Caprock Canyon 4/9 to 4/12

“LMAO, while I am not opposed to keg parties, I don't think I want to hike 17 miles the next day with a beer hangover.”

“On page three of the reservation form, you will see,

"Public consumption or display of an open container of an alcoholic beverage is prohibited."

Please re-label the keg to say, "ROOT BEER".”

“I just noticed that Chuck is looking at sites at South Prong and I am talking about South Plains .”

“There is no camping at the South Plains terminal, have to hike 6 miles to John Ferris station. THe camping reservations are at the State Park for Thursday.”

“I need to call them back, because I bet when I inquired about South Plains, she answered in re South Prong.

I am glad we straightened this out before hand.

However, it was also my understanding that primitive camping was permitted along the entire Trailway. Another thing to clear up.”

“What time to do you expect to get there on Thurs, if it's early enough maybe we could do that 6 miles that evening and cut down the distance for the rest of the weekend.”

“Chuck, my plans are to leave Memphis at 5 toward Amarillo on Wed.
I might drive all the way to Ft Smith Wednesday night. If so, then I should be able to get an early jump and we can probably knock out that 6 miles in a couple hours.”

“Given the reports for this, I don't think we are limited to daylight hiking. Going in after dark shouldn't be a huge problem other than passing through the Bat Cave about the time they decide to swarm out of there.”

“April 8, 2004, 90% of the moom illuminated. Moonrise 11:21 p.m.

http://aa.usno.navy.mil/”

“I will not arrive at the trail until after dark, probably around 9:00 p.m. on Thursday. If you decide to start out on Thursday then please let me know where you will be parked and where you will camp so I can catch up.
Will I need to reserve a parking space and will someone be able to drive us back to our vehical when we compleat the trail?”

“If we do start early Friday I plan on stopping and watching the bats come out of the tunnel, and then catching up with yall at Monk’s crossing. The bats come out as soon as the sun starts to go down and I do not want to miss this. I have seen this before in Austin TX and it is awesome. If we start the first 6 miles Thursday and camp at Monk’s on Friday night then I will walk back on Friday night to Clarity Tunnel and watch the bats, then come back to camp.”

“ok.... lets get it togeather, we will be coming from OK on thursday evening around 6pm, should arrive before 12mid.Will be ready to hike 1st thing Friday Morn...
Chili will you have the plan worked out and sent out to everyone today????????????”

“Chili, so are you planning on slack packing the first two days with only a day pack????”

“what are you guys doing for food, are you carrying all food from the start, or are you doing food drops with the water drops????

Trying to keep Judith's pack weight down since this will be her very 1st backpacking trip.....”

“I don't see any reason we can't slack pack.

Start at South Plains, fast pack to Monk's crossing where we have a gear brought to.

From there to Quitaque and then to Turkey.

Actually we can slack pack the first three days if needed.”

“so is cotton socks or who going to haul gear?”

“that would be great with me, but we need to plan for this or not”

“I will have an answer to that tonight.”

“chili, you master negotiator, this should be interesting to read. Can CS out negotiate the negotiator? So far all evidence points to.....mabye.”

“whats the fee for a backcountry permit, and who is securing this for us? If we do, is the permit good for the entire trip or are we going to have to pay at each section?”

“whats the fee for a backcountry permit, and who is securing this for us? If we do, is the permit good for the entire trip or are we going to have to pay at each section?... There will be (2)Two of us.....”

“$7.00 for 4 people”

“Looks good Thursday and Friday,
hi near 70 lows in the 40's. Sat and Sun call for cooler temps and showers”

“I am about to get screwed at work. I got an email this morning telling me to report for a meeting Friday and Monday.

I am not sure if someone didn't know I was off for 4 days or if leave has been cancelled.

I will know tomorrow AM.

This job is going to wind up killing me if they don't give me a #&%!$ing break.....”

“Relax Chili. If you have to work, I'll swing by and pick up your wife and she won't have to miss anything. We will file a detailed trip report on everything so it will be like you were there.”

“Chili I know that feeling, the last couple of years it seems like something always comes up at the last minute. Hope things work out OK. I'm packing tonight, busy the two evenings and planning on hitting the road very early Thursday AM. Your plans still the same Ed?”

“Yeah, I'll be hitting the road Wednesday morning to be there Thursday during the day to mountain bike and camp Thursday night. I already packaged up Pecan Pancakes, Walnut-Raisen-Date Scones, Three Fruit Oatmeal, Egg Muffin Sandwiches, Prosecutor's Bars, Venison Burritos, Scallops and Pasta, Isle Royale Salmon, Chicken Taquitos, and Chicken Pesto Pasta. I would list the 151 rum, but its illegal in the Park.”

“I have got my pack ready. Just need to know where to meet you all on Thursday night.”

“I'm trying for lunch in the Caprock Cafe at 201 Main Street, Quitaque at 1:00 p.m. Thursday. I should not be hard to spot since I will be the only one sounding like a foreigner to them parts. Then some biking, and then around 5:00 p.m. I'll be in the South Prong tent camp Area, give or take an hour, driving a silver Taurus bearing Illinois plates BCKPCK. My cell phone number is 708-341-2302.”

