6000 Miles of Summer - Day 8

 Day 8 - Big Bend National Park (TX) to Weatherford (TX)

(705 mi)                                                                                                                                                August 4th, 2024

Alright, this one's going to be a long haul.

Skipping breakfast and hitting the road early to catch that epic sunrise. Thunderstorms crashed the party last night, so the roads are probably soaked. 

I'm more worried about flash floods filling up those dry creeks and passes I crossed yesterday. 

If they're flooded, I'm stuck here for a while. Guess we'll see.

It's pitch black out here. I mean, can't-see-your-hand-in-front-of-your-face black. But the night sky is stunning, perfect for some stargazing with a telescope and camera. Maybe next trip? 

Crawling along the narrow park road, even high beams barely cut through the darkness. 

Rabbits are darting across the road, just hoping the deer stay asleep and out of my way. The creek crossings aren't too bad, which is a good sign. A bit of drizzle as I climb the ridge in the park.

No one's around. It's absolutely fantastic, quiet...soothing, just the wind blowing gently, some desert critters howling, and the sun slowly rising. I'm cruising towards the visitor center and the southernmost point of Big Bend (at least on a paved road...hey, PanAm!?), the Santa Elena Canyon. I stop near the visitor center, no time for the next 8 miles, as the sun is coming over the mountains, so I'll enjoy it from here.

A very serene sunrise. I make my way back out of the park and continue my journey to meet some "Twisted Sisters" in the afternoon. 

I fuel up in Marathon (TX), also a great small café there (V6 Coffee Bar), a recommended stop for fresh pastries and breakfast.

US-90 follows along the border and is uneventful.
Del Rio is a good lunch spot, which also marks the turning point for me to head up North; 

I take the scenic route through the desert, which has turned purple! I stop, and within a minute, a Border Patrol car pulls up next to me...just to take a photo as well! The omnipresent checkpoints were easy; got some good insider tips about backroads to take, and how to get around the looming thunderstorms the fastest. Thanks, guys!

I made it past the rapidly moving clouds and into Barksdale, where one of the Twisted Sisters kicks off a rollercoaster-like stretch of road. It's a lot of fun but ends too soon.

More clouds, lightning in the distance. I better keep going to my destination, although I contemplated meeting with that other Sister. Challenge Coin photo taken. Not a moment too soon, I get hit by a short but heavy downpour, which is especially "fun" after a long and hot day, leaving the surface soapy. That sister wouldn't have been fun and likely not ended well.

Going up North towards Dallas is rather boring (once more). And despite the faster Highways, it's getting late in the afternoon. Sun sets with the last 30 miles to go to Weatherford (close to Fort Worth), and I pull into the parking lot in the dark. Made it!

One last surprise: the place had water damage, some large fans blowing like mad; no vending machines, no coffee. I get an updated room on the top floor (no elevator, so walk the stairs).

It's past 9PM....
Dinner? Panda Express. 
Drinks? Gas station. 

I check in with my Love, say goodnight to the cockroach in the bathroom, and call it a day.