Caprock Canyon 4/9 to 4/12

“It's hot and humid in the winter.”

“Hey Chili, sorry I'm going to miss the chance to pound some ground with ya, was really looking forward to meeting you after all Dayhiker has said about ya... but, we gotta do what we gotta do.....”

“got an email from Txwoodswoman she's out...”

“well I just rescued a injuried Hawk at work, my good deed for the day....”

“Just talked to BigRob, he's all set and will meet us at the state park late tomorrow night.”

“any idea on how we are going to work the gear shuttle??????”

“I guess the final decision will be made Friday morning, but I'm thinking we can do it ourselves rather than pay the $60.00. We'c just hav e to do some driving after each days hike.”

“leaving Dallas area 4 pm, arrive OK at 6-630. Depart OK 635 pm, arrive Caprock 1100-1200 am.....”

“Big Rob.....
Was that number 7173 or 72??????HAd a hard time catching the message, lot of static.....”

“I made it back to Houston late last night, left the group on Sat afternoon. Prosecuter and BigRob were getting ready for the 10 miles to Turkey.

I'll let the actual participants tell the details, but Texas rattlesnakes do not exhibt professional courtesy to Illinos lawyers.”

“The 64.5 mile Caprock Canyons Trail in the Texas panhandle has some great backpacking. On Thursday, April 8, 2002, I mountain biked the east 14 miles of the trail, and later that night met up with Big Rob at the Caprock Canyons State Park. Rain and small hail came in that night, and so did BigKingTut and his soon to be wife, Judith who both slept in their truck. This was Judith’s first long distance hiking trip. Big Rob’s sil-nylon tarp-tent with sew in netting was in a small natural wash, and his sleeping pads all but floated and he sleeping bag got wet that night. The next morning was dry and clear, and the four of us went to the Caprock Café in the Texas town of Quitaque for breakfast. BigKingTut had a fascinating tale of a traffic ticket he had once written on a 60 year old woman that parlayed into a multi-million dollar lawsuit that his department eventually won. Despite all the war stories of crime and courtroom tales from Chicago that I picked up over the last 40 years, I hung on every word of BigKingTut’s story. John Grisham never wrote a courtroom story as good as BigKingTut could tell. The waitress brought out huge plates of food which no one could finish. I made the mistake of asking the waitress what the town name “Quitaque” (pronounced Kitty-K) meant. She loudly repeated the question to a group of men finishing their breakfast for them to answer. Each one had their own opinion. One said Quitaque was an Indian word for “horse manure”. Since the town had decreased in population from 613 to 430 between the last two censuses, many people agreed. Since many different Indian tribes had inhabited the area, another Indian version of the town name of “Quitaque” meant “End of the Trail”. A third version was “Valley of Tears” since this was the location where the Comanche Indians used to bring captured women and children to be sold. Commonly, the siblings and women were sold separately to different Indian tribes, and much tears were shed on their parting, bring on the name, “Valley of Tears”. An old codger named James Kathy, founder, first President of the local Chamber of Commerce and amateur historian, came over and sat next to us. He told us “real” meaning of “Quitaque”came from the dominant tribe of Comanche and their word “Quitaque” meant sentinel. He spent quite a while telling us quite a few history stories of the area involving the settlers’ fights with the Mexican Army, and later the renegade Indians. The rough and tough human history of this part of the Texas matched the thorny bushes, cactus and rugged landscape.

Our morning start from the west end of the trail then happened late at 11:30 a.m. The first 14 miles of trail involved spectacular west Texas scenery and deep wild canyons that this previous railroad bed cut through. At dinner time, we reached the thousand foot Clarity tunnel. Tens of thousands of Mexican Free Tailed Bat squeaked their objection to our passage in the tunnel, and the dried guano powder reached two feet deep in one place. Wanting to see the dusk exodus of the bats, we settled in to await nightfall, re-telling stories of backpacking pranks that each of us have seen. I then set up my stove and started cooking Chicken Taquitos. While sitting on the ground flipping frying tortillas, Big Rob shouted, look out, there is a rattle snake right behind you. With our previous conversation on jokes, I replied sarcastically, “sure” and continued to flip the cooking tortilla without looking. BigKingTut looked over and said, “He is not kidding”, and I turned around and saw a 3 foot rattlesnake angling towards me within four feet of where I was sitting. I jumped up off the ground. My fortune was to have the Trail Talk snake killer on my trip, and Big Rob immediately stepped in between me and the snake, and he tried to shoo the rattlesnake away, but instead of fleeing, the rattlesnake turned and charged the group. The five backpacker split up like pool balls on the break, and the snake crawled into the group of packs on the ground. After many long distance attempts, the rattlesnake was put into a position where he could never endanger backpackers again. Thanks to Big Rob for saving my life.

