J A N U A RY • F E B R U A RY 2 0 1 5 The only shade in Big Bend State Park is the shade you bring with you. Stan and I made all the necessary preparations and left Dallas in late April of 2014 to meet Dave and his wife Kim at Big Bend Ranch State Park. Stan drives a 1995 Toyota Tacoma with all the necessary upgrades needed for a serious off-road vehicle. Before we got to Abilene, I remember bragging to him over the CB that finally, after repairing a lot of issues that my FJ60 had developed over the last couple of years, I finally felt like she was in the best shape possible and was more prepared for this trip than she had ever been. Well, not so much…. We stopped in Abilene to pick up some last minute supplies and I smelled it. The unmistakable smell of steam. You know that smell. If you are looking for challenging trails, you aren’t goi ng to find many in the Big Bend area. If you want empty, desolate, beautiful tr ails that make you glad you have a fou r-wheel drive vehicle, you are going to love this place. The biggest challenge , as it is with all expedition style trips , is knowing what to bring and how much of it—and what you should leave at hom e. Each campsite at the State Park has a fire ring and a picnic table. No toilets or trashcans. The cam psites at the National Park (outside the Basin) have no picnic tables, toilet s or trashcans and they do not allow campfires. David Aurzada, pondering the territory ahead. Come any time of the year except from late May throug h early September. Despite the elevation, it is brutally hot in the summer. Be prepared for snow fr om December to February. It is ra re but it can happen. Just ask Stan. He has camped there in the snow. He loved it. 23