Not exactly what you’d expect to see in the Texas desert, eh? I had read about this Prada store in the book Atlas Obscura, but didn’t initially intend on taking this road. Well, I did. Story is that they were gonna build this small Prada store (not open to sell stuff or anything) as an art project. The intent was to let it rot over time. Maybe to show that looks fade? Who knows. But, the first night is was finished, it was broken into with all of the product (real Prada product) stolen. They redid everything with bullet proof glass the second go around, and maintain the art project instead of letting it deteriorate. The back side has a fence that apparently folks put locks on. I wasn’t about to waste a perfectly good lock…
Backtracking a bit, I spent yesterday and last night at Big Bend Ranch SP. Talk about remote, rugged, and desolate… I drove the FM 170 along the Rio Grande, river on my left, and sheer mountain cliffs on my right. It was awfully beautiful in a terrifyingly rugged sort of way. The road was windy, and required low gear driving for a good chunk of the way. I stopped at a trail named Closed Canyon. Aptly named. The trail basically walks you through a canyon with 200 foot sheer walls on either side. Ok maybe 100 feet. Who’s counting.
Next I ended up at a different trail on the FM 170. Ranchiors West? Something like that. Apparently my guide book is a liar, and told me that there would be cool canyons just 2 miles into this hike. Maybe my expectations were too high from the closed canyon trail, but I saw zero canyons, even 4 miles in! I also learned that it’s very easy to get lost in desert. Unmarked trails look identical to flood channels, and at one point I ended up at a 50 sheer cliff. That cannot be the way… So I backtrack for a mile, to realize that the trail IS marked, I just didn’t notice it. Apparently piles of stacked rocks pass as trail guides out here. Learn something new everyday…
After my hike, I head to the ranger station at Big Bend Ranch SP, a simple 17 mile 4×4 trail leading past some of the most amazing rock formations I’ve ever seen. Even though the scenery is amazing, the road is so shitty I feel like my brains are going to be jostled out of my nostrils. Also, I’m going 25mph (the god damn speed limit) and people are flying by be. Like, do they just not give a shit about their trucks? Am I that much of a pussy. Probably both.
I finally get to the ranger station, and check into my site for the night. The ranger is very worried about me being alone, and tells me to make sure my mom knows where I am (I fell like people shouldn’t use that line, but maybe I just look really young)? I tell her I’m fine, and have a high clearance 4×4. My confidence was waaaaaaaay too high at this point. The trail getting in was shitty, yes, but not difficult. I expect the trail to my campsite will be the same. Wrong. So, so wrong. This 4×4 trail (if we can call it that) was an insane rock scramble up and down mountains. If I knew what I know now, I would not have visited or camped at this park. It’s beautiful, yes. But holy shit it was intense. I was the only camper for miles in back county. The silence was overwhelming. This park made Big Bend National Park look like a kids playground. Like one of those playgrounds that has that super soft spongy material so you don’t get hurt when you fall. What happened to the wood chips that used to stab you at all angles every time you fell?? Character building is being lost!!
The shitty trail
I finally make it to my site, and am struck with a bit of fear. Man, I am way the fuck out here. To chill out, I start planning the next day, and reading the brochure the ranger handed me. As the sun starts to set, I light up a campfire, and get some whiskey in me to chill out (thanks Paula and Eric).
At 6 am, truck lights fill my camper. Why in the world is someone else at my campsite? I pull out the shotgun, and prepare to blow a hole in anyone that approaches the vehicle. But, they turn around, and park on the hill right above me. Creepy as hell if you ask me. As soon as the sun comes up, I pack up my things and head out. Back to the shitty trail, and back to the never ending dirt road. I won’t miss this place.
camp site 
At least sunset was ok
But now there is a dilemma. With temps going into the 30s tonight, I do not want to primitive camp. So, I found a nice RV park in Van Horn, TX and am going to chill here for the night. Not too bad for $10. The people here are kinda creepy, so hopefully I’ll make it out. I’d rather be worrying about panther attacks than people.