had stopped. I frequently fly over desolate areas, and think of them that way....but when you get down close and look at the details, there are countless spots of beauty that most people will never see. Clear little pools of water in shaded places in the desert. Old homesteads where families lived for generations, growing corn and beans where now there is nothing but sage. A small shelter formed by two natural boulders, with a man-made hole carved in the rock where meal was ground by hand - and pictographs remain to tell the story - if we could only read them. Having seen them from the ground reminded me (as I was passing over at speeds unimaginable by previous generations) of what is really down there.

One of the nicest things for me was simply to get away to clean air and good companionship - along with the opportunity to get some much-needed exercise. The park has mountain bikes that rent for $2 the first hour, and $1 each hour after that - but I don't know that anyone actually kept track. I don't think they added my use to my bill at the end of the weekend. That in itself is fresh to most of us. When I arrived, I asked what I had to do to check in. "Well, we see that you';re here - just enjoy yourself, and when you leave, tell us what you think you owe..." Try THAT at your average resort! I really enjoyed the laid-back nature of the whole weekend, and thank everyone that came along to be a part of it. The pictures show it all - the airplanes, the scenery, and mostly, the smiles. I hope to get back there again soon - and know that I'll keep it high on my list of retreat hideaways.

I hope the folks that spent an extra night made it back home safe today - can't wait to see more pictures!


Paul

[westexflyboy]

http://www.flybigbend.com/html/videos.html

A few fun shots of the people, planes, and places that made this event worthwhile.

Chase Snodgrass
Presidio, TX

[Ironflight]

Hey Chase, that was great! It answered a nagging question I had on the way home about whether or not Tony got his RV ride....I can see that he got up with Larry, so I assume another tail kit will be headed out the door soon at Van's....

Thanks again fro coming out so many times over the weekend - hope you get back to work on your own RV soon!

For anyone planning a quick get-away on their own to BBRSP, try hooking up with Chase - I get the feeling he likes to have a chance to have some pilot company!

Paul

[n5lp]

Very cool Chase and you were unobtrusive. Really didn't notice when you had the camcorder running.

[DeltaRomeo]

That was a wonderful video to watch. It really got the day off to a good start.

I'll certainly be out that way to visit soon.

Best,
Doug

Originally Posted by westexflyboy

http://www.flybigbend.com/html/videos.html

A few fun shots of the people, planes, and places that made this event worthwhile.

Chase Snodgrass
Presidio, TX

[db1yg]

Chase,

You are one talented guy. Watching that video is almost a religious experience!! The music selection was perfect.

Thank you for all your help and for the wealth of info on the incredible area we call Big Bend!!

Now---get that RV7 finished!!!!

Cheers,

db