Big Bend State Park trip

[Mark Burns]

Last Friday Seven RV’s and a Velocity departed five different airports in Arkansas and Louisiana and headed for Big Bend State Park.

We all met at Hillsboro airport, southeast of Dallas around 11AM. From there it was a flight of 8 to 6R6 Terrell County airport, in Dryden, TX.
We filled up and departed for 3TE3, Big Bend Ranch airport.

I know that Big Bend trips have been written about many times here on VAF before so I won’t bore you will all the details...... but we had a great time!!!

The highlight of the trip for me was our guided aerial tour of the park. Presley Melton our trip organizer had contacted Chase Snodgrass and asked him to show us around.
Chase is a retired Border Patrol Agent and has many hours in a Super Cub flying all over this area of Texas. Chase is the Airport Manager of the Presidio Airport. (T77)
Saturday morning we all flew the 10 mins. over to Presidio, TX to met Chase.
After a briefing of the flight Chase rode with me as we lead the others in loose trail. Chase gave a wonderful commentary over the radio as to the sights below.
Including a lot of history about the area and some pretty cool geology lessons!!

Photo of Chase


Photo of our tour group

Front row Left to right, Rene’ Dugas, Ellis Melton, Bill Schlaterer, Doug Eller, Andy Kitchens, David Bray
Back row left to right, Duane and Jane Carroll, Presley Melton, Dan Peeler, Mark Burns, Randal Warren, Kathy, Chase Snodgrass

In the afternoon half of us went on a really neat 2-1/2 hour horseback ride. The others went mountain biking or hiking.
See link to photos:
https://picasaweb.google.com/1168305...Puot_unk7zqOQ#

And a slide show of the horseback ride.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AjzE...ature=youtu.be

What a great trip with a great group of friends!!


Mark

[wirejock]

Mark
How did you get around? Did they have fuel?
I go off roading there and have seen almost every jeep trail. I always wondered how pilots get to the headquarters and then anywhere else.
They have an awesome ranch house for rent with meals and everything.
I would love to fly in and spend some time there again.

[Ironflight]

Louise and I really love to go to BBRSP - that's really where we met!

Glad to hear that other groups are enjoying it as well.

[db1yg]

Janie and I love the place. Visited BBRSP 5 or 6 times while we still lived in SAT. Had a couple of REALLY enjoyable RV fly ins there back 5 or 6 years ago. Still enjoy looking at pics of RV friends around the bon fire to the south of the bunk house--had one every night. The absence of lights made the star gazing incredible in the clear dessert sky. The staff was so friendly and accomodating then--on one of our last trips, one of the staff came out to the bon fire and made a dutch oven cobbler for us--incredible--burnt my mouth--too good to wait for it to cool down. Great memories!

Glad you enjoyed it and really nice to see that Chase is doing well. He flew a small aluminum tube aircraft back to Presidio to bring me some epoxy to fix a nick in my Catto prop--right there on the ramp. Great guy!

Cheers,
db

[Mark Burns]

Originally Posted by wirejock

Mark
How did you get around? Did they have fuel?
I go off roading there and have seen almost every jeep trail. I always wondered how pilots get to the headquarters and then anywhere else.
They have an awesome ranch house for rent with meals and everything.
I would love to fly in and spend some time there again.

Larry,
The airport is just a mile away from the ranch. They say to just make a low pass over the ranch and they will send a vehicle. It worked every time for us!
There's no fuel at the ranch airport. But Presidio is only a 10 min flight away and has 24 hour fuel.

As far as the "getting around" goes, we were only there a total of about 40 hours. So, with the flying, horseback riding, mountain biking, and hiking we never really wanted any other transportation.

Yes, the bunkhouse is very nice and the meals were very good!

Mark