The secret passage….
Last night, there was a big “Green Fling” to-do in Terlingua. The Ghost town was rocking, I hear. Somebody built a tent city next to the Boathouse Bar.
I passed through on my way. There were some sleepy-eyed, tousled headed people wandering around the ghost town and towards the porch.
I didn’t stop for long. I was on a mission.
Yesterday, we established where my property was, but not how to get to it. I figured that would be good information to have.
On Google Earth, there is a road that intersects HWY 170 and goes straight back to my property. In the real world, it’s an old mining trail that a mule on crank couldn’t navigate- but I had to find out for sure.
So, leaving my trusty truck – and cigars, water, cell phones, etc- parked on the hwy, I grabbed one bottle of water and my GPS unit and headed off down the mining trail. It was rough. I learned immediately that it was unusable, but I was curious to see if it intersected any other roads, or maybe the river-bed that we drove down yesterday- and maybe even if it got better further in.
It got gnarlier and gnarlier
I followed it until I found where it intersected with the river bed. Cool. Then, with my face flush to my GPS unit, I followed its guidance down a tributary dry river bed.
After a LONG time of this, I looked up and saw a water tank. Even in my weakened, thirsty and exhausted condition (I’d been at it about 2 hours at this point, 3 months after a knee replacement surgery, and with a 500ML bottle of water. Dumb.) I could figure out that they didn’t haul that big water tank down this river bottom.
So, I climbed up the side of the river bottom, verified that there was indeed a water tank, and on the other side of it, the road I was looking for.
Eureka! This road will work. I walked a ways toward my land, and it was truck-friendly the whole way. Now, how to get on it?
Turning back in the general direction of the truck, cigars, and water, I followed it to where it intersects the river bottom… right where my GPS took me off down the tributary river bottom.
There’s not much more to tell. I managed to get turned around, even with the GPS contraption, and ended up (after a little slippy-slidey drama and twisting my ankle) walking the river bed back to the highway, and then a mile up a 45 degree hill against gail force wind to where my truck (with contents) was waiting for me. The last mile was where it stopped being an adventure and started being a pain in the ass.
But, it was worth it.
Tomorrow, my neighbor and I are going to rent a jeep and confirm that the road is truck-friendly all the way to my property. Then I get to decide what to do with 20 pristine acres of verdant desert. I’m thinking an antique airstream.
‘lest you think all I do is impersonate Lewis or Clark, remember that my Portable Empire West cabin has internet access. I’ve been doing some writing, communicating with the speakers for UnSeminar6, working on that sales page, and having some great online discussions with friends back in the ‘hood.
I always do at least one thing to increase my Portable Empire every day. Out here, I find that I get a lot done in less time. No distractions.
Next weekend, I’m attending two seminars- both in Austin- and playing with the Texas Chainsaw Vigilantes Blues Review at the Wimberley Brew Pub. Stay tuned.
2 Responsesto “The secret passage….”
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good blog post, nate- http://theheek.com -
don’t ya think?
we’ll have to compare our backwoods notes at unseminar6 over cigars.
we can talk about my program to promote the “right to arm bears,” and other woodlands critters.
Did you read about my recent adventure in the wilderness, Pat? http://theheek.com
There’s lessons in there you coulda used today…
