h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I'm writing from Big Bend's internet patio in the Chisos Lodge area. The park really is spectacular. We've seen a number of unusual plants and animals, including bats, foxes, skunks, owls, and lizards, although most of the animals have been active in the evenings and at night.

Hiking really does seem to be the primary way to spend one's time around here. The Window and Lost Mines trails both have very gratifying finales. The Window, a small opening in the mountains with a trickle of water through a several-hundred-foot drop, is probably one of the most awe-inspiring sites at the park, although it can't be taken too lightly. The smooth rocks make it easy to fall the entire distance, and visitors have lost their lives there. The Lost Mines trail finishes on top of a mountain with a wonderful view of the park.

Despite the park's apparent isolation, there are actually a fair number of things to do in the surrounding area. Rafting trips on the Rio Grande are available. A day trip through the Santa Elena Canyon allows access to areas such as Fern Canyon that can't be reached otherwise. The nearby ghost town of Terlingua is an interesting place to spend a few hours, although it is surprisingly commercial. The cemetery is particularly memorable, and the Starlight Theater offers some of the best dining in the area (I'd recommend the Prickly Pear Margaritas). Visitors might also enjoy a trip to Mexico; however, the nearest legal crossing is in Presidio, two hours away, although the drive is scenic. Ojinaga, the Mexican town across from Presidio, is not a typical tourist-focused border town. Most of the residents do not speak English, so it is advisable to be prepared for difficulties in communication. One won't find many souvenir shops or native handicrafts there, but there are several restaurants and "dulcerias," or sweet shops. But be warned -- the road from Presidio into Mexico offers very little warning before crossing the border, and it is easy to find oneself driving into another country unintentionally and unprepared.

They have an Internet patio now? Goodness... They must have run a DSL line in or something.

If you get a chance, run down to La Kiva. I don't know where it is, or even if it's still open. Last time I was there, I was fifteen years old, and that was 18 years ago! It's a great barbecue joint with a fun atmosphere. In the back, there's a giant table made out of a chunk of tree that seats about twenty.

At this time of year, the bugs are really bad, but this encourages the birds to get out and start eating - you should see a lot of them.

Have fun! I envy you - I want to go back, but I won't get a chance this year.