Sunday, January 10, 2021
Travel Day | Rough Canyon, TX to Big Bend National Park, Terlingua, TX
ODOMETER: 82,789 | TODAY’S MILES: 284 | MILES TRAVELED: 4,844
by Grant
It rained a little overnight, but the threat of continued rain seems to have dissipated.
We took the dogs on a nice long walk out on a peninsula on Lake Amistad and they frolicked off leash on the rare occasion we were in a contained situation where they could roam free. We returned to the RV and readied Thelma for the next leg of the trip.
We reached out to the folks at Roadrunner Travelers RV Park in Terlingua, TX to see if we could arrive early and they were very accommodating. It is a new RV park only 4.5 miles outside of the Big Bend National Park. There was no availability inside Big Bend’s precinct, so we opted for the closest park with availability.
Chris and Alison from Roadrunner have been incredibly helpful over the phone and we are excited to get to Terlingua and Big Bend.
We headed off from Lake Amistad mid morning. There is a lot of road work on the way which slowed our progress. The landscape continues to be incredibly barren and we’re troubled by how depressed the Texan country economy seems. There are a lot of drilling, fracking and distillation operations peppering the landscape, but everything seems to be at a low ebb.
We travelled through some small towns and stoped a couple of times for diesel. Given our consumption of diesel we hunt for good prices, but that’s not always easy. We use an app called GasBuddy which is really good in urban and suburban areas, but proving to be less adept at divining the best gas prices in the backwoods.
As we approached the outskirts of Big Bend National Park, we decided to get some drone footage of our journey into the mountains. Jack operated the drone as we drove toward the park. It’s a windy day and incredibly cold with sleet peppering the bus.
The severe cold had reduced the drone’s flight time and we lost contact with it. As Jack headed back to the drone’s home point, I ran back to the RV to get the Jeep. It is sleeting and everyone is stressed as the drone was a birthday present for Jack.
If anything happened to it, we would all feel really badly. Luckily he got to the drone before anything happened and I picked him up in the Jeep and we resumed our journey.
The day is lengthening, but we need to get diesel and propane before we really get off the grid. We stopped in Alpine, TX which is a decent sized rural town and fill up on diesel and head to the Tractor Supply for propane. This turns out to be quite an ordeal as their setup is less than ideal, but we rely on propane for heat so we have no option. We fill up and eventually get back on the road.
We boot on down 118 from Alpine, TX and the vistas are amazing. Ellie came up front with Jana and it was wonderful to see her amazement at the topographical relief we were presented with. We climbed and descended travelling steadily south. Eventually, we reached Terlingua and checked into the Roadrunner Travelers RV Park. Chris greeted us and helped us get set up.
The park is new and under development but it is well positioned, being less than 5 miles from Big Bend.
We boot on down 118 from Alpine, TX and the vistas are amazing. Ellie came up front with Jana and it was wonderful to see her amazement at the topographical relief we were presented with.
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♥️🎈21🎈♥️
Father’s Day 2025
Mount Jerusalem National Park
Happy Birthday to My Greatest Adventure Partner!
Happy 20th Birthday, Jack!
Grant’s built homes, companies, and communities, but the most beautiful thing he’s built is the life we’ve gotten to share for more than 21 years now. It’s a life grounded in love, kindness, and deep gratitude for our family and all the experiences we get to have together, thanks to him.
I love Grant’s integrity, purpose, passion, and his heart-centered generosity of spirit — whether he’s working on visionary wellness communities or transforming an abandoned shack into our next family home.
Right now, I’m so grateful for Grant’s support during the hardest health challenge of my life, whether it be helping me walk down the stairs, dressing me, driving me to endless appointments, or reminding me of my own strength when things get scary. He holds space for all of who I am, supporting the choices I make for my healing, and supporting my dreams with unwavering belief in me, in sickness and in health.
At the same time, Grant is the best dad to Jack and Ellie. Watching him with them, celebrating their gifts, supporting their journeys, and being their safe harbor is a blessing and a joy. He parents with empathy, kindness, an open mind and endless patience, and show them, every day, what it means to be a man who leads with his heart.
At work, Grant is a force of nature. He inspires positive change, connection, and makes the world better, one project at a time. But beyond his impressive accomplishments, it’s his humility, his servant leadership, and his genuine care for people that truly set him apart. Grant doesn’t just work to improve businesses, he works to improve lives.
He’s taught me that true success is measured not by what we achieve but by how much we care. And Grant cares so much; about his family, his friends, his community, and this planet we all share.
Grantly, thank you for being wild and free, for embracing life’s chaos with open arms, and for loving me and our family unconditionally.
Happy Birthday!
Today, as you begin your twenties, we want to pause and celebrate the beautiful human you are. Your authenticity is a light, shining through in everything you do. You live your truth with a courage that inspires all of us. Your creativity is captivating, lifting the spirits of those who witness it. We admire your dedication to your own art and your profound connection to music, film and art in all forms.
Your unwavering selflessness, kindness and compassion are strengths that move quietly but profoundly, touching lives in ways you don’t always realize. The warmth and care you extend to others is a true reflection of your being. It’s a gift to watch you uplift those around you, always consciously mindful, always compassionate.
As you continue on your artistic journey, know that we are with you, supporting you always. We believe in your art, unlimited by commercial constraints and free from the mainstream’s narrow definitions of success. Your authentic vision, your voice, and your perspective are important and needed in this world.
Keep following your passions. Keep being you—because who you are is truly a gift to this world. Here’s to more years of creativity, joy, and the pure expression of your true self.
We love you so much, Jack. Happy 20th Birthday!
With all our love and admiration,
Mum & Dad
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