“I plan on getting to the park sometime in the late afternoon, I'll be driving a 97 tan Grand Cherokee TX plates. I've also reserved a campsite so if any of you want to meet there and stay let me know, the sites are good for up to 8 people.”

“I got a reserved site also, so I can take the one next to yours, or visa versa. Our two sites should be enough for anyone else who car camps thursday night.

Right now, only a 30% chance of rain, and good hiking temperatures.”

“I am beginning to think life pretty much sucks.”

“Chili, that is not what I wanted to hear. I want you to tell us that your boss apologized to you and rescheduled the meetings to honor your prexisting vacation.”

“I have too many things going on. Work, home, no rest.”

“ok we are still In, dropping the Kids off at the TX/OK state line about630-700 then heading towards South Plains.So how will we do the equipment shuttle?Are we going to change the hike plan?Need to know so I'll know to plan on carrying all gear or just a day pack. WHat about the water cache's?
Dont like to fly by the seat of my pants......”

“Judith and I will be driving a Champine color chevy 1500 extd cab truck with TX plates of course. Should be in the area some where between 9-12 pm. Where is everyone meeting? At the south prong area, and where is it located?”

“Hey, Txwoodswomen you still in....”

“Chili is good at planning. His Black Creek Wilderness hike turned out great on his plan even though only Slack and I did it. I will go along with the majority, but I would have a slight preference in staying with Chili's plan, including staching a car at the trailheads for use in resupply. One can do multiple shuttles on consecutive days and not carry all your food and water the entire distance.

I got my new tires on my mountain bike on, and barring mechanical difficulties,on Thursday, I plan on biking out to each of the proposed campsited and checking to see if the trail water shown on the trail map is available and palitable. With that information, we can decide where and whether to cache water additional water. I am bringing two or three gallons for that purpose.

The South Prong Tent Camping Area is the last camping area at the end of the road in the Caprock Canyons State Park. According to the map, it is beyond the Honea Flat Camping Area, the Wild Horse Camping area, the Little Red Tent Camping Area, and the North Prong Primative Camping Area.”

“so do we have a total on the people going? Ans since we well be coming in after midnight propably, we will need some one to cache water for us, well pay who ever for the water, will also bring my pur hiker in case there is water source at the traiheads we can filiter if we dont need it can leave it in the truck.
I'm all for the fast packing and sticking with the plan, we'll sleep in truck.who's going to shuttle gear if cottonsocks is not coming????”

“Trying to reach the shuttle service to see what cost is....
806-455-1193
Caprock Home Center”

“just for the sake of, here's my cell number 214-663-3390”

“I'm bringing extra water to cache also, that West Texas brine that is called drinking water is pretty poor in a lot of places. I have to get off the trail on Sat. so we can leave my car at Quitaque or Turkey.”

“Ok, just talked to people that run the shuttle service, you go in to Quitaque, leave your vehicle at the home center,they lock it up in the lumber yard and take you to South Plains when you reach your destination you call them before you get there and they bring your vehicle out to you. The cost is 60.00”

“Is chili definately out? I hope not, I think it was about a year ago that he emailed me a link to this area when he first dreamed it up as a fun way for his son and him to spend spring break. chili isn't having too good of a batting average lately. There was the missed Savage Gulf, Sipsey, Black Creek, and possibly this. If he didn't have bad luck.....”

“Chili is out. I have specific instruction to take my division to $7.5M this year. I inherited this division with a whopping $32K in revenue and a vision.

I am close to sealing a company wide deal that can get me to $30M by end of 2005.

Even in a $5B company, guys who can generate $5M or more become a golden child.

I only have one chance to get on this train. If I make it, my career is pretty much set and I can resume hiking. If I don't, I won't get axed, but it would be pretty much axiomatic I will have a hell of a lot more time to hike anyway.

I have two kids who will need to go to college in a few years. As much as I said I would never push this hard again, I find myself doing it anyway.”

“Wow, sounds like a great opportunity for the future. To quote Mike Dubose, "It's a great challenge, as well as an opportunity."

OK, I'll give a quote that won't make your roll your eyes, "Opportunities are never missed. Either you take them or someone else does."

I suspect that canyon isn't going anywhere.”

“Good luck chili,

Sorry you can't make it but we'll try to continue on in your spirit.

Anybody else got the yellow waldies?

Maybe Big Bend this fall or winter?”

“bigkingtut I will try and call you on Wed.. I need some info.”

“My cell is 713-818-2258, I plan on leaving Houston about 5 on Thurs AM”

“Well boys, I'm leaving Mokena, Illinois in 10 minutes. Bring your rain gear, because 40% chance of rain is back in the forecast. ChuckD, I lived in Houston for three years when I went to the University of Houston. I can't wait to hear stories about my old home town. Still hot and humid in the summer?”