While we waited for sunset, we watched a mating pair of hawks repeatedly fly into the tunnel entrance and come out with captured bats which the hawks took to their nest just above the tunnel entrance. After sunset thousands of bats swarmed out the tunnel entrance whooshing by our heads and we watched until it was too dark to see them. We then hiked the remaining four miles to our campsite by the parking lot. The dark sky had a huge thunderhead just beyond our destination, and the cumulonimbus cloud gave a spectacular display of lightning during our 90 minute walk out. Just as we arrived on foot, Chucky D showed up by car, and the five of us up our tents.

The next morning, Judith, a newbie was hurting to much to continue on, and BigKingTut did not want to go on without her, and we parted after ChuckyD bought everyone another huge breakfast in town. Thank you ChuckyD. ChuckyD, Big Rob and I then returned to the trail and slack packed the next five miles over the scenic Los Lingos Creek and bridge, averaging 3 miles per hour over the flat gravel trail. I asked ChuckyD what his company did, and he explained all the ways that his company tests rocks from oil companies' core drills, and why they pay so much for this analysis. I never knew rocks had so much information in them. ChuckyD then drove back to Houston. He is quite an affable backpacker.

Big Rob and I then slack packed the next ten miles of trail to the halfway point, averaging about 2 miles per hour, and we drove back to the Caprock Canyons State Park to camp where we could have a campfire in the cold night. The next morning, Big Rob’s many blisters had healed well enough that he did not hobble any more, but he did not want to re-open any wounds, and was returning home. He graciously shuttled me and my mountain bike so I could complete the remaining portion of the trail. All in all, we saw 14 wild pigs, mule deer, white tailed deer, hawks, buzzards, rattlesnake, sparrows, cliff dwelling mud swallows, split tailed flycatcher, a burrowing owl, turkeys, and thousands of bats. The most scenic portions of the trail are the western most 20 miles, and the Grundy Canyon area from milepost 253 to milepost 261, and a worthy backpacking destination. Thank you Chili for setting up this trip. We missed you.”

“Great report prosecutor! Yikes!!! on the rattler!

Did you take any pics?”

“I was the only person without a camera. Big Rob is supposed to post the photos, and he has got a good one of the snake in the grass right next to me, and Judith has a great photo of what Big Rob and the snake.”

“Ya gotta be BigProsecutor and BigChuckyD on this trip (did I miss any "bigs??!")”

“I hate my job, I think life sucks, and I am seriously considering getting drunk tonight when I go home.

I planned on doing this for six months and no go. I am glad you guys had a good time. I will read the pamplets I ordered and cry in my beer about having to work for a living.”

“Chili, you were missed.

This trail lends itself to slackpacking if you are into relatively big mile days. The section from SOuth Plains to Monks Crossing would make a nice overnighter by staying near the tunnel, of course you'd have to fight off the snakes and bats.”

“This was a great trip that was shared with great people. Thanks Chili for getting this trip going. Sory you could not make it.”

“BigRob,

How are the feet?”

“trip photos will be posted shortly”

“I just want to puke.

As soon as we get the PowerBall started here (about 2 weeks), I am going to make damn sure I have a ticket for every drawing.

A man can only hope sometimes.”

“Chili, after you win the lottery, let us know when to meet you at Soutn Plains.”

“Chili, why don't you just offer a service for a fee to set up great trips. You wouldn't have to go on them. And you already have numerous satisfied customers raving about how good the trip that you organized turned out.

For instance, on this last trip, I didn't have to do anything but show up. Your planning was excellent, and I loved the trip. Saw lots of wildlife. (You don't tell your customers how close the rattlesnake came to killing me.)”

“http://community.webshots.com/user/bigkingtut

Wow What a trip.The scenery was awesome, the friends made was priceless and the adventure has only just begain. Chilie thanks for putting the trip togeather, soory you had to miss it. You have already read the excellant trip report that the Prosecutor has filed, I just wanted to add a few things. If you guys have never pouned dirt with the Prosecutor, Big Rob, and meet Chuch D you are really missing out.We had excellent conversation and great stories.The caprock Cafe has the Biggest Breakfast for 5.00, Chuck D and Myself could not finish it all!!!!!
The trail was great, very flat. You want to make sure that you wear good shoes due to the large rocks in the trail, take sun block, the Texas sun will grant you no mercy. The weather can change at any time, we had Sever T-Storm hit Thursday night, windy and sunny Friday morn with Highs in the 80's Watched a storm build on the trail, rain and 40* by Saturday Morn... Welcome to Texas...
Judith done very well for her first time out of the gate, 17 miles in 4 1/2 hours...not to bad. I was very proud of her. She was in to much pain to contiue on Saturday morning, she plains to get into better shape and continue backpacking, she said she had a great time and thought the other guys were great....

Big Rob, Prosecutor, Chuck D I'll email the pictures to you guys”

“Maybe I can find a new career as an old tour guide.”

“Great trip report and good pictures. The Rattler looked like a mature one. I wonder why it was so aggresive?”

“Great photos BigKingTut. I especially liked the one titled, "Diamond back preparing to take a dirt nap".”

“My feet were OK after the next day. opening the blisters was the thing to do because it took away the presure that was causing the discomfort. When I got home the big blister had blood in it but did not hurt. I got the blood out and it has done great.”