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Cover Story
Dream Ride
A backcountry bike trek through remote Fresno Canyon will take you out of the ordinary and into ‘the zone.’
By Karen Hoffman Blizzard
Fueled by adrenaline, coffee and a full breakfast, we quickly fell into pace on the smooth trail leading into Big Bend Ranch State Park from the East Contrabando trailhead at the southeastern corner of the park, near the Barton Warnock Visitor’s Center and the town of Lajitas. Soundless except for the buzz of our wheels, we rode the first hour through lush stands of mesquite and creosote as the East Main Trail unfurled before us like a desert carpet, leading northward toward Fresno Canyon into a majestic world of mountains, arroyos and springs.
Stories Worth Viewing (again) |
As I careened into the vast wilderness on my pink dual-suspension bike rented from the Bicycle Sport Shop in Austin, I was grateful to have as my guides Dan Sholly, an avid biker and the deputy director of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s state parks division, and David Riskind, the state parks division’s natural resources director, who would be sharing his knowledge of the park and driving a support-and-gear (SAG) vehicle to meet us for lunch each day. Although physically fit, I was new to the sport of mountain biking. I knew that the desert could become dangerously hot in May and that water sources were unreliable, making SAG support more necessity than luxury. Dan advised me early on: “Start slow, and then taper off.” [read the whole story]
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As you read some of the articles in this issue, you will find related TPWD videos embedded with the stories. |
This Month's Features
Autumn Ablaze
Take a virtual fall color tour through Lost Maples State Natural Area and McKittrick Canyon.
Photos by Jerry Cotten
As days grow shorter and cooler temperatures offer respite from the brutal Texas summer heat, autumn’s arrival heralds the season of walks in the woods, fireside evenings and Friday night football.
For many, the mention of autumn color evokes postcard images of quaint New England villages nestled in landscapes of blazing foliage. While it’s true that fall color in Texas is not as widespread as in other parts of the United States, particularly the Northeast, the stands of color we do have are unique in their own right due to the diverse climates and geology in a state so large. From the hardwood forests of East Texas to the mountainous desert of the west, nature finds a variety of quiet places to display its full palette in an annual explosion of color that rivals other parts of the country. [read more]
Repairing Mother Nature
Leopold Conservation Award Winner J. David Bamberger turns ‘worst ranch in Texas’ into conservation showcase.
By Tom Harvey
J. David Bamberger is visibly emotional as he steps to the podium and surveys the crowd. It is a mountaintop moment after 80 years of life, half of them spent sweating, worrying, persevering and ultimately exulting on his 5,500-acre ranch in Blanco County.
It is May 27, 2009, at the annual Lone Star Land Steward Awards in Austin. Bamberger and his staff are here to receive the Leopold Conservation Award for Texas, the state’s top honor for private land stewardship, bestowed by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Sand County Foundation. The hotel banquet room is filled with other land stewards past and present, plus TPWD commissioners, staff and many interested others.
Bamberger rests an elbow on the podium and lifts his left hand to his chin, placing one index finger alongside his mouth. He looks out at the crowd, turning his head, scanning the room. The hand and finger are quivering. His eyes are wet. It is a grand culmination, what he calls “a last hurrah.” He has received the principal honor in the awards program he helped create in 1996. [read more]
Keep Texas Wild (PDF)
Bird Lips!?
