If you are traveling anywhere within the Big Bend region of Texas, there are a few things you should know before you plan your trip. 

Testing Tires

Road conditions are notoriously unpredictable in this part of the world. Even on a clean, freshly graded road, people have encountered everything from stray mesquite branches (casualties of high wind) to broken obsidian glass (from past volcanic activity) to all kinds of unexpected sharp things on the roads. To be prepared, check that you have all the necessary tools to change a tire and that you know how to use them. Keep your tires properly inflated, and be sure you check the air in your spare tire as well. Tow trucks are not always available, and tire stores are frequently closed on the weekends. Be prepared.

Telling Time

This should be much easier than it is. First of all, are you wearing a watch? Good, you’ll need it out here. Is your watch taking the correct time from the nearest cell phone tower? Not so good. What happens with a connected watch is that it will take its time from the nearest cell tower. If there is no tower available, then it will remember the last confirmed time until it touches another tower. Normally, this is unnoticeable unless you are close to the Mexican border. Because the State of Chihuahua is in Mountain Time, and most of Texas is in Central Time, you are going to really need to pay attention to which tower you are using when you check the time on your phone. To make matters worse, Mexico does not observe Daylight Savings time, which means that at certain times of the year, there is a full two-hour time difference between some Texas residents and their southern neighbors who live within easy walking distance. What time is it? It’s time to buy a watch.

Travel Tips

• Carry emergency food and plenty of water in your car. You never know when you might be spending more time in your vehicle than you originally planned.
• Check the air in your spare tire. Wait, did I already say that? No worries, it won’t hurt to check a second time.
• Don’t let your gas go below half a tank. If you see a sign that says, “No fuel services ahead,” assume that it is true.
• Carry plenty of cash in addition to your credit cards. The technology required to run a credit card is not always available in this part of the world, so it is always a good idea to have a backup plan.
• Buy a paper map of the area. Your GPS is almost guaranteed to get you lost and not in a good way.
• While the appearance of snakes is somewhat seasonal, they have been spotted during all months of the year. Don’t walk around at night without a flashlight. Don’t put your hands where you can’t see, and if you drop your keys while getting out of the car, do not reach down to pick them up until you are sure that it is safe. The good news is that the only truly dangerous type of snake that we have around here is the rattlesnake, and they are generally not aggressive at all. In fact, if a rattlesnake feels threatened, but you give him an opportunity to escape, he will always take it. Some animals are very dangerous, though. Avoid feral hogs and donkeys.

Bring a good camera and use it. Slow down. Unplug. Be open to unexpected adventures.

Come visit us in Ruidosa, we would love to see you here!