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Big Bend is an incredible place - watch some of the roads within the park because they transition from paved to dirt and can get a bit bouncy. Make sure that you ride up into the Chisos Basin and if you can get a room the Lodge up in the basin is a great overnight.
Alpine is a nice little college town (I attended Sul Ross for a while) with a couple of good places to eat (Reata for dinner and Alicia's Burrito Place for breakfast - order a green chili burrito - road food deluxe) and a brew pub (Railroad Blues) that books some fine Texas musicians. If you have the time, take in the Museum of the Big Bend on the Sul Ross campus.
I also recommend heading north on 118 to Ft. Davis. The best breakfast (other than the green chili burrito) is at the Drugstore in Ft. Davis. Order the biscuits and gravy. If you're in the mood for a good dinner in Ft. Davis, the Hotel Limpia has a fine dining room. If you have the time (make the time - it's worth it) head north out of Ft. Davis on 118 to the McDonald Observatory for the tour during the day and the Star Party at night. Dress warm as it tends to get a bit nippy at altitude. You can ride up the road to the observatory and find yourself on the highest public road in Texas. On a clear day (sadly decreasing in number due to the output from Carbon 1 and Carbon 2 in Mexico) you can see an amazingly long way...in fact you can often catch the tethered radar balloon off to the SW. How do you find low flying aircraft? Look down on 'em. The old fort is a nice little tour as well.
There is a great scenic loop drive that begins and ends in Ft. Davis and runs up some decent twisty roads through the Davis Mountains.
If you're up for it you can head down to Marfa (warning - artists colony in progress - please don't step in the funky) and then back on Hwy. 90 towards Alpine so that you can pull into the Marfa Lights Viewing Center and watch for the mysterious Marfa Lights. When I was in college out there we used to bring beer and girls to help pass the time. Never did see any lights...
On 118 to Big Bend south of Alpine there is a great place to stop and look for rocks. You can pay a minimal amount and go dig 'em up yourself or you can buy from the shop.
Man, that is such a great trip. Now I'm going to have to strap the wife on the back of the Bonnie and head out there for a long weekend. Enjoy yourself. Watch for DEER, antelope, coyote, bobcat and (in the Chisos Basin) bear and mountain lion. The deer are especially bad at night along 118 between Ft. Davis and Alpine and especially right now the deer are really moving because it's the rut. Please be careful.
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Mike
"Clone me, Dr. Memory!"
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